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Manchester City have entered a fresh chapter this summer, with Enzo Maresca taking over in the dugout from legendary manager Pep Guardiola.

That huge shift brings an element of uncertainty to a club that has become used to lifting major trophies.

Here is our Manchester City-focused look ahead to the 2026/27 Premier League season and an assessment of how they could perform under their new boss.

IN: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest, £116m), Jeremy Monga (Leicester City, £10m), Pierce Charles (Sheffield Wednesday, undisclosed), Mathys Detourbet (Troyes, undisclosed), Geronimo Rulli (Marseille, undisclosed)

OUT: James Trafford (Leeds United, £40m), Nathan Ake (Fenerbahce, £7m), Jahmai Simpson-Pusey (Koln, £4.7m), Reigan Heskey (Koln, £2.1m), Bernardo Silva (Real Madrid, free), John Stones (released), Oliver Whatmuff (Stockport County, loan), Isaac Smith (Barnsley, undisclosed), Tomas Galvez (Go Ahead Eagles, undisclosed), Pierce Charles (Queens Park Rangers, loan), Sverre Nypan (Lommel, loan), Mathys Detourbet (Monaco, loan), Christian McFarlane (Leicester City, loan), Kalvin Phillips (Sheffield United, loan), Divin Mubama (Southampton, loan)

(Information correct on August 14).

Manchester City are rated as the second favourites behind Arsenal for the title, but they may feel the bookmakers have got their calculations wrong.

City ended last season seven points behind the Gunners and will be determined to put things right after missing out on first place for a second straight campaign.

Since the Abu Dhabi-backed takeover in 2008, the club have collected eight Premier League titles, and it would take a bold call to bet against them increasing that number this season.

So far, City have made only one marquee signing, spending £116 million to bring in England international midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest.

They are also attempting to sign Argentina star Enzo Fernandez, although Chelsea are unwilling to approve the departure of a player regarded as vital to their side.

If City manage to complete a deal for Fernandez, it would be difficult to picture them missing out on the title for a third season running.

City open the campaign with three fairly favourable fixtures against Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Coventry City, giving them an opportunity to get off to a fast start.

In contrast, Arsenal have a more complicated run of matches in the early weeks of the season and must come through that spell without centre-back William Saliba.

City’s squad, packed with elite talent, should allow them to sustain a serious title push, but history shows top-level football is rarely so straightforward.

Guardiola’s departure has several parallels with Sir Alex Ferguson leaving Manchester United in 2013, and everyone knows how events unfolded after that.

Maresca appears to be a sound stylistic successor to Guardiola, but his tendency to fall out with people makes him a potentially risky choice.

If Rodri departs this summer, Anderson will come under even greater pressure to deliver, and that challenge would not be easy to meet.

The 23-year-old did not meet expectations with England at the World Cup this summer, and it will be fascinating to see how he copes with playing for City.

With Erling Braut Haaland spearheading the attack, City possess the firepower to blow teams away. If everything falls into place under Maresca, they will be a hugely formidable side.

Even so, there are too many unanswered questions to say with confidence that they are the right pick to win the Premier League this season.

Read more: Premier League 2026/27 season preview.