Hamann: City favourites for the EPL title

Jul 11, 2017 06:00 am

Former Liverpool and Germany player Dietmar Hamann says Manchester City are favourites for the Premier League title next season.

Hamann believes Pep Guardiola's second season in Manchester will be a marked improvement on his first, which ended in the Citizens finishing 15 points behind champions Chelsea.

He told The Daily Mirror: "I'm not sure we will see a different Pep Guardiola next season - but I am certain we'll see a different Manchester City team this time.

"I can't see beyond them for the title. Guardiola inherited an old, unbalanced squad with an ageing defence where all the fullbacks were the wrong side of 30.

"The squad was very poorly put together before Pep arrived, and given City's resources that was staggering really...

"Although they've tried to lower the age profile, signing Raheem Sterling, Kevin de Bruyne, John Stones and Gabriel Jesus, I wasn't surprised when they struggled to keep up with Chelsea last season." - WIRE SERVICES