City were the BBC predictors’ pre-season favourites in eight out of their 10 seasons under Pep Guardiola from 2016 onwards, and were champions six times during that period. But before their first campaign with Enzo Maresca in charge, only 12% (3\/26) think they will reclaim the title.<\/p>\n
Thomas Hitzlsperger: City are the only English club to have been ever-present in the Champions League since 2011, which is an achievement in itself when you think about how competitive the top of the Premier League is.<\/p>\n
With Pep Guardiola, I would always say they would finish in the top four, but now he has gone, and it is always so tough to follow someone like that. Maybe this is the year that City finally drop out.<\/p>\n
Shay Given: I don’t think Pep leaving means we will see what happened when Sir Alex Ferguson left United. Instead, I am expecting the opposite, because of a fresh voice in the dressing room. These players have not won the Premier League in two years so they will be hungry for success. City will be number one.<\/p>\n
Troy Deeney: My prediction for City is not based off what happened in the Community Shield, it is based off what I saw with Enzo Maresca at Leicester and Chelsea<\/a>. <\/p>\n I am not sure he has got that ability to really demand what he wants. Pep has taught all these coaches, but only Arteta has tweaked it and kind of said “I am going to use all the principles, but this is my way of doing it”.<\/p>\n I don’t want to be disrespectful, but Maresca is a BTEC version of Pep Guardiola. He plays a certain way and has no other way of dealing with it. You saw on Sunday how bad City were defensively but all of his teams are wide open, and he is still doing that now, even with better players – top-class players.<\/p>\n