Having just surrendered the Premier League title to a phenomenal Liverpool side last term and finishing a staggering 18 points behind them, Manchester City seem set to struggle with their title contention plans this term if their 5-2 home defeat by a refreshed Leicester City is anything to go by.
Although manager Manchester City could claim that City might struggle up front with both strikers Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus out injured against Leicester, their rear guard looked dangerously porous and were clearly in trouble every time the visitors came forward.
Kyle Walker and Eric Garcia also looked completely all out at sea as they conceded clumsy penalties that were clinically converted by Jamie Vardy, while City’s once intimidating pressure in midfield totally buckled as enforcers Rodri and Fernandinho lost the plot.
With the transfer window closing on Oct. 5, City are reportedly close to signing central defender Ruben Dias from Benfica with Guardiola needing reinforcements capable of adding steel to the backbone of his expensively-assembled squad.