Premier League giants Manchester City are set to unveil their new squad for the upcoming season in their next match against Southampton. This game isn’t just a normal league match, but it’s the first time everyone will get to see what Manchester City will look like without Kevin De Bruyne.
De Bruyne has been one of City’s most important players over the last decade. He has played a huge role in the team and helped City win many important games. But now he is about to leave the club and end his career at Manchester City. His last game will be at the Etihad Stadium at the end of this month and it will surely be a poignant moment.
Although De Bruyne is leaving, Manchester City don’t intend to stop there. They could be looking for a new midfielder to replace him this summer. Some media outlets have mentioned Florian Wiltz and Morgan Gibbs-White as possible targets. However, City already have a promising candidate in Phil Foden.
Foden was very good for City last season and was a key part of the team’s Premier League title win. Although he has had some fitness issues this season that have affected his playing time and performance, he is still one of the best players in England when he is fit.
Foden hasn’t started since the Manchester City-Manchester United game over a month ago. However, he has come on in the last two games and has looked in good form. This game against Southampton could be a good opportunity for him to start again.
The game will be played at Southampton’s home ground, St. Mary’s Stadium. The hosts, Southampton, have not done well all season, especially at home. So this could be a chance for City to rotate some of their starters, especially with a big game like the FA Cup final coming up.
De Bruyne is likely to be rested ahead of this crucial fixture in order to save his strength for the next three important games. Foden, on the other hand, will need to stay fit and play an important role in the final stages of the season, as City are still in contention for the title.
Aside from Foden, another key City player who is starting to find his form is striker Erling Harland. He was back in the squad for the last game against Wolves, but didn’t play. Now that this game is a few days away, I think he’s pretty much recovered. Harland will definitely be looking to score some more goals against a team that has had their worst defensive performance of the season.
In Harland’s absence, City have tried a new formation, a 4-2-2-2, which has seen them win five in a row. And Omar Mamouche, who only joined the club in January, has been deployed in a wide position. Although he hasn’t scored too many goals yet, the speed and skill he’s shown is encouraging.
The 26-year-old Egyptian may continue to play on the left wing against Southampton. At the other end of the pitch is Belgian youngster Jeremy Doku.
Doku has had his ups and downs since joining City last season. He’s had some great performances, but overall his form hasn’t been consistent enough and his fitness has often been an issue. He is still young though, only 22, and has all the makings of a long-term starter for City.
In the last game against Wolves, Doku had a very nice assist to help De Bruyne score the only goal of the game. He also spoke about Guardiola’s thoughts on him after the game: “I think I’m improving. I’m training hard every day to get better. I know there is still a lot to learn and I will continue to work hard and try to perform in every game.
“I watch video replays and talk to my teammates about how to work together better and how to read the situation on the field. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes the passes were good, but the ball didn’t go in. But that day I just saw that Kevin was open, so I passed the ball and it worked.
It’s safe to say that Doku is finding his rhythm. He may not be the centerpiece of the team yet, but he’s moving in the right direction.
To sum up: the future direction of Manchester City
One of the biggest issues facing Manchester City right now is how to fill the void left by De Bruyne’s departure. While they are likely to bring in new players, existing players like Foden could also be given more responsibility.
The game against Southampton is not only a practice run before the start of the new season, but also the first window for City to show the outside world their future tactical direction. Whether it’s who controls the tempo in midfield or how the attack is organized up front, this is a game to watch.
For the fans, it could be a time to say goodbye to the old and welcome in the new. For City, it will be the starting point for their next success.
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