Aguero on target as Man City down promoted Brighton

“We finished the contracts of five or six players and in the last six or seven years Manchester City didn’t buy full-backs, so we had to buy full-backs”.

When and how to employ the pair may define Guardiola’s season.

“The first game is always complicated. It will not be easy but we travel to win the game”. From my experience, even in Barcelona, too.

Manchester City’s chairman Kahldoon Al Mubarak has said that youngsters Tosin Adarabioyo, Jadon Sancho and Phil Foden will be given chances in the first team this season.

Brighton, though, was successfully repelling City’s potent strike force until a costly lapse.

Kevin De Bruyne is expected to be Guardiola’s men in the centre of the park to create – but he has previously played put wide.

David Silva 7 – Fresh haircut but same old style; saw plenty of the ball but found it hard to clear a way through Brighton’s packed back line.

When they were relegated to the second tier a year ago, it was expected they will be back sooner or later.

Pep Guardiola, stylishly suited and booted on the touchline, is going to have to cut his cloth more accordingly if this is anything to go by, and one suspects he may have had a few choice words to say to his superstars during the break. If he can stay fit throughout the season he will undoubutely help the club keeping more clean sheets along with an improved John Stones (if pre season is anything to go by) and the experienced Otamendi.

“We were stable, we conceded just one chance from a corner”. Dale Stephens will be a key player in the midfield while Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy will take charge at the back.

After finishing a disappointing 15 points behind champions Chelsea last term, City embarked on a spending spree to freshen up their squad.

Guardiola, though, is cautious.

All told, Gabriel scored seven goals and provided four assists in 10 league games last campaign. We did it earlier and we are lucky because it would be more expensive now in the last weeks.

Guardiola has recruited goalkeeper Ederson from Benfica for around £35m while also bringing in Kyle Walker for a record breaking £50m.

City kick-start their campaign at the South-East away to new-comers Brighton & Hove Albion.

City dominated possession and territory, but the extra defender perhaps took something out of their attack and Mat Ryan’s stunning save from the Brazilian was City’s sole clear-cut opportunity of a goalless first half.

And Guardiola revealed he was more than happy with the way City were shaping up ahead of the trip to face Chris Hughton’s newly-promoted side at the Amex Stadium – especially given the fact he has a fully-fit squad to choose from.