Manchester Metropolis received the treble final season so will contend Sunday’s Group Defend towards final season’s Premier League runners-up Arsenal (10:50 a.m. ET, stream dwell on ESPN+). However after a summer time of upheaval, transfers and excursions on international soil, how will both sides match up? And does it imply something earlier than the season begins on Aug. 11?
What state are the groups in after the summer time?
Man Metropolis
Dawson: For the primary time shortly there are questions concerning the Manchester Metropolis squad. Mateo Kovacic has are available however Ilkay Gundogan has left for Barcelona and Riyad Mahrez has moved to Saudi Arabia. There are additionally doubts concerning the futures of Bernardo Silva, Kyle Walker, Joao Cancelo and Kalvin Phillips. Pep Guardiola’s mantra has often been that he will not maintain gamers who’re sad, however he cannot afford a mass exodus this summer time. A £77.6 million ($98m) deal for RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol is dragging on, and if it would not get carried out, you can argue that Metropolis can be weaker this season than final.
Arsenal
Olley: Arsenal have tried to keep up the momentum of final season’s surprising Premier League title problem by spending round £200m on three main summer time signings — midfielder Declan Rice (£100m), defender Jurrien Timber (£40m) and ahead Kai Havertz (£67.5m), all of whom had been acquired early sufficient to take full half within the membership’s preseason tour of the US. Though the Gunners nonetheless have work to do out there — not least in trimming the squad — the membership made some extent of attempting to do their enterprise early in an effort to attempt to kick on in 2023-24. They impressed in victories over the MLS All-Stars and Barcelona, and though a defeat to Manchester United got here in between, there’s a sense of optimism that Arsenal can meet heightened expectations within the months forward.
Key gamers
Dawson: Rodri was unbelievable for Metropolis final season and would have been near profitable the highest particular person awards if striker Erling Haaland hadn’t scored 53 objectives in 52 video games. The Spain midfielder will get an early check when he comes up towards Arsenal, who can be stronger in midfield after the addition of Rice.
Rice earned a big-money transfer to the Emirates together with his performances for West Ham and England, however the subsequent query can be: can he step as much as one other stage now that he is taking part in for a greater crew? The battle between Rodri and Rice at Wembley on Sunday ought to be fascinating.
Olley: It’s arduous to get away from Rice given his payment may rise from £100m as much as £105m, a report quantity for a British footballer. The sheer scale of that funding calls for that he has a transformative impact on Arsenal’s midfield and Rob is true to spotlight the battle with Rodri. No Metropolis participant performed extra Premier League minutes final season than Rodri and Mikel Arteta will seemingly need Rice to be equally influential in his Arsenal crew; it was fascinating to notice he operated in a barely extra superior position with Thomas Partey sitting deep within the pleasant towards Monaco on Wednesday.
There are additionally query marks over Havertz following a combined spell at Chelsea. He might want to begin effectively within the first few weeks to place these doubts behind him.
0:49
Guardiola rejects being tagged because the GOAT
Pep Guardiola disagrees on being thought of the best of all time.
What’s going to the managers do in a different way to make a press release?
Dawson: Guardiola would not have to alter an excessive amount of after main Metropolis to a few wins from three towards Arsenal (two in Premier League, one FA Cup) final season. Nearly as good as Arteta’s facet had been, they had been outclassed on the Etihad in April after they misplaced 4-1 to surrender any likelihood of profitable the title.
The important thing subject for Guardiola to repair is how he replaces Gundogan in midfield. As calm because the German was on the ball, he additionally stuffed the position of supervisor on the pitch. He’ll be a giant loss, however his departure may imply an opportunity for Phil Foden to play extra video games in a central position alongside Kevin De Bruyne.
Olley: It was noticeable throughout preseason simply how a lot Arsenal’s gamers rotated positions inside Arteta’s 4-3-3 form. For instance, Havertz began as a left-sided No. 8 towards Barcelona but in addition popped up on the left wing and likewise at centre-forward. Bukayo Saka occupied his normal right-wing berth, however then appeared by way of the center, whereas Leandro Trossard began on the left flank solely to play in central midfield at instances.
This can seemingly be a characteristic of the upcoming marketing campaign, as may Timber drifting into midfield from a full-back place. Arteta experimented with Thomas Partey on this position, nominally beginning at right-back, in direction of the tip of final season and it seems Timber has been signed with this in thoughts.
1:38
Rice: Arsenal transfer was every little thing I needed
Declan Rice opens up on Mikel Arteta’s affect on his transfer from West Ham to Arsenal.
What’s going to we be taught concerning the Premier League season?
Dawson: In all probability not loads. Guardiola often prepares his groups to complete a season strongly and sometimes it might result in gradual begins. He would not fill preseason with plenty of video games — they performed three on their tour of Japan and South Korea — and typically they’re a bit rusty when the marketing campaign kicks off.
Metropolis have misplaced the final two Group Defend video games — to Leicester Metropolis in 2021 and Liverpool final yr — and Guardiola will not be overly involved if it occurs once more. They had been overwhelmed 3-1 by Liverpool on this fixture on the King Energy Stadium a yr in the past, and Haaland missed a sitter, however quick ahead 10 months and Metropolis had been treble winners, Liverpool completed fifth and Haaland scored greater than 50 objectives.
Olley: This fixture has all the time sat someplace between a pleasant and a aggressive match so little will be gleaned from it. Take a look at final season’s sport, when Liverpool beat Metropolis: Darwin Nunez scored, Haaland did not and many individuals rushed to invest whether or not the Norway worldwide would battle in English soccer. That mentioned, there can be a helpful psychological enhance for Arsenal if they’ll defeat Metropolis. Since profitable the 2020 FA Cup closing towards Guardiola’s facet, Arsenal have misplaced all eight subsequent conferences, together with a 4-1 loss on the finish of April which successfully signalled the tip of their title hopes.
Prediction
Dawson: Arsenal can be higher ready, buoyed by new signings Rice and Timber, and will win narrowly. Arteta will get renewed hope he can beat Metropolis to the title subsequent season, nevertheless it will not trouble Guardiola, who will stay satisfied his crew can win it for the sixth time in seven years.
Olley: Arsenal are extra settled and doubtless extra motivated for this explicit sport given how final season completed. Guardiola is a grasp of trying forlorn about his crew’s prospects just for them to ship time and time once more, however Arteta can get an early blow in forward of the brand new season with a decent victory.
