In the 2025/2026 season, Manchester City may consider winning the Premier League as their biggest priority.
Ultimately, the league is the best-possible determinant of the true quality of a side and Pep Guardiola will be hoping that his City team return to becoming the gold standard in English football.
The Catalan manager seems up for the challenge, with Guardiola having an animated discussion with Rayan Cherki in training that seemed to be centered around his body language.
While even players like Ilkay Gundogan are eyeing the Premier League title as this Sky Blues side are somewhat of a wounded animal after being in disarray for much of last season.
Big relief for Man City that Son Heung-min has left Tottenham
However, one advantage for Manchester City in their pursuit of domestic glory could be the exit of Tottenham Hotspur legend and now-LA FC winger Son Heung-min, a player who has historically caused them problems.
The South Korean skipper has registered eight goals and five assists in 21 appearances against City, winning 10 games in the process as Spurs have become the English giants’ bogey team in recent years.
More Man City News
Pep Guardiola admitted being wary of Son, acknowledging that he tends to cause nightmares to his defence, saying in May 2024: “You know how many times Son punishes us the last seven, eight years? How many goals they score with Harry Kane? Oh my God.”
In February 2022 as well, Guardiola expressed how much the Spurs icon hurts his side, saying via Manchester Evening News: “They have a lot of weapons. Son, we suffer every time, with Kane, Moura, they have a lot of quality. The patterns they do, what I saw yesterday and today, they realise.”
With next season’s potential title race between City, Liverpool and Arsenal expected to be a close affair, the Sky Blues would be aiming to get off to a flyer — with games against Wolves and Tottenham being the first two games of the campaign.
Bernardo Silva pinpointed Manchester City’s struggles in defensive transitions and with Son often dismantling Pep Guardiola’s side on the break, his exit boosts their chances of coming out on top in August and January next year.
Pep Guardiola will be relieved about what’s happened at Man United
Considering the title race could be decided by a small margin in the upcoming campaign, doing a potential double over Tottenham would only help City’s chances of winning the league.
Aside from Son, another player who has an impressive record against Manchester City is Marcus Rashford.
Rashford, who left Manchester United to sign for Barcelona on loan this summer scored seven goals and assisted one in 23 games against the Sky Blues.
Ultimately, if Manchester City play their best football, only their overarching quality as side will dictate whether they become the champions of England or not.
But simultaneously, the departures of Son and Rashford could potentially help Pep Guardiola and Co’s chances.