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After a hectic summer in the transfer window and some dodgy early-season results, it feels like Manchester City are just starting to settle into their groove.
Erling Haaland is hitting top form - no mean feat for the Norwegian - and Pep Guardiola has won three of his last four Premier League games, the exception being a creditable draw away to Arsenal.
But after so much turnover on and off the pitch, is all as it seems behind the scenes? Are City a one-man team? And what's really going on with their 115 charges?
Here, our City expert Jack Gaughan answers YOUR questions...
How are the first few months of Hugo Viana’s tenure playing out? Has the new director of football changed much about City's recruitment or data analysis?
Firstly, Viana's job is probably not one that everybody would jump at. Succeeding Txiki Begiristain is a little like succeeding Pep Guardiola: you need supreme confidence to take that on.
Staff say Viana has fitted in well, aided by a lengthy handover period with Begiristain. There is a feeling that Viana was decisive in the summer transfer window, shifting quickly between targets – take Morgan Gibbs-White to Rayan Cherki for example, when the latter became available for what feels like a modest £31million.
Hugo Viana (left, with City legend Mike Summerbee) has been a busy man since replacing Txiki Begiristain as director of football this year
Viana was decisive in the summer transfer window, shifting his attention from Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White to Rayan Cherki (pictured)
He has followed Begiristain’s lead in terms of keeping things within a tight circle, although the way in which he does deals – and how many per window – can only really be judged after a couple of summers, especially as the one just gone needed to be busy and won't offer a true reflection of Viana’s method as a director of football.
As for the analysis department, there has been a change among Guardiola’s team after head of analysis Carles Planchart called it a day. Planchart had worked with Guardiola since Barcelona so among the raft of summer departures, his was as keenly felt as any other.
Harry Dunn, head of first-team performance analysis, leads the team. While the structure of that department has remained the same, Planchart was a confidant of Guardiola’s and seen as an extension of the coaching staff so there is a gap.
Planchart had the ear of the manager, closely working with him on opposition set-up in particular, but there is a fluid approach to how they use analytics.
James French, Pep Lijnders or Kolo Toure are known to head into the analysis room to ask for specifics themselves, while specialists in certain fields – like Daniel Wright in football insights or Craig Nosworthy – feel empowered to take control of what is being delivered to the players and how.
What happens if Haaland’s goals dry up? Are we becoming over-reliant on him?
I understand the question but equally, I’m not sure how you can become over-reliant on the finest goalscorer in world football.
The number of goals from the wingers is too low, and likely a product of their respective ages, but the threat of Tijjani Reijnders when crashing into the box looks as if it could become potent in a way that should plug the gap of goals from central midfield.
Erling Haaland has been prolific even by his standards this season, with his winner at Brentford taking his tally to nine goals from seven games in the Premier League
Omar Marmoush will boost City's attacking stocks when he returns from a knee injury
Phil Foden feels as if he’s about to start flying in a way he did in 2024. Plus there is Omar Marmoush to come back – his record isn’t bad.
Cherki will need to produce better numbers than he has previously yet there are plenty of goalscoring options – and not all of them need to be clicking at the same time.
Will we go for a right back in January?
It’s undoubtedly a key area of concern for City moving forward and one they are keeping a close eye on.
Whether they act in January may depend on the continued development of Abdukodir Khusanov, whose performances before his injury last month were a real cause for positivity.
Khusanov – who is expected back after the international break – has shown he is capable of becoming the solution in that position for this season at least.
But City are not ruling out the possibility of dipping into the winter market and the noises are that it is somewhere they will strengthen – if not in the upcoming window, then probably the next.
Abdukodir Khusanov, seen battling with Leandro Trossard in the recent draw at Arsenal, has proved he is a solid option at right back
How is Thomas Krucken’s player of the future programme progressing?
Academy director Krucken will be delighted at six players from the youth set-up - Stephen Mfuni, Ryan McAidoo, Kaden Braithwaite, Divine Mukasa, Reigan Heskey and Jaden Heskey – all being named in first-team squads across the last month. It’s a huge moment and City believe testament to the work put in by the German and his team over the last 18 months.
Krucken views this as a proper milestone, one highlighting the link between his programme’s approach and players becoming ready for Guardiola without the need for huge acclimatisation.
The programme is providing more AI-generated data, produced in a clearer way, that is given to players as part of their development on specific skills. Small TV screens have been erected at the side of training pitches to show players drills they’ve done mere seconds earlier to drill home messages.
The messaging to youngsters is changing, with staff having now received training on generational learning differences with the help of a German professor, while there has been a 250 per cent increase in the Individual Learning Plan training – with Krucken big on these after hiring specific individual training coaches.
Kaden Braithwaite is one of many City youngsters who have made matchday squads this term
That is all relevant to the half-dozen new faces in Guardiola’s squads. The younger age groups (Under 9s to Under 14s) are given a multi-sport programme with basketball (at the John Amaechi Centre), taekwondo (taken by the 2012 Olympic semi-finalist Martin Stamper), gymnastics and tennis all taught.
Norwegian professor of psychology, Geir Jordet, is working with City on enhancing player scanning.
Is Michael Olise a genuine target?
Not for January and it’s still a little early to predict how the summer might look. There will be a free slot given Bernardo Silva’s contract is coming to an end and City have flirted with the idea of Olise before.
What happens in that area of the pitch will be dependent on how Oscar Bobb does: if he truly flourishes as is hoped, then City are unlikely to add.
Do City plan to call back Vitor Reis and Claudio Echeverri from their loans?
City have control of both of those loan deals so can recall the pair of them in January if they feel the moves are not working out. Echeverri signed for Bayer Leverkusen when Erik ten Hag was coach and has played just 14 minutes in the Bundesliga since the Dutchman was sacked.
Claudio Echeverri has played just 14 minutes in the Bundesliga since Erik ten Hag was sacked as Bayer Leverkusen boss
And fellow loanee Vitor Reis is also having a tough time at City's sister club Girona
The ties with sister club Girona make the Reis situation a little more complicated. City might argue that loans are not supposed to be easy and the rough results – Girona are third-bottom in La Liga having conceded 17 goals in eight games – should be a character-building experience for Reis.
They will take a view on both nearer the window, with neither able to come back any sooner regardless.
It’s been said that City were interested in Gianluigi Donnarumma when he was younger – why wasn’t that pursued back in the day?
Money, basically. And the amount of money AC Milan wanted for an 18-year-old (albeit an 18-year-old with two full seasons at one of the biggest clubs in the world under his belt) was considered extortionate.
Although there may be some scepticism about that from some sections of the fanbase, that City ended up splashing £35m on Ederson, the second most expensive transfer of a goalkeeper at the time, would suggest that Milan's demands were eye-watering.
What really happened with Savinho in the summer?
City were steadfast in their stance on Savinho, that it would take a huge offer (sources outside the club suggested north of £70m) for the Brazilian to leave.
This matches their position on pretty much every outgoing, or possible outgoing, in recent seasons. And while it’s become somewhat boring writing ‘City won’t stand in Player X’s way if the right bid comes in’, that is the reality of their transfer dealings.
Silva has seen that in previous summers and looks set to leave on a free transfer at the end of the season, with the popular Benfica presidential candidate Joao Noronha Lopes promising to sort a deal out.
Savinho was tempted by a move to Tottenham and the chance to be their main man, but has instead signed a new long-term contract at the Etihad
Savinho’s case was slightly different to Silva’s in that the interest from Tottenham enhanced once the campaign kicked off, and the situation was exacerbated by an injury. The photos of Savinho at his home gym didn’t really help matters, although it was a genuine injury.
The youngster (and yes, he is still only 21 – a year younger than Bobb) did fancy Spurs and being a bigger fish. The subsequent new contract until 2031 was a reaction to City’s stance and reflects the faith in him, with a wage bump too.
What’s going on with the 115 charges?
Well, how many times have the jungle drums been beating towards an imminent decision now? At least three since February. And they’ve become louder and louder this month.
It’s coming, clearly. Largely because the Premier League cannot go on for much longer without clarity over such a seismic hearing involving its most successful club over the last decade.
The thing I’ve noticed on making calls around the hearing has been that wildly different outcomes and timeframes can be presented as fact, depending on who you talk to. Which can be the case on countless topics, but is particularly pronounced with this. It’s been an incredibly tough story to pick your way through.
City's stance remains the same: they will clear their name.
Who were the players who stepped up in the dressing room last season throughout the ‘crisis’?
Put simply: the guys who Guardiola picked to make up his four-man leadership group for this season.
We know how Ruben Dias is captaincy material and the growing influence of Rodri – even when he was injured, cajoling around the camp.
Rodri played an important leadership role at City last season, even when he was sidelined with a knee injury
Bernardo Silva, whose contract expires next summer, also took on extra responsibility
But the extra responsibility Silva took upon himself didn’t go unnoticed – and that was as much making himself available for every game, playing through pain, as overt leadership qualities.
Haaland began to find his voice more and more in the dressing room as standards slipped – something we’ve written about on this website – and that is seen as part of his evolution into one of the leading figures around the club.
The captains’ group is usually five. Four this time points to Nathan Ake’s lack of physical reliability (Ake has earned votes in previous ballots) and Manuel Akanji’s likely departure, the defender eventually going to Inter. John Stones’ leadership is more about personal touches than dominating a group setting.
