It’s the query we’ve all been asking on and off for a decade now – can anybody cease Manchester Metropolis’s dominance?
They’ve acquired probably the most cash, one of the best gamers, the highest coach within the sport, and one of the best fits upstairs working issues. It’s been a properly oiled successful machine – however there’s lastly a way that issues may very well be coming aside slightly.
First up, there are the costs from the Premier League hanging over them. It appears unlikely that they are going to be punished when it comes to shedding factors or having titles stripped from them, but it surely might spell the tip of a cycle.
Pep Guardiola has signed a brand new contract, however that doesn’t cease him strolling away if he desires to; there’s a brand new sporting director coming in; key gamers like Kevin de Bruyne are out of contract and loads of others are entering into their 30s.
Successful takes it’s toll on you mentally too, and what’s been unbelievable about this crew to date is how Guardiola has been in a position to preserve them motivated regardless of their countless success. Some suspect there now a way that he’s run out of the way to get this group to play at 100% after so a few years and so many trophies.
Regardless of all that, and regardless of how good and methodical Liverpool look beneath Arne Slot, you’d be a idiot to write down off Man Metropolis at any stage. You’ll be able to learn extra right here, however the lengthy and in need of it’s that they’ll nonetheless be favourites for the title subsequent yr. That’s the kind of respect constantly successful a lot earns you.
Would anybody be shocked in the event that they clamber again into the highest 4 this yr regardless of a surprising run of unhealthy kind? No. Would anybody be shocked in the event that they restore themselves in the summertime and are available again refreshed and motivated subsequent season? Completely not.
So the place does that go away Chelsea? This new crew are nonetheless fairly undercooked, and want a yr beneath Enzo Maresca to get into form. However given we had been within the title race till Christmas this yr, we anticipate a problem proper till the tip of the season subsequent yr, if we will proceed to tweak and enhance the squad in the summertime.
The place will Man Metropolis be at that stage? It’s unattainable to know for positive. However on the proof of the final decade, we should be nearly excellent to catch them or beat them to the highest.
