How do Journalists Think City Will Fare in the Premier League?

With the new season quickly approaching, I asked a selection of journalists and media figures how they expected the Blues to fare in the Premier League this campaign. Here is what they said:

Ian Ladyman, Northern Football correspondent for the Daily Mail: This is a difficult question to answer before the end of the transfer window. City were blessed last season that certain key players remained fit. Kompany, YaYa Toure, Aguero etc. At the time of writing – the day of the Community Shield – I think they will need that to happen again if they are to retain their title. Having said that, I would hope for more out of young players like Balotelli this season.

Mike Keegan, Sports News Correspondent for the Manchester Evening News: Ask me again when the season starts! I think a lot depends on this next fortnight. We all know FFP dictates that Roberto Mancini will have to ship out some dead wood out before he can bring in the likes of Daniel Agger and Daniele de Rossi. If he can do that and get who he wants I think they will be in a very good position to defend their crown. If things stay as they are it will be more difficult, although I don’t think Chelsea will represent the threat many think they will. A lot will also depend on developments at Old Trafford. If Fergie does bring in the likes of Lucas Moura and Robin van Persie then it’s not going to make things easier for the Blues.

Chris Cohen, Presenter and producer for Sky, ESPN and more: I honestly think they’ll find it tough. It’s a very difficult thing to win back to back titles and I think we saw, towards the end of last season, that teams had started to work out the way City play and find some of their very few weak points. If they were to do it this season, it would be by far a bigger achievement than winning it last term. I however, in all honesty, can’t see them doing it.

Jamie Jackson, Manchester football correspondent for the Guardian and Observer: Win it – by around 7 points.

Oliver Kay, Chief Football Correspondent for The Times newspaper: Obviously they’re going to be very strong again, but I had expected them to strengthen over the summer and so far they haven’t, whereas United and Chelsea have. I would be more confident in City if they were able to get more defensive cover and ship out and replace one of two of their moodier strikers and replace them. I know Tevez has said everything is different now, but I don’t trust his ability to knuckle down and be a harmonious squad member. And keeping his squad happy and harmonious is still the big challenge for Mancini, even now.

Gabriele Marcotti, writer and pundit for The Times, Corriere dello Sport, ESPN and more: I think City are favorites to repeat, but the transfer window is still open and a lot can happen.

Iain Macintosh, Football writer for The New Paper and others: I think if Mancini can maintain the authoritative grip he has on that squad while keeping the faith of the board, they have to be favourites. I don’t think they need to buy anyone, it’s an excellent squad and now they know how to win. The problem is going to be keeping them all happy, because there’s some bad eggs in that dressing room.

Alistair Mann, Match of the Day and CityTV commentator: I think that any league champion will always be well equipped to do it again, especially as they have kept the same squad of players together – albeit there’s still a few weeks to the end of the transfer window. It was inevitable that the other potential contenders were going to respond by spending heavily and Chelsea, United and Arsenal have all been investing massively in improving their squads.

Rob Dawson, Football writer covering Man City and Man United for the Manchester Evening News: I think they’ll be the team to beat. As it stands, Chelsea and United have spent more this summer but providing key players stay fit, City already have a squad good enough to win the league again. That said, I”d be very surprised if Roberto Mancini didn’t make at least one signing before the window shuts. Losing Yaya Toure to the Africa Cup of Nations again is a problem because I don’t think City ever got to grips with life without him last season. And I don’t think Mancini will be happy going into the season with just Kolo Toure and Stefan Savic as cover at centre-half.

Daniel Taylor, Chief football writer for the Guardian and Observer: I’m finding it very hard to predict what’s going to happen at the top and, until we get to the end of the transfer window, that probably won’t change. The current team is very good, as we all know, but there are flaws. What happens if Kompany or Hart gets injured for a couple of months? At United, they really only have the one position, left-back, where they don’t have cover. Plus I do agree and sympathise with Mancini to a certain extent because when your team has just won the league, that’s the time to go out and strengthen, make a statement to frighten everyone else, and all the rest of it. As it stands, they are going into the season as the only club not to buy anyone and who would ever have thought that?

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