Manchester City – Newcastle United: The Conditioning Of Champions (1-0)

Three outings, two away days, and one prominent injury in eight days have thrown City's squad into the deep end. But the sign of a true champion is strength in adversity. Against an opponent whose quality can cause most in the league a world of pain, the Premier League holders showed why, at this stage of the campaign, it would be foolish to expect anyone else to steal their crown.

Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere.

To improve on a treble winning campaign is nearly impossible. However, Manchester City's chase of the illusion of perfection is not new. Ilkay Gündogan and Riyad Mahrez have departed, but success is constant while Pep Guardiola is at the helm. His latest triumph, a victory in the Super Cup, has broken more barriers for the club in Europe. More feats closer to home are also in sight. No outfit has claimed four league titles in a row in England: the assault for that historic Premier League crown is underway.

Newcastle United have also exceeded expectations. The fourth highest points tally of all top flight teams in the first half of 2022 cooled concerns of a drop into the bottom three, but few foresaw the season of excellence that graced St. James' Park. Eddie Howe oversaw a fourth placed finish— the best in . . .