FIVE-POINT PLAN

1 REBOOT RAHEEM

Context is needed to evaluate Raheem Sterling’s dwindling club numbers. Granted, 24 direct goal involvements is barely par compared with past seasons, but City’s reconfigured system meant Gundogan’s 13 league goals represented the lowest top scorer return in a title- winning side since 2005. Electric at the Euros, Sterling remains vital to his team’s attacking endeavours.

2 DOMINATE DERBIES

Winning trophies will always be mind- blowing for the City faithful still unspoiled by success. Being top Manchester dogs, however, matters. That’s something Guardiola apparently doesn’t fully grasp, and whether it’s fielding a weakened team in a cup game or ( regularly) being undone by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s counter- attacking mandate, the Catalan’s record in derbies – W6 D2 L6 – leaves a lot to be desired.

3 DON’T OVER- THINK BIG OCCASIONS

A pattern has emerged. Guardiola’s team, fully in their groove, play sensational football to reach a climactic fixture, whereupon the gaffer ‘ does a Pep’ and contrives an unfamiliar, perplexing line- up. Deploying Gundogan in the lone holding role for a Champions League final is a move that will sadly go down in City folklore.

4 STOP GIVING AWAY PENALTIES

Every side gives away a few penalties across a season. To concede 10, the second- most in the league, as that division’s dominant side is nothing short of careless. A quarter of the Premier League goals conceded by City last season came from the spot, and gifting Leicester a hat- trick of them in a 5- 2 loss at the Etihad was, frankly, a comedy of errors.

5 START SHARPER

Obvious, but pertinent. In the title- winning campaigns of 2017- 18 and 2018- 19, City dropped just two and four points respectively from their opening 13 fixtures. In the two seasons that followed, that number shot up to 11 and 16. Last term’s catch- up was an anomaly, and a similarly sluggish start will cost City big.