Manchester City fans have had their say on where the club will finish in the Premier League this season, with the majority predicting a title triumph. The vote comes after a summer of significant change at the Etihad, following Pep Guardiola's departure at the end of last season and the arrival of Enzo Maresca as his replacement.
Summer of change at the Etihad
Guardiola's exit marked the end of an era, with Maresca taking over after a drawn-out negotiation period with Chelsea. The squad has also seen considerable turnover, with Bernardo Silva and John Stones leaving at the end of their contracts in June. Since then, Rodri has joined Barcelona, while Tijjani Reijnders, James Trafford, Savinho and Omar Marmoush have also departed. Nico Gonzalez is close to leaving as well.
The club's efforts to replace those players have taken time to get going. Elliot Anderson arrived during the World Cup and has been joined by Ayyoub Bouaddi, with Allan Elias close to arriving from Palmeiras. Maresca is now preparing an opening offer of £100m for Enzo Fernandez, and another forward could be targeted before the transfer window shuts, with Liverpool's Cody Gakpo recently linked with City.
Fans vote on title chances
After a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield, City bounced back with a late comeback win against AFC Bournemouth on Sunday. MEN Sport then asked readers: "Where do you think Manchester City will finish in the league this season after late Bournemouth comeback?"
At the time of writing, 2,725 votes had been cast, with the majority (36 per cent) voting 'Champions'. The second-most popular answer, with 19 per cent of the vote, was '5th or lower'. Finishing second received 17 per cent of the vote, with third just behind on 16 per cent. The most unlikely outcome, according to readers, is a fourth-place finish, with just 12 per cent voting for that.
Maresca admits unknown
If City are to win the title, Maresca will need to get his new team gelling quickly. After the win over Bournemouth, the Italian head coach admitted he did not know his best team yet.
