2017-18 fan season preview: Manchester City

What are your feelings ahead of the new season?

I’m excited and optimistic. Last season was a big disappointment in that we didn’t win anything and only finished third in the league but we played some excellent stuff at times and now Pep Guardiola has been able to bring a few more new players in and strengthen the weak areas of the squad, I expect us to be much, much better.

How pleased have you been with your transfer business to date?

I’m delighted. We’ve taken a bit of flak for the amount of money we’ve splashed out but we were in desperate need of the kind of full-backs we’ve bought and Ederson Moraes, our new goalkeeper, looks like a huge upgrade on Claudio Bravo. Bernardo Silva is the new signing which excites me the most and I honestly think he’ll prove to be a snip at £43million. I think we’ve had the best window of anyone in the Premier League at the moment and I won’t be upset if we don’t sign anyone else now. I wouldn’t say no to Alexis Sanchez or Kylian Mbappe, though.

How is your team likely to line up?

This is a bit tricky but our best XI probably looks something like:

GK: Ederson
RB: Walker
CB: Kompany
CB: Stones
LB: Mendy
CM: Yaya Toure
AM: David Silva
AM: Bernardo Silva
RM: De Bruyne
LM: Sane
CF: Aguero

Who will be your most important player?

We were a different team with and without Vincent Kompany last season and the fact he played so few games was a big reason why we were so flimsy defensively. At the risk of tempting fate, he looks like a new man nowadays and if he can stay fit for most of the season, we’re going to be so much harder to beat.

Who is the unsung hero in your squad?

I still don’t think David Silva quite gets the recognition he deserves. He’s been one of the best players in the league, if not the best, since he joined City seven years ago yet he’s never won any individual awards or even been in the team of the season. He was amazing last season and I think people take his brilliance for granted.

What do you expect from Liverpool this season?

I think you’ll have a similar season to last year. I’d say you’re still a couple of top-quality signings away from properly challenging for the title but if you can make those before the window closes, you’ll definitely be there or thereabouts. Playing in the Champions League (assuming you qualify) will undoubtedly make things a bit trickier but if you’re able to maintain your impressive record against the top teams while turning a few draws and defeats against the lesser sides into victories, you’ll be a force to be reckoned with. As ever, I’m dreading our trip to Anfield in January.

If you could have one Liverpool player in your team, who would it be?

It has to be Philippe Coutinho. The guy is world-class and getting better all the time. We have a couple of players of a similar ilk to him but he’d walk into any team in Europe.

Top four (in order)?

City, Chelsea, Man United, Liverpool

Relegated?

Brighton, Burnley and Bournemouth

Surprise package?

You won’t like this but I think Everton will really shake things up in the top six this season. They’ve made some very decent signings and though I think a top-four push is probably a bridge too far for them, I could see them finishing above the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham.

What is your biggest wish for the season?

I wish people would stop diving and hopefully the FA’s new directive of punishing offenders with two-match bans will really help to stamp it out. Leroy Sane dived to win a penalty towards the end of last season and I really didn’t like it but that said, there were a few occasions when our players were fouled but didn’t get anything because they didn’t throw themselves to the floor, so I think referees could be a bit more vigilant too.