According to Pep Lijnders, there are two certainties in life at Manchester City: the weather is no good and Pep Guardiola will hold endless meetings with players to hammer in the core principles.
He smiled when delivering that line but the Dutchman hit upon something and provided an insight into how City’s new team has developed throughout this season.
The performances either side of March’s international break, Saturday’s shellacking of old foes Liverpool and the lesson handed to newer rivals Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final, indicates an ascent to a level that has taken all year to work toward.
In turn, it can also indicate that this is what should be expected of City next year. The younger faces who have arrived over the last 12 months are beginning to assimilate to the world according to City and where that then goes from here ought to be very exciting indeed for those of a blue persuasion.
As evidence, Antoine Semenyo speaks glowingly about how he is more attune to the needs of Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki, obvious by their link up for a Haaland header that Lijnders labelled ‘insane’. That goal thirsty, full-throttle abandon will have Arsenal’s attention.
Arsenal can’t help but have noticed the way a disjointed Liverpool were torn to shreds – and know that the title race is far from over. Especially given the horrors of the recent past. Even so, City lifting the Premier League trophy come May would still serve as a major shock at this point.
Manchester City assistant coach Pep Lijnders (right) emphasised the work Pep Guardiola has been doing in meetings to hammer in the core principles of the club to his new squad
City’s leadership team – Silva, Rodri, Ruben Dias, Haaland – have made sure that their juniors are primed and ready for future tilts at silverware
Next season, though, is an entirely different matter. City appear to be only two signings short of becoming a truly consistent force, players like Nico O’Reilly and Abdukodir Khusanov increasingly coming to the fore and Rayan Cherki happily taking on the creative responsibility that required picking up once Kevin De Bruyne bid farewell this time last year.
De Bruyne then, Bernardo Silva now. A club icon departs annually and they will need to find solutions to fill Silva’s absence, with Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest heading the list of midfield targets for the summer.
A right back is also on the list and strong recruitment in those two areas – coupled with the rawer talents having additional experience under their belts – makes City a very challenging prospect for anybody wanting to go toe-to-toe with them.
City are understood to be well on with the summer already and Lijnders believes the leadership team – Silva, Rodri, Ruben Dias, Haaland – have made sure that their juniors are primed for future tilts at silverware.
‘The main thing is that our senior players own it,’ Lijnders said. ‘They own the responsibility of the club. From there good things grow.
‘The way Pep organises the team and puts his passion and ambition to the players. He drills them. The way we won the Carabao creates even more hunger for us. This is a new team with settled players who take lead. It’s a compliment to them.’
The suspended Guardiola has not publicly announced what he plans to do this summer yet the way Lijnders talks, the way he acted on the touchline – that energy, desire, wild celebrations even against old employers – suggests that whatever happens with the No 1, the No 2 will prove vital either way.
He has immersed himself in the club and it has interested staff quite how much attention he has paid to the academy. Lijnders is often at Under-21 matches and knows exactly who could be next to make the step up.
It speaks to a man who is enjoying the development phase of a project and the signs are here that City will certainly develop further.
‘I am super happy to be here,’ Haaland said and he doesn’t appear to be the only one.
