Pep Guardiola has guided Manchester City to a historic Premier League and League Cup double this season, playing some of the best football the division has ever witnessed.
City broke record after record on their way to the title and will go down in the history books for years to come.
Many doubted Guardiola’s ability to bring success in the Premier League, but he has done just that and is ready to build for the future at the Etihad.
With the domestic season all said and done, we’ve had time to reflect and look at what we have learned during this campaign.
Pep's squad rotation brought the best out of players
Guardiola has a plethora of attacking talent in his side and he has been forced to manage them wisely.
Throughout the season he rotated in the final third brilliantly, bringing the best out of specific players in different moments.
Bernardo Silva struggled to hold down a regular place in the starting XI during the opening weeks of the season, at the same time as Raheem Sterling’s brilliant run of form.
Their roles reversed in the latter stages of the season, with the England international taken out of the team for a prolonged period.
Key players only going to get better
The core of the Manchester City squad will offer a lot of hope to supporters going forward.
Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Benjamin Mendy are just some of the players under the age of 25.
As good as this season has been for City, the squad is only going to get better. For every title win, for every high and every low they will become more experienced and better players.
Managing senior pros
Not only did Guardiola move on the likes of Pablo Zabaleta and Gael Clichy over the summer, but he has also dealt with the likes of Yaya Toure brilliantly throughout the season.
It can be hard for any time to move on from experienced players when they have been so key for a team like Toure has for City during his time at the club.
Toure has seen limited game time this season but remained a key figure inside the dressing room, all whilst not causing any disruption to the first-team squad.
Guardiola now has the bigger task of replacing Toure this summer, which will not be easy by any means.
Style over substance
Do you remember when everyone criticised Guardiola for claiming he didn’t like tackles? Well, that seems like a long time ago now.
Guardiola has stuck to his guns and not moved away from his philosophy.
Many people doubted his ability to go on and win the Premier League in such a style but his side have done just that this season, breaking record after record along the way.
Hungry for more success
Something that rang true through the final weeks of the season was City’s hunger to improve and break more records.
They weren’t going to settle for just strolling across the line, they wanted to do it in style.
You only have to look at the celebrations on the final day of the season away at Southampton to show just how much it meant for them to make the 100-point mark.
This is something that will stand them in good stead going forward with Guardiola hoping to build a dynasty at the Etihad.