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The third round of Premier League fixtures this season will see newly promoted Sheffield United welcome Manchester City to Bramall Lane on Sunday 27th August at 2pm GMT. So, we at Football FanCast have taken a look at everything that has ever gone on between the two clubs.

With two games on the board, a clear gap is already opening up between this duo as City are on 6 points and the Blades are yet to get off of the mark.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City got their title defence underway with a 3-0 victory over Burnley, a game that saw Erling Haaland pick up where he left off in front of goal, scoring a brace.

This was then followed up with a narrow win over Newcastle United, the only goal of the game coming from Julian Alvarez.

Sheffield United on the other hand have been on the receiving end of a pair of one-goal deficit defeats.

First it was against Crystal Palace on home soil and then a late Chris Wood header secured all three points for Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

It has to be said though, United’s goal in that game was a thing of beauty from debutant Gustavo Hamer, following his move over from Coventry City.

Sheffield United vs Manchester City: Who has the better head-to-head record?

As will be regularly mentioned, Manchester City are the dominant force in English football currently, but that hasn’t always been the case.

Sheffield United won the First Division title at the tail end of the 1800s, pointing towards the historic aurora that has always surrounded the club. Whilst City have won more of these fixtures than the Blades, it is closer than one would originally think.

Sheffield United vs Manchester City: Who has more wins at Bramall Lane?

United just about take it when it comes to games taking place on their own patch, which has always been Bramall Lane. It is a stadium steeped in history and is the oldest major sports ground anywhere in the world.

Sheffield United vs Manchester City: Who has more wins at Maine Road/the Etihad?

Manchester City’s story of their home ground is very different having played their games at Maine Road up until the early 2000s. City were there for 80 years and prior to that it was Hyde Road Football Stadium which they left partly due to a fire in the main stand.

More recently of course, the Etihad is the home of the European champions and it has seen so many iconic moments, most notably that Sergio Aguero goal against Queens’ Park Rangers.

Sheffield United vs Manchester City: Who has the better cup record?

Despite these being two teams have been around for years and years, their fates in the English cup competitions have only crossed paths eight times. Sheffield United have won half of them although the last time they met, a game which will be spoken about further down the line, went the way of the Manchester club.

Sheffield United vs Manchester City: How have the last 5 meetings played out?

It isn’t all that surprising to see that Manchester City’s recent dominance stretches into their clashes with Sheffield United. 4 of these 5 games came in the Premier League and all went the way of the Citizens, as did their huge FA Cup battle.

22nd April 2023- Manchester City 3-0 Sheffield United:

The most recent meeting between these two was a major one as they crossed paths in the FA Cup semi-final, even though the Blades were a Championship side at the time. This will be delved into further in the famous fixtures section but given Manchester City’s treble-winning exploits last season, it is no surprise how this game went.

30th January 2021- Manchester City 1-0 Sheffield United:

A pattern is appearing in these last five games of Sheffield United failing to score but one has to give them their credit that three of the defeats were by a single goal. Gabriel Jesus, now of Arsenal, scored the only goal of the game at the Etihad en route to another top-flight title.

31st October 2020- Sheffield United 0-1 Manchester City:

The reverse fixture in that season ended with the same scoreline. Spoiler alert but this time around it was a former Blade Kyle Walker who fired home the decisive strike up in Sheffield.

21st January 2020- Sheffield United 0-1 Manchester City:

For large parts of the game, Sheffield United looked as if they could hold Pep Guardiola’s side to a goalless draw but an inevitable duo popped up and changed that. Kevin De Bruyne played in Sergio Aguero who made no mistake in finishing beyond the reaches of Dean Henderson after Jesus had missed a first-half penalty, breaking blades hearts.

29th December 2019- Manchester City 2-0 Sheffield United:

This is the only Premier League meeting in the last 5 games that saw more than one goal scored and it was only two, both of which going the way of the hosts at the Etihad. The aforementioned duo came to the fore again with second-half strikes from Aguero and De Bruyne securing three points for City against Chris Wilder.

Who has played for both Sheffield United and Manchester City?

Tommy Doyle (Manchester City 2019-current; Sheffield United 2022-2023)

A few players have played for both Manchester City and Sheffield United recently with a pair of them returning to the former after loan spells in the Steel City last year. The first of those two is midfielder Tommy Doyle, who was also a part of the England U21s side that tasted European glory earlier this summer.

After nearly a decade in the youth academy, Doyle graduated into the City first-team where he made one appearance for going out on his first loan. He went to Hamburger SV and Cardiff City before then landing at Bramall Lane where he of course gained promotion back to the top-flight.

James McAtee (Manchester City 2021-current; Sheffield United 2022-2023)

One year his junior at 20 years of age is James McAtee who was even more influential under the stewardship of Paul Heckingbottom. He made 37 league appearances and contributed 9 goals and three assists at a rate of one every 158 minutes which is hugely impressive.

This was McAtee’s first loan spell away from the Etihad and since returning, he made a brief cameo in the win over Burnley on the opening night of the season. He certainly has a very bright future ahead of him in the sky-blue shirt.

Kyle Walker (Sheffield United 2008-2009 and 2009-2010; Manchester City 2017-current)

Finally to a Manchester City stalwart who was formerly a Blade, Kyle Walker. He was born in Sheffield and came through their academy with immense pride. After just one year as a pro there he was sold to Tottenham Hotspur, although his first year as a Spurs player saw him loaned back to his hometown team.

Walker rose to prominence in a Tottenham shirt and since arriving in Manchester in 2017, has won all there is to win in the game for your club, the icing on top of course being last year’s Champions League success. Walker’s time with Sheffield United was one year away from crossing paths with that of the now former Manchester United captain Harry Maguire.

What is Sheffield United’s biggest victory over Manchester City?

26th October 1925: Sheffield United 8-3 Manchester City

The centenary of Sheffield United’s biggest win over Manchester City is nearly upon us and it is very unlikely that they will break this record in the next two years.

In 1925 with Halloween just around the corner in post-war England, the Blades romped to an 8-3 victory. Harry Johnson found the back of the net four times whilst his namesake Tommy was also on the score sheet for Man City. Meanwhile, Fred Tunstall chipped in with a Blades’ brace, one of which came from the penalty spot.

What is Manchester City’s biggest victory over Sheffield United?

21st August 1999: Manchester City 6-0 Sheffield United

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Manchester City’s largest win over Sheffield United came a lot more recently with the turn of the century just months away.

This clash actually took place in the Championship and a pair of legendary City names were amongst the goals. Paul Dickov and Shaun Goater are the two in question with Kevin Horlock also adding two first-half penalties in a 6-0 thumping at Maine Road, made all the more easy by United’s goalkeeper Simon Tracey’s sending off.

Sheffield United vs Manchester City: Key stats

• This will be the 11th league meeting between the two clubs in the Premier League era
• Manchester City haven’t lost to Sheffield United in their last five meetings
• Sheffield United haven’t scored in three straight home fixtures

Sheffield United vs Manchester City: Famous fixtures

22nd April 2023 – Manchester City 3-0 Sheffield United:

As has been alluded too previously, Manchester City disposed of Sheffield United on the way to their FA Cup glory last season. Remarkably, it was the now departed Riyad Mahrez who scored all three goals under the Wembley arch, booking City’s spot in the final to face their Manchester rivals.

19th March 1994 – Manchester City 0-0 Sheffield United:

The other famous fixture deserves notability for very different reasons. With both teams on the verge of being relegated from the newly formed Premier League table, City and United met at Maine Road in a true six-pointer. It ended goalless which favoured blue more than red and this shone through at the end of the season as Man City stayed up whilst Sheffield United went down.

Everton are considering their options ahead of the imminent transfer deadline tonight, and could well have identified the perfect upgrade on dynamic winger Demarai Gray.

What's the latest on Kamaldeen Sulemana to Everton?

Sean Dyche will be desperately seeking an answer to the Premier League club's dismal start to the campaign, losing all three of their opening league matches and yet to find the back of the net.

A wideman is being targetted, and according to Fabrizio Romano – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – the Toffees consider Kamaldeen Sulemana as a late "option", with a £30m release clause reportedly embedded in his contract.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

The esteemed transfer guru said:

"He's not a priority, I think. He's still a player they have on their list, but he's not a priority target in that position. Let's see what happens with Iwobi leaving the club and then it will be more clear what they want to do in that position. Sulemana is an option, but he's not the only one."

How good is Kamaldeen Sulemana?

Well, Romano might've said that the Ghanaian winger is not the first-choice for transfer, but Alex Iwobi has now finalised a £22m move to Fulham and the Merseyside outfit will be looking to direct the funds back toward the transfer market.

Sulemana certainly fits the bill, and while the likes of Wilfried Gnonto and Maxwel Cornet have been discussed, with the former also of interest for a last-gasp summer swoop, Sulemana could prove the most feasible option, with a £30m release clause and long-standing Everton interest.

The Goodison Park side fought to sign the 22-year-old back in January but he opted to join Southampton in a £22m deal, who have now been relegated from the Premier League.

During his time on the south coast last season, Sulemana scored twice and provided one assist, unable to click into gear as the Saints slid miserably into the second tier.

Despite this, he has been hailed by the Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag for his "incredible speed" and ranks among the top 4% of positional peers for progressive carries, the top 1% for successful take-ons and the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.

Given that he is only just breaking into his skin on the major stage, the former Rennes starlet could prove to be a "brilliant" – as he has been proclaimed to be by talent scout Jacek Kulig – signing for Dyche's side, and he could indeed be a massive upgrade on the likely-departing Gray.

According to the Liverpool Echo, the Jamaica international is attracting interest from a multitude of outfits and could leave today, having entered the final year of his contract with the Blues.

Gray scored four times in the English top-flight last season and was described as "absolutely electric" by 90min journalist Scott Saunders, but could find that a departure works out for all parties.

The 27-year-old is definitely expendable, however, and his sale could be used to complete a move for an exciting talent in Sulemana who could cement a prominent role at Goodison Park for years to come.

Newcastle United have built the foundations for success over the last year or so, welcoming an array of talent, and qualifying for the Champions League in the process. Now that they have that foundation, however, they must add to it, and push on for further success. And, to their credit, they did exactly that in the summer.

Eddie Howe welcomed the likes of Sandro Tonali and Harvery Barnes in an attempt to become a side capable of making it back-to-back top four finishes in the Premier League. Yet, it may well be their business outside of the transfer window which makes all of the difference, with The Athletic’s George Caulkin suggesting that one star player is finally set to put pen to paper on a new deal.

What did George Caulkin say?

Even though they welcomed reinforcements over the summer, Newcastle have got off to a difficult start to the Premier League season, winning just once in four games. That said, their defeats have come against some of the best sides in England's top flight, with Manchester City and Liverpool both defeating the Magpies, before Howe's side suffered a disappointing defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Those at St James' Park will be hoping to see things settle down after the international break, especially as their fixtures begin to get slightly easier on paper. And they may even be boosted by the news about Bruno Guimaraes' contract extension. According to Caulkin, the contract is "pretty much done" with the midfielder's future at the club set to be secured.

Reports emerged last weekend that a deal was close before news in the week revealed the contract may include a release clause, and Caulkin has now told the Pod On The Tyne Podcast: "It’s not a rumour, it’s true. I think that is pretty much done now. That’s good news.

“There’s been to-and-fro on how much he gets paid. I think he wanted a bit more when the first offer came to him. That’s all been done. They’re very close now and that’s good news.”

The possible inclusion of an exit clause however could be seen as good or bad news, with the Magpies able to set their price, but that price able to be triggered at any given moment. For now, though, Newcastle will likely be delighted at the fact that he put pen to paper to end any doubts over his future.

How has Bruno Guimaraes performed this season?

Even as Newcastle have struggled, Guimaraes has stood out once more, and the statistics only back that up. According to FBref, the midfielder is in the top 89th percentile for progressive passes per 90, with 7.49, as well as being in the top 84th percentile for successful take-ons per 90, and 75th percentile for tackles.

As the Magpies look to kickstart their campaign after the international break, it is Guimaraes who could play a central role. Next up, Howe's side square off against a Brentford side who are yet to lose so far this season, making it another tough test. If Newcastle do suffer another defeat, it will be their fourth consecutive league loss in what would represent a disastrous opening five games.

Liverpool have undergone a successful summer transformation and the early signs are that it could pay off bountifully for Jurgen Klopp's side as they pursue silverware once more after a forgettable campaign.

The Reds' summer signings have contributed instrumentally to a much-improved start to the Premier League campaign, securing three wins and registering one draw (away to Chelsea) across the opening four fixtures of the term.

All fees sourced via Sky Sports

The fresh faces are already showing promising signs of gelling marvellously over the coming weeks and months, but as Anfield welcomed the new arrivals, there was an inevitable outlay of departures too, with the midfield now looking comprehensively altered in such a short time.

What are Liverpool's biggest signings?

The Merseyside outfit pulled off some astute work indeed this summer, but freshening up the ranks was always imminent with James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain headed for the exit this summer for some time upon the expiry of their contracts.

Jordan Henderson and Fabinho's respective sales to Saudi Arabian sides alleviated the financial blow of spending £60m on Dominik Szoboszlai, though the Hungary captain's start to life on English soil confirms that this was a move well made.

One of the most expensive signings in the club's distinguished history, Szoboszlai didn't quite make the top three, with last summer's £85m acquisition of mercurial forward Darwin Nunez remaining the club-record move.

Club captain Virgil van Dijk comes in at second, with his £75m transfer from Southampton in December 2017 possibly the most crucial, cataclysing move of Klopp's illustrious reign.

Equally important, a £67m deal to secure Alisson Becker's services to fortify the sticks with a superlative presence has proved an incredible piece of business, with the Brazilian time and time again his squad's saviour.

So much has hit the mark, and that's without going into the shrewder purchases the Anfield side has been bespeckled with – Mohamed Salah, Andrew Robertson, and Sadio Mane, to name a few – but there have been instances of blunder on the transfer front, with none more poignant than the signing of Naby Keita.

How much did Liverpool pay for Naby Keita?

In 2017, Liverpool surpassed Keita's £48m release clause with RB Leipzig to sign a talented midfielder touted for a place at the forefront of the game, eclipsing the long-time club-record deal to sign Andy Carroll for £35m in 2011 and the £34.3m fee of Mo Salah.

The Guinean ace was described as being like "two players" by Schalke sporting director Christian Heidel as he flaunted his dazzling skills in Germany, dynamic and exciting as a multi-functional midfield force.

It later became clear that the Anfield side paid closer to £53m, offering a premium to ensure they landed their man, but what looked to be a dreamy swoop for a glimmering gem quickly grew into a nightmare, with Keita's horrendous injury record inhibiting him from tapping into even a portion of his potential at the club.

That's not to say he didn't exude quality at times; across his 129 appearances, the 28-year-old scored 11 goals and supplied seven assists, even being labelled "world-class" by Van Dijk, who prayed for his fitness to endure.

Well, it didn't. The 54-cap international never really managed to sustain form and fitness for long enough that he would earn a regular role in Klopp's burgeoning outfit, actually missing a staggering 87 matches for club and country between 2020/21 – 2022/23.

Why did Naby Keita leave Liverpool?

Branded "woeful" by journalist Louis Dangoor on one of the few times he made it onto the pitch across the last few campaigns, Keita's contract with Liverpool was never renewed and as it entered its conclusive year last season, there were no concrete signs of an agreement and he departed on a free transfer.

His efforts last term did not exactly aid his case, with Sofascore recording the player's average match rating in the Premier League at a frankly shambolic 6.47 across his eight outings.

Across those fixtures, Keita – who earned £130k-per-week with the Reds – completed just 78% of his passes, averaged only 0.6 tackles, 0.4 clearances and 0.3 interceptions per game and succeeded in winning 31% of his duels – for reference, Oxlade-Chamberlain won 36% last term.

With Keita even said to be Klopp's "worst signing" by Liverpool writer Charlotte Coates, it's one that will go down in the record books as a shambolic misfire.

While the player's prospects of success have been decimated by his terrible injury record, rather than an actual lack of ability, it's hard to look past the high transfer fee – projected to be a club-record when Liverpool agreed a preliminary deal.

How is Naby Keita doing now?

Having put a disappointing, if illustrious – while Keita struggled, he still contributed to an auspicious period in the Reds' history, there for each slice of silverware under Klopp to date – spell behind him, Keita penned a contract back in Germany with Werder Bremen.

When it rains it pours, and it's been torrential for beleaguered Keita for some time now; having arrived at Bremen for a fresh start, the dynamo picked up an injury in pre-season, suffering an adductor muscle injury in July and yet to make his maiden appearance for the club.

Werder Bremen lost their opening two fixtures of the 2023/24 league campaign against Bayern Munich and Freiburg but rebounded with a galvanising 4-0 victory over Mainz before the international break – as fully-fit Keita would be more than just a welcome addition, but his chances of cementing a spot dangle by a tenuous thread.

Valued at just £8m at present by Football Transfers, Keita's ill-fated career looks unlikely to receive a dramatic resurgence at this stage, and Liverpool and Klopp will forever rue the misfortune that prevented an immensely talented jewel from shining.

Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since the 2016/17 season after a fifth-place finish last term, and it gives Jurgen Klopp a chance to perhaps blood a few youngsters in the Europa League.

This will allow the German to divert his attention to securing a top-four finish in the Premier League and they have started the 2023/24 campaign brightly, recording four wins and a draw thus far.

It took two late goals to see off Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend however, with a particularly shady first-half performance threatening to cost the Reds all three points.

The defence weren’t quite up to the standards expected during the opening 45 minutes, and Joel Matip could well be replaced ahead of this evening's tie against LASK.

How did Joel Matip perform vs Wolves?

The defender did look assured on the ball, taking 111 touches while completing 91% of his passes, yet he lost possession 11 times during the tie while winning just one of his three ground duels against the Old Gold.

The Cameroonian was even dribbled past once while making just one tackle during the game and as a result, Klopp could potentially make a change ahead of the European tie.

Indeed, the defender didn't appear to be at his best, with Reds journalist James Pearce even suggesting that Matip was simply "miles off it" during the opening half.

The German may decide to unleash someone with a bigger physical presence at the heart of his defence and this could mean Ibrahima Konate gets the nod over Matip on Thursday night.

Will Ibrahima Konate start for Liverpool vs LASK?

The £70k-per-week Frenchman was signed two years ago from RB Leipzig and made an instant impression on Klopp, who lavished praise on him after his debut.

He said: “You can see he is incredibly talented. The potential is outstanding. He is used to winning challenges easy. He is young and he played a really good game. Massive. First home game for him.”

The 6 foot 4 brute has made 56 appearances so far for the Anfield side and although last season was disrupted by injury, missing 15 games in total during the campaign, he still impressed when getting a chance in the starting XI.

According to FBref, when compared to positional peers throughout Europe's top five leagues, Konate ranked in the top 10% for tackles per 90 (2.3), while showcasing his attacking mindset by ranking in best top 9% for successful take-ons per 90 (0.59), indicating that not only was he keen on winning the ball back often, but the defender could also drive forward with it and take players on.

The 24-year-old has started twice this term, averaging a 90% pass success rate along with winning 5.7 total duels – at a success rate of 65% – and making 2.3 tackles per game, clearly demonstrating his defensive abilities while showcasing his physical nature.

This could be vital against LASK tonight and while Klopp will want another victory, he will perhaps be more concerned about how several of his players perform on the night ahead of tougher challenges.

Konate should be unleashed from the beginning, and he could make a big statement of intent with a solid performance against the Austrian outfit.

Josh Sargent continues his incredible form in the Championship as he grabbed his 12th goal of the season in a 5-0 win over Rotherham on Saturday.

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• Norwich beat Rotherham 5-0
• American forward in fine form
• Sargent scored the fourth for his side

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The United States international has been in scorching form this campaign and was once again in the thick of things as the Canaries thrashed Rotherham 5-0 on Saturday afternoon at Carrow Road. Just within a minute of first-half stoppage time, Jack Stacey set him up with a delightful cross from the right flank and the forward stabbed it first time beyond the reach of Viktor Johansson between the sticks.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Gabriel Sara opened the scoring in the 13th minute and the floodgates opened thereafter. Jacob Sorensen doubled the lead eight minutes later and after the half-hour mark, Borja Sainz made it 3-0. Sargent increased the lead before half-time with a clinical finish Sara took just two minutes to score his second of the night to put the match to bed.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Sargent's incredible form in front of goal has not gone unnoticed as Brentford have reportedly shown interest in him. The Bees are preparing themselves for life without Ivan Toney – who is on the radar of Arsenal and Chelsea- and Thomas Frank believes that Sargent would fit his style.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  If Sargent continues his fine form until the end of the campaign the proven goalscorer would attract plenty of admiring glances over the coming weeks. However, any potential suitor must be prepared to shell a hefty chunk for the USMNT forward as he has a contract with the Canaries until 2028.

Arsenal brushed aside any doubters today as they enjoyed a perfect afternoon on the south coast, cruising past AFC Bournemouth by an impressive 4-0 scoreline.

Whilst there were understandably many standouts, it once again proved to be a particularly enjoyable day for Martin Odegaard, who was once again outstanding.

How did Martin Odegaard play vs Bournemouth?

Amidst all the injury turmoil that surrounded the fixture, the Norway international was one guaranteed starter, as their ever-present captain ready to lead them to victory.

So, to see Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and William Saliba all passed fit enough to start, his job was only made easier.

As creative as ever, the midfielder proved instrumental in orchestrating their victory, scoring the second and assisting the fourth, deservedly earning his 9.1 match-best rating.

However, that barely scratches the surface of his quality, recording three key passes and two tackles whilst also winning five ground duels, via Sofascore.

The 24-year-old was combative yet unafraid to flex his creative muscles, and helped spearhead Mikel Arteta's side to another impressive result at the Vitality Stadium.

And yet, despite all those starring statistics, it could actually be argued that the foundation for his success was built from the platform Oleksandr Zinchenko afforded him.

How did Oleksandr Zinchenko play vs Bournemouth?

Although he did endure some defensive frailties at times during the match, as is expected with his inverted full-back role, his economical presence in the engine room was instrumental in starving the hosts of possession and keeping moves flowing.

This was no better exemplified than through his 82 touches and 89% pass accuracy, with two of those passes being regarded as key ones capable of forging a goalscoring opportunity, via Sofascore.

One such example was outlined as he and Eddie Nketiah combined for the first penalty, which Odegaard would dispatch, as journalist Sam Dean described: "Zinchenko and Nketiah playing one-twos up the pitch to win that penalty. Zinchenko has been troubled defensively a few times today but he's been so silky on the ball."

However, whilst such an attractive performance was always certain to catch the eye, the Ukraine international was far from work-shy. In fact, with four tackles, two interceptions and two clearances, whilst also winning seven of the ten duels he competed in, it is fair to say that today marked a phenomenal all-around performance from Zinchenko, via Sofascore.

This was a notion that journalist Simon Collings would support in his post-match player ratings, handing the former Manchester City star an 8/10 rating whilst also writing: "Involved in a lot of Arsenal’s good play and helped win their first penalty by playing in Nketiah. Unlucky not to score on a few occasions".

A perfect away performance from Arteta's unstoppable Gunners, it seemed like nothing could make the day any better. That was, until Manchester City threw their perfect Premier League record away for the season, falling to a shock defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

All signs are pointing towards this potentially being the year that the apprentice becomes the master, and Arsenal's 41-year-old head coach seeks to triumph over Pep Guardiola.

It truly feels like the end of an era for Manchester City after they moved to 20 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League table after their 2-0 defeat to Arne Slot’s side on Sunday.

The Cityzens, albeit not mathematically, are out of the title race and have little to play for in the second half of the season, as they have been knocked out of the League Cup and the Champions League.

Pep Guardiola’s team face Plymouth in the last 16 of the FA Cup this weekend, after they beat Leyton Orient in the last round, and that competition is their last chance to end the season with some silverware.

There is a big summer ahead for Manchester City and Guardiola as they may need to restructure the squad and reinvent the team to ensure that they bounce back as genuine title contenders next season.

City started the job in the January transfer window with the signings of Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis, Nico Gonzalez, and Abdukodir Khusanov, whilst Kyle Walker went out on loan to AC Milan.

There could be more emotional departures to come in the summer as the Cityzens have a number of big decisions to make on their out-of-contract stars.

Players who could move on from Man City this summer

City have several senior players who are out of contract either this summer or at the end of next season and Guardiola has to decide which of them, if any, he would like to keep at The Etihad beyond 2026.

As you can see in the table above, a number of long-serving stars could be on their way out of the club in the next 18 months, with James McAtee being the only player under the age of 30 out of the eight on the two lists.

Manchester City and Guardiola could decide to move on from their veteran talents in order to create space in the squad for younger players to be brought to the club, in order to build for the future as well as to improve the team’s form in the present.

One player who should be allowed to move on from The Etihad this year is attacking midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, who is one of the three stars out of contract at the end of the current season.

Why Man City must finally move on from Kevin de Bruyne

The Belgium international’s performance against Liverpool in the 2-0 loss to the league leaders on Sunday highlighted why it could be the right time to finally move on from the City legend this year.

Chalkboard

De Bruyne played 66 minutes and failed to create a ‘big chance’ or register a shot on target in his 66 minutes on the pitch, before being substituted by Guardiola, which shows that he did not have much of an impact, if at all, at the top end of the pitch.

The 33-year-old midfielder has provided two goals and six assists in 18 appearances in the Premier League so far this season, which is a fairly unimpressive return in comparison to his reported wage among attackers in the top-flight.

As you can see in the table above, he is the second-highest earner in the league, out of all attacking midfielders and forwards, and has not contributed much on the pitch to make that worthwhile for City – this season, at least.

His powers are waning, as shown by his disappointing showing against Liverpool last time out, and Guardiola must ditch him from the starting XI between now and the end of the season, before allowing him to leave on a free transfer in the summer.

After 105 goals and 173 assists for the club, it will take a lot for the club to find an apt replacement for de Bruyne and they may have to dip into the transfer market in the summer to find one.

However, Guardiola could finally move on from the Belgian as a starter this season by unleashing academy graduate McAtee as a regular starter for the remainder of this season.

Why James McAtee should be unleashed

The former U21s star only turned 22 in October and still has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve as a player in the years to come.

As aforementioned, he is one of the players who is out of contract in the summer of 2026, and giving him regular game time in the coming months will give Guardiola all of the evidence he needs to make a firm decision on the playmaker’s future in the upcoming summer window.

McAtee could play his way into a new contract and into being a long-term option for the Spanish boss, or he could fail to make the step up and be sold in the summer, with only one year left on his deal.

The left-footed whiz, who was compared to City legend David Silva by Sheffield United in the highlights package above, has been around the first-team this season but has not broken into the starting line-up.

McAtee has made nine appearances as a substitute in the Premier League, scoring two goals, and five substitute outings in the Champions League, scoring once.

As you can see in the table above, McAtee spent the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns on loan at Sheffield United and caught the eye with his goal contributions from a midfield position both in the Championship and the Premier League.

Former Sheffield United forward Carl Asaba compared him to Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, a diminutive left-footed playmaker, during his time with the Blades, saying:

“He’s like Odegaard. You play him in midfield so he’s defending for you, he’s another body for them to try and navigate away from but he likes the ball 30 yards out because he can go past you like you’re not there.”

The left-footed City academy graduate is yet to explode at first-team level but he did produce 27 goals and 19 assists in 52 matches for the club at U21 level and Guardiola, who once described him as “special”, could use the second half of this season to help McAtee to fulfill his potential as an attacking force.

City’s season, bar their FA Cup run, is all but over and de Bruyne could be on his way out in the summer, which makes it the perfect time for McAtee to be unleashed as a regular starter to assess where his level is at ahead of next season.

100% duels lost: Pep must drop Man City flop who was shown up by Khusanov

Manchester City were beaten by Liverpool at the Etihad on Sunday.

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By
Dan Emery

Feb 23, 2025

Chloe Kelly was spotted helping Manchester City teammate Yui Hasegawa in the kitchen in a "sous chef" role.

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• City players bonding in the kitchen
• Were trying their hand at pork risotto
• Demi Stokes & Steph Houghton were also in the mix

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The City contingent looked relaxed as they spent some quality time in the kitchen with each other to boost their chemistry before a crucial Manchester derby in the WSL. The burner was lit and the aprons were on as Kelly, Hasegawa, Demi Stokes and Steph Houghton had a great time cooking some pork risotto for lunch.

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  Kelly had fun as she was spotted twisting her hips while stirring the risotto – an Italian rice dish cooked with broth from meat, fish, or vegetables. Stokes explained elaborately the making of the dish while Houghton took up the filming duties. Soon Kelly took a break – as her skipper was quick to point it out. "Yui's just looking busy – it's all me!" swiftly came her defence.

• WHAT KELLY SAID

  Kelly shared a picture on her Instagram story with Hasegawa and wrote: "I'm the Sous-Chef".

  @chloekelly Instagram

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Gareth Taylor’s side have been knocked out of two competitions in March after they slipped out of the Conti Cup at the hands of Chelsea before Tottenham got the better of them in the FA Cup quarter-final in penalties. In a space of four days, City's treble hopes were left in tatters.

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Xabi Alonso will reportedly join Bayern Munich if he decides to leave Bayer Leverkusen and could snub Liverpool's offer to replace Jurgen Klopp.

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• Bayern & Liverpool vying for Alonso
• Spaniard reportedly leaning towards joining the Bavarians
• Bayern also feel confident about convincing Alonso to take charge

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Alonso finds himself at a crossroads as he contemplates his next managerial move amid a stellar season with Bayer Leverkusen. However, according to , Bayern Munich are poised to secure Alonso's services as their next manager following the pending departure of Thomas Tuchel at the end of the Bundesliga season – which would force Liverpool to shift attention to other targets.

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  Bayern's honorary president, Uli Hoeness, confirmed the club's interest in Alonso but acknowledged the fierce competition they face from Liverpool and Real Madrid.

  "Clubs like Liverpool, Real Madrid, Leverkusen and FC Bayern are working on it," Hoeness told Ran Sport. "There are hardly any coaches who come into question who are currently free, who don't have a job or who are on sabbatical. It's not so easy to tell them that FC Bayern is the measure of all things."

• WHAT FLORIAN PLETTENBERG SAID

  Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg said: "As confirmed in the last hours and days, Bayern Munich are confident to sign him. They are pushing for him. But there have been no negotiations. Talks have taken place. It is difficult to get him but Bayern are optimistic. And if (when) someone like Uli Hoeness, the President, confirms that Xabi Alonso is a name that Bayern are targeting, then that is everything. Sure, clubs like Liverpool, Real Madrid, want to sign him. But if he leaves Leverkusen in the summer, he will join Bayern Munich and not Liverpool."

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  Liverpool's sporting director, Michael Edwards, is reportedly actively involved in negotiations to secure Alonso's services. However, the Premier League outfit is exploring alternative options, including Roberto De Zerbi, Franck Haise, Ruben Amorim, and Julian Nagelsmann, should Alonso choose a different path.