Victory with… own goal, Arteta on the bench and 11 with Nolito and Kolarov: Pep’s first experience in the Premier

Having entered the final year of his contract with the Cityhaving to deal with the history with the 115 violations of financial regulations with the audition starting in mid-September, Pep Guardiola is a manager who has “signed” the modern history of the “Citizens”.

The Catalan coach who managed to raise his club Manchester to the top of Europe, but also to achieve the feat of back-to-back championships that has never happened before, he may not remember what happened in his first match in Premier League.

This was on August 13, 2016, shortly after Mr Jurgen Klopp he had lost his final Europa League as coach of Liverpool, in the first months of his presence there.

THE Pepwith Arteta on his staff and with the eleven he had Bakary Sania, Alexander Kolarov, Gael Clichy, Nolito and Sergio Aguerosaw his team prevail 2-1 of Sunderland, thanks to an own goal by McNair in the 87th minute.

That season, Guardiola read and heard a lot about his quality as a manager and whether he would hold up at the level of the top flight. City finished 3rd, missed every goal, were eliminated in the last 16 of the Champions League, but in the end the difficult start was necessary for the… absolute dominance of the following years.

8?? years ago today, the City ?? @PepTeam era began! ?? pic.twitter.com/pTczL9wjgt

— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 13, 2024