Premier League legend writes-off Manchester City in 2025/26 title battle | OneFootball

Manchester City have already been written-off by one Premier League legend when it comes to their chances of regaining the top-flight crown from Liverpool this season.

With changes sweeping through the Etihad Stadium squad and tactical shifts expected in the new campaign, former professionals and pundits are beginning to question whether this iteration of Manchester City still has the tools to dominate domestic football.

The upcoming 2025/26 season marks a new phase in Pep Guardiola’s tenure. Following an underwhelming last campaign that saw City fall short of major silverware across all competitions, the Catalan tactician has begun reshaping his side.

High-profile additions like Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki have arrived to spark a refreshed midfield and attacking setup, while veterans like Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker have headed for the exit door, with the former not seeing his expiring contract renewed.

In the background, Manchester City’s opponents have also only strengthened. Liverpool are defending champions with momentum and have invested heavily in the likes of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, and Hugo Ekitike.

Arsenal also remain fierce contenders, and Chelsea – buoyed by a FIFA Club World Cup triumph and further market activity – are aiming to close the gap. The race is tightening, and for the first time in years, the odds are not unanimously in Manchester City’s favour.

Speaking with AskGamblers this week, Liverpool and Premier League legend Michael Owen was quizzed on whether this may be the first time in recent memory that City will not be heading into a new top-flight campaign as favourites.

“I wouldn’t be so confident about Manchester City. I think it’s a real transitional season, probably part of last season too. They’ve been buying a lot of players, and it’s been done quite quickly. It almost crept up on them, then all of a sudden, it imploded. Then maybe there’s been a bit of a panic spree,” Owen admitted.

“I was looking at the odds this morning for the Premier League next season. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I just can’t see them winning it at all,” he continued.

Reflecting on his own predictions for the last campaign, Owen reminded, “I’m not gloating, but I was here a year ago saying my big prediction for the year was Manchester City were going to implode. I think I had them finishing fourth. I was only one off, and for most of the season, I was looking good with that prediction.

“I read all the comments, ‘Michael Owen must have been drunk’, but I genuinely saw lots of reasons why they could struggle, bear in mind, they’d won the league four times on the spin before. It’s bold to say, but I just can’t see how they win the league this season. I don’t think they’re good enough. I think so much has gone wrong, so much needs piecing back together.”

“I think it’s almost the start of a new cycle,” he continued. “It was the end of the cycle, now this is the start of a new one. With only two or three players you think, ‘Right okay, they are players that are going to be part of this new cycle for the next few years’. There will still be players like that, but they’ve probably only got one or two seasons left in them. There are still a lot of older players there.

“So, who are the young players going to be in the new cycle for the next five years? That has been there under all this success. Phil Foden, you’d say, but not loads of them. It really feels like a new beginning for them. And to go and win the league when the competition is so high? I nearly fell off my chair when I saw the odds. I just don’t think they’re going to win it.”

Owen’s view will undoubtedly split opinion, especially among City supporters familiar with Pep Guardiola’s ability to build new dynasties in compressed timelines. Though some long-serving players are reaching the twilight of their careers, promising talents continue to emerge to carry the flame forward – namely the likes of Oscar Bobb, Sverre Nypan, Claudio Echeverri, and Vitor Reis among many others.

Manchester City’s recruitment strategy this summer also suggests the club is investing with intent. The likes of Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento continue to be explored as part of a potential transition at right-back, while James Trafford’s return from Burnley signals faith in homegrown development and possibly a view towards Ederson’s exit in the coming months.

Elsewhere, Jack Grealish and James McAtee’s respective situation remains unresolved and exits remain likely for both, while midfield and defensive rotations are expected to continue into the final weeks of the window.

What happens next could determine whether Michael Owen’s stark prediction holds any weight. Should Manchester City start strongly and show signs of tactical cohesion early on, talk of a “new cycle” could quickly shift toward talk of yet another title run. But if the cracks resurface, it could mark the first genuine reset Guardiola has faced since arriving in English football back in 2016.