FIVE-POINT PLAN

1 BE MORE CLINICAL

It was a bumper year for City goals, as they racked up 102 in league matches alone. Yet, with a rocketing overall xg, it was the number of spurned chances that defined their season; Gabriel Jesus, in particular, has become less clinical year- on- year. It would also help to spread the bounty more evenly. It’s all well and good blasting eight goals past Watford, but not if you regularly pass up opportunities in tighter games.

2 FOCUS ON PROTECTING THE DEFENCE

It has long been a cliché that City’s defence can be ‘ got at’, but this only became a major concern with the withdrawal of Fernandinho from his midfield holding role. Ilkay Gundogan and Rodri are elegant craftsmen, but they pack the pace and mobility of asthmatic snails. It should be a priority to shield a backline too often exposed by City’s adventure.

For all of their artistry, Guardiola’s side showed plenty of fight when winning their back- to- back titles. Daring to score against them was akin to pulling on a tiger’s tail. Where is that fortitude now? City fell behind on 13 occasions in the Premier League last season and they went on to lose nine of those games. Six times, they were next to concede.

4 REPLACE THE IRREPLACEABLE

It’s an unrealistic ask to find a straight- up replacement for David Silva. He was special. Even so, every Guardiola side needs a player of his ilk to function best: someone who treasures possession, while finding the tiniest of gaps through stubborn low blocks. Will that player be Gundogan? Probably not.

5 DITCH USELESS PLAN B

Floating aimless balls into the box from wide areas has become a City trademark when incisive passing gets them nowhere. Last season they flung in 914 crosses, more than any other team. Guardiola may be a genius, but even lesser mortals can see that clipping speculative balls to a small striker crowded out by towering defenders carries the distinct whiff of desperation.