Last season, Manchester City walked away with the three Major trophies of the campaign.
They wrapped up the Premier League, then followed that with an FA Cup win over Manchester United.
Lastly, they defeated Inter Milan 1-0 in the Champions League Final to join the 1999 Manchester United team as the only treble winners in history.
Pep Guardiola and his team have now set a precedent for the 2023/24 season, but is it one they can match this season?
Or will some of City’s main opponents finally catch up to City’s relentless pursuit of silverware?
In this article, we’ll examine where City stand heading into the new season. Then we will look at the teams most likely, and most capable, of catching them.
What The Bookmakers Say
The bookmakers are always a good marker for how strong a team is heading into the new season. Bet365 Sport have Manchester City as the following odds to land the three big trophies once again.
Premier League – 8/11 favourites
FA Cup – 3/1 favourites
Football League Cup – 7/2 favourites
UEFA Champions League – 2/1 favourites
It is abundantly clear therefore, that the bookies rate City’s chances of another treble, or even a quadruple, as very good indeed.
In fact, you can get 66/1 with bet365 on Manchester City winning all four trophies next season and they are just 18/1 to complete the same treble next season as they did this.
So, if anybody is going to stop Manchester City claiming a record-setting fourth Premier League title in a row – who is it likely to be?
Before we look at that, we need to take a look at how City stand right now, which is outlined below.
Manchester City
Last Season’s Performances
Premier League – Winners
FA Cup – Winners
Football League Cup – Quarter Finals
European Competition – Winners
Last Season’s Total Games Record
Games Played – 61
Won – 44
Drawn – 10
Lost – 7
Individual Performances
Top Goalscorer (all comps) – Erling Haaland – 52 goals
Top Assists (all comps) – Kevin De Bruyne – 29 assists
Players Incoming
Mateo Kovacic – From Chelsea – £30,000,000
Player Departures
Shea Charles – To Southampton – £15,000,000
Ilkay Gundogan – To Barcelona – Free
Benjamin Mendy – To Lorient – Free
James Trafford – To Burnley – £19,000,000
Josh Wilson Esbrand – To Reims – Loan Eos
Manchester City Team & Manager Rankings
Pos/RoleNameRating (0-20)TrendingGKEderson19No ChangeDRKyle Walker17No ChangeDCRuben Dias18No ChangeDCJohn Stones18ImprovingDLManuel Akanji16ImprovingDMCRodri20ImprovingMCBernardo Silva17No ChangeMCKevin De Bruyne20No ChangeAMRPhil Foden16ImprovingAMLJack Grealish17ImprovingACErling Haaland20ImprovingSubstitutesSubGkStefan Ortega14ImprovingSub2Nathan Ake16ImprovingSub3Aymeric Laporte14DecliningSub4Rico Lewis13ImprovingSub5Kalvin Phillips16DecliningSub6Mateo Kovacic18ImprovingSub7Cole Palmer13ImprovingSub8Riyad Mahrez17DecliningSub9Julian Alvarez16ImprovingManagerManagerPep Guardiola20No ChangeTotals & TrendsTotal First XI Rating (out of 220)198Improved on last seasonTotal Squad Rating (First XI & Subs – Out of 400)335No ChangeTotal Rating (First XI + Subs + Manager) / 420355Improved on last season
Rumoured Further Player Sales/Purchases That Could Affect The Ratings Above
Sales – Kalvin Phillips, Riyad Mahrez, Aymeric Laporte, Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva
Purchases – Josko Gvardiol, Gabri Veiga
Odds To Win Premier League – 8/11
Let’s take a closer look now at some of their main rivals and their chances of stopping the City juggernaut.
Who Could Be Manchester City’s Major Premier League/ FA Cup/ League Cup Rivals?
Arsenal
Last Season’s Performances
Premier League – 2nd
FA Cup – Fourth Round
Football League Cup – Third Round
European Competition – Europa League – Round of 16
Last Season’s Total Games Record
Games Played – 49
Won – 32
Drawn – 8
Lost – 9
Individual Performances
Top Goalscorer (all comps) – Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka – 15 goals
Top Assists (all comps) – Bukayo Saka – 11 assists
Players Incoming
Kai Havertz – From Chelsea – £65,000,000
Declan Rice – From West Ham – £105,000,000
Jurrien Timber – From Ajax – £38,000,000
Player Departures
Granit Xhaka – To Bayer Leverkusen – £21,400,000
Pablo Mari – To Monza – Undisclosed
Ainsley Maitland–Niles – Released
Arsenal Team & Manager Rankings
Pos/RoleNameRating (0-20)TrendingGKAaron Ramsdale17ImprovingDMRJurrien Timber15ImprovingDCWilliam Saliba16ImprovingDCGabriel Magelhaes15ImprovingDMCDeclan Rice19ImprovingDMLOleksandr Zinchenko17ImprovingMCKai Havertz18ImprovingMCMartin Odegaard19ImprovingAMRBukayo Saka19ImprovingAMLGabriel Martinelli18ImprovingACGabriel Jesus16No ChangeSubstitutesSubGkMatt Turner14No ChangeSub2Kieran Tierney14No ChangeSub3Ben White15ImprovingSub4Rob Holding13No ChangeSub5Thomas Partey15DecliningSub6Emile Smith Rowe14No ChangeSub7Jorginho15No ChangeSub8Eddie Nketiah14ImprovingSub9Reiss Nelson13ImprovingManagerManagerMikel Arteta18ImprovingTotals & TrendsTotal First XI Rating (out of 220)189Improved on last seasonTotal Squad Rating (First XI & Subs – Out of 400)316Improved on last seasonTotal Rating (First XI + Subs + Manager) / 420334Improved on last season
Rumoured Further Player Sales/Purchases That Could Affect The Ratings Above
Sales – Thomas Partey, Nicolas Pepe, Nuno Tavares, Folarin Balogun
Purchases – Mohamed Kudus, Douglas Luiz
Odds To Win Premier League – 5/1
Can Arsenal Challenge City?
189-198 – The Gunners have made some big strides in the off-season to close the gap on City, but I still feel they are a little short, although that gap is growing smaller each season.
Chelsea
Last Season’s Performances
Premier League – 12th
FA Cup – Third Round
Football League Cup – Third Round
European Competition – Champions League – Quarter Finals
Last Season’s Total Games Record
Games Played – 50
Won – 16
Drawn – 12
Lost – 22
Individual Performances
Top Goalscorer (all comps) – Kai Havertz, Raheem Sterling – 9 goals
Top Assists (all comps) – Raheem Sterling, Mason Mount – 4 assists
Players Incoming
Nicolas Jackson – From Villarreal – £30,100,000
Christopher Nkunku – From RB Leipzig – £52,000,000
Kendry Paez – From Independiente del Valle – £17,270,000
Angelo Gabriel – From Santos – Undisclosed
Alex Matos – From Norwich City – Undisclosed
Diego Moreira – From Benfica – Undisclosed
Player Departures
Kai Havertz – To Arsenal – £65,000,000
Mateo Kovacic – To Manchester City – £30,000,000
Ruben Loftus Cheek – To AC Milan – £17,180,000
Mason Mount – To Manchester United – £60,000,000
Christian Pulisic – To AC Milan – £18,800,000
Ethan Ampadu – To Leeds United – Undisclosed
Pierre–Emerick Aubameyang – To Marseille – Free
Kaliodou Koulibaly – To Al Hilal – Undisclosed
Eduoard Mendy – To Al Ahli – Undisclosed
Cesar Azpilicueta – To Atletico Madrid – Free
N’Golo Kante – To Al-Ittihad – Free
Baba Rahman – To PAOK Salonika – Free
Tiemou Bakayoko – Released
Chelsea Team & Manager Rankings
Pos/RoleNameRating (0-20)TrendingGKKepa Arrizabalaga14DecliningDMRReece James19ImprovingDCThiago Silva15DecliningDCBenoit Badiashile15ImprovingDMLBen Chilwell18ImprovingDMCEnzo Fernandez19ImprovingMCConor Gallacher15ImprovingAMLMihailo Mudryk15No ChangeAMRRaheem Sterling17No ChangeACChristopher Nkunku17ImprovingACNicolas Jackson16ImprovingSubstitutesSubGkMarcus Bettinelli12DecliningSub2Trevor Chalobah14No ChangeSub3Marc Cucurella15DecliningSub4Wesley Fofana16No ChangeSub5Levi Colwill14ImprovingSub6Carney Chukwumeka12ImprovingSub7Lewis Hall13ImprovingSub8Noni Madueke13ImprovingSub9Armando Broja14No ChangeManagerManagerMauricio Pochettino16ImprovingTotals & TrendsTotal First XI Rating (out of 220)180ImprovingTotal Squad Rating (First XI & Subs – Out of 400)303DecliningTotal Rating (First XI + Subs + Manager) / 420319Improving
Rumoured Further Player Sales/Purchases That Could Affect The Ratings Above
Sales – Callum Hudson-Odoi, Hakim Ziyech, Trevor Chalobah, Romelu Lukaku
Purchases – Elye Wahi, Moses Caicedo, Rayan Cherki
Odds To Win Premier League – 12/1
Can Chelsea Challenge City?
180 – 198 – After all the changes made at Chelsea in the past 12 months or so, a challenge to City is probably too big of an ask, but a push for the Champions League places most definitely is not.
Liverpool
Last Season’s Performances
Premier League – 5th
FA Cup – Fourth Round
Football League Cup – Fourth Round
European Competition – Champions League – Round of 16
Last Season’s Total Games Record
Games Played – 52
Won – 26
Drawn – 12
Lost – 14
Individual Performances
Top Goalscorer (all comps) – Mo Salah – 30 goals
Top Assists (all comps) – Mo Salah – 16 assists
Players Incoming
Carlos Mac Allister – From Brighton – £35,000,000
Dominik Szoboszlai – From Red Bull Leipzig – £60,000,000
Player Departures
James Milner – To Brighton – Free
Naby Keita – To Werder Bremen – Free
Alex Oxlade Chamberlain – Released
Roberto Firmino – To Al Ahli – Free
Liverpool Team & Manager Rankings
Pos/RoleNameRating (0-20)TrendingGKAlisson20No ChangeDCVirgil Van Dijk18DecliningDCIbrahima Konate17ImprovingDMCStefan Bajcetic13ImprovingDMRTrent Alexander Arnold20ImprovingDMLAndy Robertson19No ChangeMCDominik Szoboszlai17ImprovingMCAlexis Mac Allister17ImprovingAMRMo Salah20No ChangeAMLLuis Diaz18No ChangeACDarwin Nunez15DecliningSubstitutesSubGkCaoimhin Kelleher14ImprovingSub2Joe Gomez14DecliningSub3Joel Matip15DecliningSub4Kostas Tsimikas14No ChangeSub5Thiago15DecliningSub6Curtis Jones14ImprovingSub7Harvey Elliott15ImprovingSub8Cody Gakpo18ImprovingSub9Diogo Jota17ImprovingManagerManagerJurgen Klopp20No ChangeTotals & TrendsTotal First XI Rating (out of 220)194Improved on last seasonTotal Squad Rating (First XI & Subs – Out of 400)330Declined on last seasonTotal Rating (First XI + Subs + Manager) / 420350Improved on last season
Rumoured Further Player Sales/Purchases That Could Affect The Ratings Above
Sales – Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Joe Gomez, Nat Phillips, Thiago, Caoiminh Kelleher
Purchases – Romeo Lavia, Kalvin Phillips, Cheick Doucoure, Joshua Kimmich, Gabri Veiga
Odds To Win Premier League – 8/1
Can Liverpool Challenge City?
194 – 198 – On Paper, Liverpool look likely to be City’s main challengers once again. But it all depends on the midfield changes working for the Reds. If they do, then we could have a real battle between the two.
Manchester United
Last Season’s Performances
Premier League – 3rd
FA Cup – Runners Up
Football League Cup – Winners
European Competition – Europa League – Quarter Finals
Last Season’s Total Games Record
Games Played – 62
Won – 42
Drawn – 8
Lost – 12
Individual Performances
Top Goalscorer (all comps) – Marcus Rashford – 30 goals
Top Assists (all comps) – Bruno Fernandes – 13 assists
Players Incoming
Andre Onana – From Inter Milan – £47,200,000
Jonny Evans – From Leicester City – Free
Mason Mount – From Chelsea – £60,000,000
Player Departures
Alex Telles – To Al-Nassr – £4,000,000
Charlie Savage – To Reading – Undisclosed
David de Gea – Released
Phil Jones – Released
Axel Tuanzebe – Released
Manchester United Team & Manager Rankings
Pos/RoleNameRating (0-20)TrendingGKAndre Onana15ImprovingDRDiogo Dalot16ImprovingDCLisandro Martinez18ImprovingDCRaphael Varane16DecliningDLLuke Shaw18No ChangeDMCCasemiro20No ChangeMCMason Mount17No ChangeAMCBruno Fernandes19No ChangeAMRAntony16ImprovingAMLJadon Sancho15DecliningACMarcus Rashford17ImprovingSubstitutesSubGkTom Heaton10DecliningSub2Victor Lindelof14No ChangeSub3Harry Maguire13DecliningSub4Tyrell Malacia13ImprovingSub5Aaron Wan Bissaka14ImprovingSub6Christian Eriksen14DecliningSub7Donny Van de Beek13DecliningSub8Alejandro Garnacho13ImprovingSub9Anthony Martial14DecliningManagerManagerErik Ten Hag18ImprovingTotals & TrendsTotal First XI Rating (out of 220)186Improved on last seasonTotal Squad Rating (First XI & Subs – Out of 400)304Improved on last seasonTotal Rating (First XI + Subs + Manager) / 420322Improved on last season
Rumoured Further Player Sales/Purchases That Could Affect The Ratings Above
Sales – Fred, Anthony Elanga, Dean Henderson, Harry Maguire, Scott McTominay
Purchases – Rasmus Hjolund, Harry Kane, Randal Kolo Muani
Odds To Win Premier League – 11/1
Can Manchester United Challenge City?
186 – 198 – At the moment, I still feel United are a couple of top players short of a realistic challenge to City, but some of the names they have been linked with would see that gap close considerably if they can sign one or two of them.
Newcastle United
Last Season’s Performances
Premier League – 4th
FA Cup – Third Round
Football League Cup – Runners Up
European Competition – N/A
Last Season’s Total Games Record
Games Played – 46
Won – 24
Drawn – 15
Lost – 7
Individual Performances
Top Goalscorer (all comps) – Callum Wilson – 18 goals
Top Assists (all comps) – Kieran Trippier – 9 assists
Players Incoming
Sandro Tonali – From AC Milan – £55,000,000
Harvey Barnes – From Leicester City – £39,000,000
Player Departures
Chris Wood – To Nottingham Forest – £12,000,000
Matty Longstaff – Released
Ciaran Clark – Released
Jeff Hendrick – To Reading – Loan Eos
Allen Saint-Maximin – To Al Ahli – £30,000,000
Newcastle United Team & Manager Rankings
Pos/RoleNameRating (0-20)TrendingGKNick Pope16ImprovingDRKieran Trippier17No ChangeDCFabian Schar14ImprovingDCSven Botman15ImprovingDLDan Burn14ImprovingMCBruno Guimaraes17ImprovingMCSandro Tonali17ImprovingAMLHarvey Barnes14ImprovingAMRJoelinton15ImprovingACCallum Wilson14No ChangeACAlexander Isak15ImprovingSubstitutesSubGkMartin Dubravka13DecliningSub2Paul Dummett11DecliningSub3Jamal Lascalles12No ChangeSub4Jamal Lewis12No ChangeSub5Miguel Almiron16ImprovingSub6Anthony Gordon14ImprovingSub7Sean Longstaff13ImprovingSub8Jacob Murphy11DecliningSub9Joe Willock14ImprovingManagerManagerEddie Howe16ImprovingTotals & TrendsTotal First XI Rating (out of 220)168Improving from last seasonTotal Squad Rating (First XI & Subs – Out of 400)284Improving from last seasonTotal Rating (First XI + Subs + Manager) / 420300Improving from last season
Rumoured Further Player Sales/Purchases That Could Affect The Ratings Above
Sales – Isaac Hayden, Jamal Lascalles, Ryan Fraser, Matt Ritchie
Purchases – Tino Livramento, Ibrahim Adel, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Federico Chiesa
Odds To Win Premier League – 14/1
Can Newcastle United Challenge City?
168 – 198 – I still feel Newcastle are a good few players away from challenging Manchester City for the title. A Champions League tilt is another good shout, but I think this could be a season of consolidation for the Toon this year.
Tottenham Hotspurs
Last Season’s Performances
Premier League – 8th
FA Cup – Fifth Round
Football League Cup – Third Round
European Competition – N/A
Last Season’s Total Games Record
Games Played – 50
Won – 23
Drawn – 9
Lost – 18
Individual Performances
Top Goalscorer (all comps) – Harry Kane – 32 goals
Top Assists (all comps) – Ivan Perisic – 12 assists
Players Incoming
Dejan Kulusevski – From Juventus – £25,600,000
James Maddison – From Leicester City – £40,000,000
Guglielmo Vicario – From Empoli – £17,200,000
Manor Solomon – From Shakhtar Donetsk – Free
Player Departures
Harry Winks – To Leicester City – £10,000,000
Lucas Moura – Released
Tottenham Hotspur Team & Manager Rankings
Pos/RoleNameRating (0-20)TrendingGKGuigielmo Vicario15ImprovingDRPedro Porro15ImprovingDCEric Dier15DecliningDCCristian Romero16No ChangeDLIvan Perisic15DecliningDMCRodrigo Betancur15ImprovingMCOliver Skipp14ImprovingAMLSon Hyeung-min17DecliningAMRDejan Kulusevski16No ChangeAMCJames Maddison17ImprovingACHarry Kane20No ChangeSubstitutesSubGkFraser Forster11No ChangeSub2Davinson Sanchez12DecliningSub3Emerson Royal12DecliningSub4Ben Davies13DecliningSub5Pierre Emil-Hojbjerg15No ChangeSub6Giovani Lo Celso14No ChangeSub7Yves Bissouma13No ChangeSub8Richarlison17No ChangeSub9Manor Solomon14ImprovingManagerManagerAnge Postecoglou14ImprovingTotals & TrendsTotal First XI Rating (out of 220)175Improved from last seasonTotal Squad Rating (First XI & Subs – Out of 400)296Improved from last seasonTotal Rating (First XI + Subs + Manager) / 420310Improved from last season
Rumoured Further Player Sales/Purchases That Could Affect The Ratings Above
Sales – Harry Kane, Pierre-Emil Hojbjerg, Giovani Lo Celso
Purchases – Dusan Vlahovic, Ivan Toney, Micky Van de Ven, Edmond Tapsoba
Odds To Win Premier League – 40/1
Can Tottenham Challenge City?
175 – 198 – Ange Postecoglou has a lot to do to make this squad realistic challengers to City. That is even more the case if Harry Kane leaves the club. The best Spurs can hope for is a shot at the top four in my view.
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