Manchester City have been the team to beat for the past few seasons. Pep Guardiola has stamped his authority on the club since his arrival in 2016. He has guided Cityzens to six league titles along with the Champions League triumph in 2023.
Ahead of the 2024-25 season, Manchester City are again the favorites to lift their fifth consecutive Premier League title in a row. However, Cityzens will have their work cut out this season as the rival clubs are starting to catch up, and several key players are potentially on their way out of the club.
Let us take a look at 3 reasons why Manchester City may not win a fifth Premier League title in a row.
1. Key Players Could Move Out
As the summer transfer market is in full swing, many Manchester City players are rumored to make a move away from the club. The future of players like Kevin De Bryune and Ederson has been in doubt for a long time and both the players are possibly heading to the Saudi Pro League. Ederson is in talks with Al Ittihad with Man City reportedly listening to the offers for the Brazilian.
Julian Alvarez, who has been one of the key players of Man City since his arrival, is also rumored to be linked to a move away from the club. The 24-year-old has attracted attention from Serie A club Inter Milan and La Liga side Atletico Madrid.
These players have been an integral part of Manchester City’s success in recent years and if they do end up leaving the club, their quality will definitely be difficult to replace.
2. Winning Fatigue
Under Pep Guardiola, Manchester City have won 15 major titles. This unprecedented success is a testament to the work that Guardiola has done at the club.
This success may also come at a cost for Man City as they may not be as motivated as they have been in the previous seasons. They may also turn their main focus towards lifting their second UEFA Champions League crown this season.
The combination of these factors may allow rival clubs to pounce in their bid to stop the juggernauts of Manchester City from winning the league yet again.
3. Rivals Catching Up
The title rivals of Manchester City like Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United are expected to catch up this season thanks to some major incomings.
Arsenal are again expected to mount a serious title challenge to Manchester City. They came agonizingly close to winning the league last season and would be desperate to go one better this time around. This season Gunners will have a more settled and experienced side from last season and with a good summer transfer window, they are definitely capable of dethroning Manchester City from their helm this season.
Liverpool will be under the new leadership of Arne Slot this season following the departure of Jurgen Klopp. Slot impressed with his former side Feyenoord winning them the league title in only his second season in charge.
Slot will now look to rejuvenate Liverpool with his new ideas and with the right mentality they are more than capable of mounting a title challenge to Manchester City.
Manchester City’s rivals Manchester United are looking to make some big moves this transfer window. Players like Matthijs de Ligt, Manuel Ugarte, Adrien Rabiot, and Jarrad Branthwaite are all in advanced talks with the Red Devils. If these moves do end up going ahead, United would be a force to be reckoned with in the coming season of the Premier League.
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Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
