After winning an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title last season to establish themselves as the dominant force in English football, Manchester City let their incredibly high standards slip in 2024-25 and experienced a turbulent campaign like no other.
Many anticipated that Pep Guardiola and co would challenge again on all fronts, but there were a plethora of factors behind why they were unable to reach those same levels again, instead failing to win a single major trophy in what has been described as a "horrific" season by talisman Erling Haaland.
Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look back at Man City's eventful 2024-25 campaign.
SEASON OVERVIEW
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Final league position: 3rd
EFL Cup: Fourth round
FA Cup: Runners-up
Community Shield: Winners
Champions League: Knockout phase playoffs
FIFA Club World Cup: TBC
Top scorer: Erling Haaland (31)
Most assists: Savinho (12)
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Starting the season with a Community Shield triumph over rivals Man United, Man City opted against splashing the cash in the summer of 2024, signing just two players in the form of Savinho (£21m) and Ilkay Gundogan (free).
However, the decision not to bolster their options further backfired as the Citizens were struck with an injury crisis - most notable losing Ballon d'Or winner Rodri to an ACL injury in September - that coincided with an alarming drop-off in form towards the end of the year.
Man City put together a 13-game unbeaten run in all competitions up until the end of October when their Halloween horror show began and extended through to the festive period. Indeed, just one win, three draws and nine defeats were posted over a nightmare eight-week spell in all competitions, crashing out in the EFL Cup fourth round to Tottenham (2-1 away) during this run.
City were stunned by Spurs again in the Premier League (losing 4-0 at home) and outclassed by Liverpool (losing 2-0 away), while they also made a habit of letting leads slip, doing so on five occasions during this run - most notably drawing 3-3 with Feyenoord in the Champions League despite leading by three goals with only 15 minutes remaining.
The only positive that Man City could take away from their miserable end to the year was Guardiola's decision to sign a new two-year contract extension, despite the club's ongoing legal battle with the Premier League and the hearing into its 115 charges of alleged financial rule breaches.
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Sitting 14 points behind leaders Liverpool having played a game more, Guardiola extinguished hope of an epic title comeback, while City's customary Champions League qualification was far from assured, so the decision was made by the champions-in-crisis to spend around £180m on four January signings to spark a much-needed revival, while Kyle Walker departed on loan to AC Milan after handing in a transfer request.
Omar Marmoush was the standout acquisition after a stellar spell in the Bundesliga, and he announced himself to the Etihad faithful with a superb hat-trick in an impressive 4-0 win over top-five rivals Newcastle. However, either side of that victory, the Citizens were beaten twice by Real Madrid in the Champions League, losing 6-3 on aggregate to crash out before the last-16 stage for the first time in almost a decade.
City were also humbled by Arsenal (losing 5-1 away) and beaten by both Liverpool (2-0 at home) and Nottingham Forest (1-0 away) to cast further doubts over their top-five credentials, but hopes of lifting the FA Cup intensified when academy starlet Nico O'Reilly inspired the Citizens to a 2-1 comeback win over Bournemouth in the quarter-finals.
This victory sparked a positive run of form from Guardiola's side (W7 D1) between the end of March and early May. Guardiola made it clear that City were 'not back to their best', but comeback wins at the Etihad over Crystal Palace (5-2) and Aston Villa (2-1) strengthened their top-five hopes, with Kevin De Bruyne at the heart of the former success not long after announcing that his legendary decade at the club would come to an end in the summer upon the expiration of his contract.
De Bruyne was hoping to bow out with one final piece of silverware, but Man City suffered a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final in May - their 16th loss of the season in all competitions which is their most since 2008-09. Guardiola's men responded well to that disappointing setback and won their remaining two league fixtures, beating Fulham 2-0 on the final day to secure third spot and Champions League football for a 15th consecutive season, salvaging something positive from a disappointing campaign overall.
PREMIER LEAGUE STATS
Wins: 21 (=2nd)
Draws: 8 (=11th)
Losses: 9 (=16th)
Goals scored: 72 (2nd)
Goals conceded: 44 (=16th)
Yellow cards: 57 (20th)
Red cards: 2 (=11th)
Passes: 22,973 (1st)
Shots: 607 (2nd)
Big chances missed: 67 (8th)
Saves: 87 (19th)
Tackles: 497 (20th)
Own goals: 2 (=11th)
Hit woodwork: 18 (4th)
Clearances: 587 (20th)
HOW DID IT COMPARE TO LAST SEASON?
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Man City won an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League title by just two points last season having been taken to the final day by Arsenal. A 3-1 victory over West Ham United ensured that the Citizens finished on 91 points, with 28 wins, seven draws and just three defeats in 38 games.
In contrast, Guardiola's side were unable to mount a serious challenge for the title in 2024-25 and had to settle for a third-placed finish, ending the campaign with 20 fewer points after winning 21, drawing eight and losing nine of their 38 matches. They also scored fewer goals and conceded more goals (72 for, 44 against) compared to last season (96 for, 34 against).
The Citizens did not lose a single home league fixture last season (W14 D5) and picked up 47 points at the Etihad, five more than they achieved in 2024-25 (W13 D3 L3). On the road, City boasted the best away record in the division last season, accumulating 44 points (W14 D2 L3) compared to just 29 collected away from home in 2024-25 (W8 D5 L6) - only the joint fourth-best away record in the top flight.
Man City came away from last season with the Premier League title, the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, but they could only get their hands on the Community Shield in 2024-25, failing to lift major silverware for the first time in seven years. City could add another Club World Cup to their collection, though, if they prevail in the newly-expanded 32-team tournament this summer.
City bowed out of the FA Cup in the same heart-breaking fashion as last season, losing in the final, while their fourth-round exit in the EFL Cup was a marginal improvement on their third-round elimination last season. In the Champions League, Guardiola's side were beaten again by Real Madrid, crashing out in the knockout round playoffs a year on from losing in the quarter-finals.
PLAYER OF THE SEASON: JOSKO GVARDIOL
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Phil Foden was undoubtedly Man City's Player of the Season for 2023-24, but selecting a standout performer from the club's underwhelming 2024-25 campaign is not so straightforward.
Leading marksman Haaland notched up another 31 goals in all competitions and that should not go unnoticed, but even he had his fair share of struggles this term, while Mateo Kovacic was part of the Citizens midfield that was run ragged towards the end of last year before enjoying a strong end to the campaign from an individual perspective.
City's squad was riddled with injuries, but Josko Gvardiol was one of few first-team stars who did not succumb to regular fitness problems and has established himself as a hugely important figure under Guardiola.
The Croatian experienced a mistake-prone period midway through the campaign when he and many of his teammates suffered an alarming dip in form, but he nevertheless stepped up several times this term to offer versatility on the left side of defence, initially operating as a marauding left-back before shifting to centre-back during the second half of the campaign.
Gvardiol made more appearances (53) and played more minutes (4,513) than any other Man City player across all competitions, chipping in with six goals including an FA Cup semi-final header against Nottingham Forest.
STANDOUT RESULT: MAN CITY 2-1 ASTON VILLA
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Man City's dreadful 4-0 and 5-1 losses to Spurs and Arsenal respectively stand out for all the wrong reasons, while the less said about the dullest Manchester derby in decades at Old Trafford (0-0) the better!
However, one result that stood out for all the right reasons was Man City's crucial last-gasp triumph at home to top-five rivals Aston Villa, a victory secured at the end of April, in the middle of a five-game winning streak, that represented a huge moment in the race for Champions League qualification.
Bernardo Silva fired the Citizens in an early lead before Marcus Rashford - who had hit the post after just 17 seconds - restored parity for Villa from the penalty spot inside 18 minutes. However, it was Matheus Nunes who had the last laugh as he drilled home a dramatic 94th-minute winner - his first goal for Man City - to earn a dramatic 2-1 victory and spark jubilant scenes of celebration from the Etihad faithful.
BEST MOMENT
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Just over a month after announcing that he would be leaving the club upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the season, Kevin De Bruyne received a fitting send-off from the Etihad faithful after making his final home appearance for Man City in a 3-1 win over Bournemouth.
A giant 'King Kev' tifo of City's legendary playmaker was unfurled before kickoff, as chants of his name belted out to the tune of 'Seven Nation Army' by The White Stripes, but the main event took place after the full-time whistle.
With the lights down, De Bruyne walked to the centre circle with his wife and three children through a guard of honour formed by Man City players and staff for a special on-field ceremony. With tears in his eyes, the Belgian soaked up the atmosphere before watching tributes from past and present City favourites.
Following confirmation on the night that he would be honoured with a statue outside the Etihad, De Bruyne gave an emotional speech reflecting on his glittering decade at the club, before embarking on a lap of appreciation and being thrown into the air by his teammates in celebratory fashion.
TOP PRIORITY FOR SUMMER
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Where do we begin?
It has been well-documented that Man City are in need of a squad rebuild this summer, with new sporting director Hugo Viana currently working alongside outgoing chief Txiki Begiristain during a transition period to draw up a list of first-team targets, primarily younger ones to address the age-profile of the current senior squad.
Finding someone who can replace the irreplaceable in De Bruyne will be one of Man City's biggest challenges and priorities. Florian Wirtz had been admired by the Citizens for some time, but they seem to have cooled their interest in the €150m German who now appears to be edging towards a move to rivals Liverpool - a tough one to take for City supporters.
Midfield additions are all but guaranteed at the Etihad this summer, with the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Tijjani Reinders believed to be high on City's wishlist, while reinforcements in the full-back department are also required, especially at right-back with Walker expected to join AC Milan on a permanent basis.
Guardiola has insisted that the size of his first-team squad cannot increase over the summer, so some tough decisions over player exits are set to be made, with the likes of Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva, Ederson, James McAtee, John Stones and Nathan Ake all thought to be facing uncertain futures at the club.
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Having said all that, Man City's summer business will depend on the outcome of the hearing into the 115 charges of alleged Premier League financial rule breaches levelled against the club.
Away from transfers, Guardiola is keen to help Foden rediscover his best form after a "frustrating season" battling with physical and mental fatigue. If City cannot sign their ideal De Bruyne replacement this summer, then City will likely turn to Foden to act as chief creator.
Guardiola will also be keen to see other attacking stars contribute with more goals next season as they were heavily reliant on Haaland who scored at least 21 goals more than any of his teammates - the Norwegian and Foden (10) were also the only two City players who reached double figures. Citizens fans will be excited to see whether Marmoush and Claudio Echeverri can step up in their first full season, and there is also hope for Oscar Bobb to put aside a campaign ruined by injury and force his way back into Guardiola's thinking.
Challenging on all fronts and entering the latter stage of next season still in with a chance of lifting multiple trophies is what Guardiola will prioritise most of all. The Premier League has, and always will be, his priority as Man City manager, so pushing closer to champions Liverpool, with a younger, injury-free squad constructed to seriously compete, is the target.
FINAL VERDICT
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As Man City begin to recharge their batteries before returning to action at the FIFA Club World Cup held in the United States next month, they will be glad to see the back of a disappointing 2024-25 season that highlighted how they are not the force they once were.
Injuries certainly played their part in City's decline, but they are not solely to blame as several senior stars ultimately failed to reach the heights expected and deliver on a consistent basis. One of sport's over-used truisms is that while form is temporary, class is permanent and City fans will hope that those who remain in Guardiola's plans can rediscover their best form in the new campaign.
Guardiola is now presented with a fresh challenge in his illustrious managerial career, transforming his vanquished champions into a different beast; a younger, hungrier, injury-free collective, courtesy of a much-needed squad rebuild, that can reclaim their place at the summit of English and European football.
There are no guarantees that Man City will return to the same levels of recent years gone by, but with Guardiola at the helm, Citizens supporters have every reason to feel optimistic that they can bounce back in positive fashion next season.
Oliver Thomas
