Last season rendered Guardiola a history-maker in a new respect, the first manager to win four consecutive English titles. With Klopp gone, in a sense, he has eliminated the opposition. In another, he remains a marked man. “Everyone wants the crown that we have worn for four years,” he warned last week.
Guardiola’s capacity to create teams that can win both week in, week out and year in, year out adds to City’s powers of intimidation. They have a proven ability to reel off 12 or 15 straight victories. They could become the first English club to register five straight league titles, feats that have occurred in the recent past in France, Italy and Germany, but never here. Klopp’s resignation removed one rival. Arsenal have got ever closer but the season probably starts with the expectation that it will end with City celebrating again.
And yet there are reasons to wonder if an era will end, if City will be deposed. One lies in the footballing courts, with City’s increasingly infamous 115 charges due to finally be heard with the eventual verdict likely to come this season. If it is a safe assumption it will not satisfy everyone, it has the possibility to transform the footballing landscape and to bring City’s era of domination to an abrupt end.
It is worth noting that they have long maintained their innocence. Should they be found guilty of some, let alone all, of the charges, there are a range of punishments; some could be so swingeing that retaining the title becomes improbable or impossible. Relegation would reshape the Premier League; even a sizeable points deduction would create a void, a vacancy for others.
Denne historien er fra August 16, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
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Denne historien er fra August 16, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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