MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s grip on the Premier League title has reached an unprecedented four years but off-field doubts surround the English champions ahead of the new season.

Pep Guardiola turned City into the dominant force in English football with six Premier League titles in the past seven seasons. Guardiola, though, is entering the final year of his contract and the City boss has offered no guarantees that he plans to extend his stay at the Etihad Stadium to a decade. “Nine years today in the same club is an eternity,” Guardiola said during pre-season. “I want to be sure it’s the right decision. Not just for me, for the club, for the players." Another cloud hangs over City’s title defence, with the long-awaited hearing into 115 Premier League charges for alleged breaches of financial rules expected to take place before the end of the year.

City have vehemently denied any wrongdoing over the allegations, some of which date back to 2009.However, if they are found guilty, they could face severe sanctions.

Everton and Nottingham Forest received points deductions last season for breaches of profit and sustainability rules (PSR), with Leicester set to face similar consequences this season. The need to meet those regulations and a summer of both European Championship and Copa America action have been blamed for an unusually slow start to the transfer window from Premier League clubs. City have only added Brazilian winger Savinho and appear weaker for the impending sale of Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid.

Arsenal the coming force?

Arsenal look the best-placed challengers to take City’s crown after finishing second in each of the past two seasons. The 89 points amassed by Mikel Arteta’s men last season is only surpassed in the Gunners’ history by the unbeaten “Invincibles”, who won Arsenal’s last Premier League title in 2003/04.Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori is Arsenal’s only major close-season signing to date, strengthening what was the best defence in the league last season.

But the Gunners are the coming force in the English game. Arteta’s squad was the third youngest in the league last season and features a host of stars such as William Saliba, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli yet to hit their peak years. “I see Arsenal playing at the same level as last season,” Guardiola said. “They are on fire.

Every year it looks like they are more and more difficult.”Liverpool ran City and Arsenal close for the majority of last season before a dip in form cost them a glorious finish to Jurgen Klopp’s reign.

Arne Slot has been given the daunting task of replacing the charismatic Klopp, who won the Premier League and Champions League during his time at Liverpool. The former Feyenoord boss needs a fast start to ensure there is no hangover from Klopp’s departure and resounding friendly victories over Arsenal, Manchester United and Sevilla were a step in the right direction. “We both like the fans to come into the stadium and see a team that plays with a lot of energy, that plays good football,” said Slot on the similarities between his and Klopp’s style.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag survived an internal review into his position after their worst-ever Premier League finish of eighth.Ten Hag held onto his job largely thanks to a shock FA Cup final win against Manchester City last season.

The Dutch boss has been backed by United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe, with the signings of Leny Yoro—who will miss the first three months of the season due to injury—and Joshua Zirkzee expected to be followed by a swoop for Bayern Munich defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui. But United face stiff competition to try and get back into the Champions League.

Chelsea are also under new management after Enzo Maresca replaced Mauricio Pochettino, who departed Stamford Bridge after only one season. However, Maresca inherits a chaotic situation with more than 50 players on Chelsea’s books after another free-spending window snapping up young talent from around the globe.

Newcastle and Tottenham will expect to improve after missing out on the top four last season, while Aston Villa have strengthened ahead of their first Champions League campaign since 1982-83. At the other end of the table, Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton are hoping to avoid the fate of the three promoted sides last season who all failed to beat the drop. Ipswich are back in the top-flight for the first time in 22 years and face a baptism of fire at home to Liverpool on the opening weekend. – AFP