Vincent Kompany holds up the Premier League trophy 2012. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
This season of the English Premier League is shaping up to be an exciting one. We take a look at the top contenders (and the pretenders!)–the two halves of Manchester gunning for gold.
Manchester United
At Old Trafford, a transfer window that has seen so much activity so far is still the rumblings and has it captured all the media attention. The stage was set for a blazing transfer window when they sacked Louis Van Gaal and football’s worst kept secret was out: Jose Mourinho was finally going to Manchester United.
For those who don’t know the backstory of ‘The Special One’s’ liking for the red of Manchester; he was very keen on taking over from Sir Alex, the club’s former manager, after his retirement. But David Moyes was hand-picked by the Scotsman, only to fail miserably and Moyes now finds himself rebuilding his managerial career because of it. The Portuguese sauntered back to his home at Chelsea only to be sacked again. And as soon as he was sacked, Louis Van Gaal’s time at Old Trafford was up.
Forget that the club had cut him, sold him and that Pogba himself had vowed never to return. Life is too short to hold a grudge towards the most followed football club on the planet. Photo: ManUtd/Twitter
MoUnited (I came up with that, You’re welcome!) started their piece of business strengthening from the back signing Eric Bailly from Villareal. This is an astute signing because if Chris Smalling’s mercurial form is dictating your defense, you should sign a good defender real fast. There was a heavily rumored bid for Raphael Varane as well, but Zidane at Madrid nixed that.
Then came the superstars.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is like a walking-talking piece of cinema. His doings in Italy for all the major clubs are legendary, his time at Barcelona infamous and his quotes hilarious. But all these would be for nothing if his performances (when his head is screwed straight) were not brilliant. Zlatan brings the superstar allure to the club that was last seen when CR7 was there.
And also, his partnership with Rooney sounds mouth-watering.
Read also: Premier League 2016 Preview: Let the Games Begin
Then there is #Pogback, the biggest transfer in footballing history–Paul Pogba’s return to Old Trafford. Forget that the club had cut him, sold him and that Pogba had vowed never to return.
Time heals all wounds they say and life is too short to hold a grudge towards the most followed football club on the planet. Paul Pogba makes his 110 Million Euro comeback and bolsters a midfield that has let the team down way too many times in recent memory. They have amped up their squad depth as they focus solely on winning the league. No doubt that they will be going for the title this term because you would expect nothing less than that of MoUnited.
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My Prediction
Standout Performer: Wayne Rooney (wait and see).
League Position Standing: 2nd
Manchester City
They finally got him! After rummaging through top-flight managers like a pervert through an underwear closet, Man City have finally found a man that can take them to the next level. Not just with their performances on the pitch but with the overall stature of the club.
Pep Guardiola takes the helm from Manuel Pellegrini who honest to god, was treated horribly with his sacking being handled poorly. Manchester City owe that man a lot for streamlining this team into what Guardiola inherits: A well run machine, in need of some grease.
The man to watch this term for Man City could be Leroy Sane who completes a 37 million pound transfer from FC Schalke. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The grease being new signings of course and they got the ball rolling with Ilkay Gundogan, the talented midfielder from Borussia Dortmund who bolsters the aging Man City midfield. With Yaya Toure’s future uncertain, Gundogan partners up with Kevin De Bruyne to form an exciting midfield partnership that could prove pivotal come May 2017. With the likes of Silva already present, the infusion of young blood only bolsters their chances.
Speaking of young blood, the man to watch this term for Man City could be Leroy Sane who completes a 37 million pound transfer from FC Schalke. The young German winger/attacking midfielder is one who garnered many eyes from top clubs around Europe but finally decided to make his way to the Etihad. Keeping the youth movement in tow came the second biggest transfer record for a defender in John Stones who wrapped up his move from Everton for 47.5 Million Pounds.
If you haven’t figured this out by now, Man City have very rich owners.
But Stones might be their best buy in the last two years barring the signing of KDB. John Stones has been long hailed the Great English Hope as the all out imposing defender. At 21, the boy has all things going for him and under the tutelage of Pep, one would only predict a glorious future for the Centre Back. He truly can be Pep’s ‘Pique’ at Man City. It also solves the nasty problem of Man City never partnering Vincent Kompany with a defender who knows what he is doing. Mangala and Demichellis just couldn’t cut the mustard. But now, I see them making a good charge to the top.
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More of My Predictions
Standout Performer Prediction: Kevin De Bruyne.
League Position Standing: 1st
