Manchester City's squad refresh is in full swing and some very specific changes may signal a slight tactical shift by Pep Guardiola next season.
There have been two iterations of Guardiola's City team. The first was in 2017/18, where a front three of Leroy Sané, Raheem Sterling and Sergio Agüero - still seen as one of the deadliest trios in Premier League history - scored 106 goals and amassed 100 points.
Typically, the two wingers would stay high and wide before making a late run to the byline. David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne in the number eight positions would find the space to thread a pass between the centre-back and full-back, with a simple cut-back normally leading to a tap-in. ALSO READ: Man City pre-season tour omens should concern Liverpool and Chelsea It was electric, incisive and high-intensity football, and City's record-breaking 198 points across two seasons was a testament to the relentless winning machine Guardiola had created.
Agüero's departure - and subsequent failure to recruit a number nine - forced the Catalan into changing his system - the famous false-nine.