Sam Allardyce has changed his mind about Manchester City winning the Premier League title, despite their opening-day comeback victory over Bournemouth. The former Premier League manager now believes Arsenal will retain the crown.
City's narrow escape
Manchester City came from behind to beat Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium. Josko Gvardiol cancelled out Marcus Tavernier's opener before Marc Guehi scored a 92nd-minute winner. Reigning champions Arsenal, meanwhile, began their campaign with a 3-0 win against Championship winners Coventry City on Friday night.
Before the season began, Allardyce backed Enzo Maresca to have a great first season as City manager after succeeding Pep Guardiola this summer. However, after further reflection, he now believes the transition will be significant.
Allardyce's revised prediction
Speaking on Footy Accumulators' podcast, No Tippy Tappy Football, Allardyce said: "There's no guarantee Arsenal win the Premier League, but there's no challenger to them this season."
He added: "I initially said Manchester City would win the title, but thinking about it a little bit more, it's a big change of manager that they've had to go through. I now think Arsenal will do it."
When making his pre-season prediction, Allardyce had said: "Man City. I think Enzo Maresca is going to have a great first season; if he doesn't, he will be out." Phil Thompson called it "flabbergasting".
Summer of change at City
Guardiola's successor acknowledged City's summer of change before the Bournemouth match. In addition to the change of management, Bernardo Silva, James Trafford, John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, Rodri, Savinho and Tijjani Reijnders have all left the club, with Elliot Anderson and Geronimo Rulli arriving.
Maresca said: "It's clear that there are changes: manager, players. We are a club that cannot wait to compete; we need to compete from day one."
City's manager also spoke about their target for the season: "The target is to carry on in the same way as the last 10 to 15 years."
Arteta's champion mindset
Mikel Arteta spoke before their match about what it felt like to go into the new campaign as champions. Arsenal's manager said: "I feel good, different, hopefully better. I'm more excited than ever, hungrier than ever."
Asked about what it takes to retain the title, he said of the previous sides to do so: "Those teams have an incredible quality, which is to maintain the standards daily at the highest level."
He added: "It is an opportunity that we have. I have no question that our players have that desire and the ambition to do that. Now it's something that we have to earn and do daily."
