Simon Bajkowski, Man City writer: Guardiola's interesting tactical tweak this season | OneFootball

Manchester City writer Simon Bajkowski has revealed Pep Guardiola's interesting tactical tweak this campaign, as the Spaniard looks to win his fifth Premier League title in a row.

That strategic shift, along with the mind-boggling goalscoring form of centre-forward Erling Haaland, has seen Guardiola's side start the season in terrific fashion - but could it be his last year at the helm?

Man City have started the season in typically impressive form, with three wins from three prior to the international break. What have you made of the opening few weeks?

There have been a lot of positives from City in a period where they did not expect to be at their best.

Rico Lewis has started the season very well, Mateo Kovačić has filled in for Rodri, and Savinho has looked good as a new signing. But the biggest thing to take from it all has been the freshness and sharpness of Erling Haaland.

He looks considerably better than he did for basically all of last year and it looks like he is back to the level he showed in his first season, if not better than that. Seven goals from three games is very, very good for him and very, very worrying for the rest of the league.

A stat was circulating on social media recently that said he has the fewest average touches per goal in Premier League history and he seems to be unstoppable at the moment. Is there anything you can put your finger on as to why he’s started so unbelievably well?

The rest has helped him over the summer. He was obviously very disappointed Norway did not qualify for Euro 2024, but it has allowed him six or seven weeks off from regular football and he is now fitter than he was.

He has been staying late in training sessions to work on his finishing and his touch, which he did not do at all last season because he had to manage his body and his fitness. Whether he is as fit for the whole season when he has to play every three days is still up in the air, but one game a week for the first three weeks of the season allowed him to be at his best physically.

Pep Guardiola’s contract is up next summer. Right now, do you think this could be his last season in charge at the Etihad?

It is expected to be his last season and the mood around the place for the last few months is that it will be. The tantalising potential of the England job could be on the horizon, too. But the decision has not been made yet and it is still very much up in the air.

After winning the Premier League in May, Guardiola was drained and he spoke about how he did not know how he would motivate himself for this season. Now he has had the summer off, he looks fresh, all the players are responding to what he is saying and the team are putting new ideas onto the pitch.

He is still expected to leave, but the team are giving him every opportunity to think he might have more time yet.

Which player should Brentford fans be keeping an eye on on Saturday?

Last season it was Phil Foden and he was able to score that hat-trick against Brentford as a result of Erling Haaland being so well-marked.

This season, I would probably watch out for Kevin De Bruyne. He also missed a lot of last season with injury and was not near his best, but this season so far he has shown signs of being fresh and back to his best.

There are questions about his performance levels with one year left on his deal, but the way he has started the season suggests he is in better shape this season than he was last season.

When you add that to Haaland being fitter and better, it is not a bad combination up front.

How is Guardiola likely to set up at the Etihad?

They have actually been trying something new this season, aware that so many teams have crowded the middle and got used to how they try and build up: they have been playing very wide with the two wingers, if not overlapping, and creating 2-v-1 situations on the wings in order to put more crosses into the box and try and attack from wide areas, rather than central areas.

It is a bit of a throwback to 2017/18, when they first won the league under Guardiola. It is early days, but it seems to be something a bit different that has certainly helped them early on in the season.

The last four meetings have seen each team win twice. What’s your score prediction for this one?

I will go for 2-0 to City, but I think it will be very tough because Brentford, as always, are one of the best-coached teams in the league.