Liverpool and Manchester City face an unprecedented test in the new Premier League campaign following the departure of two of the most prominent figures of their respective modern eras. Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian star, departed for Turkey's Trabzonspor, while Pep Guardiola, the Spanish manager, concluded his historic tenure with City.
For the first time since 2016, Liverpool contest a season without Salah, who was one of the fundamental pillars of the team's attack. Manchester City, meanwhile, begins a new phase without Guardiola, responsible for the most successful era in the club's history. Salah joined Trabzonspor in early August after nine years at Anfield, whilst Guardiola retired at the end of last season after a decade filled with achievements.
Manchester City will begin their campaign by hosting Bournemouth on Sunday under the direction of Italian Enzo Maresca, Guardiola's successor, in his first competitive match. On the same day, Liverpool will visit Newcastle in the first match of Spanish manager Andoni Iraola with the Reds. The uncertainty over the future of both teams is not limited solely to the departures of Salah and Guardiola, but is also linked to the conflicts that marked the end of both eras in May.
Guardiola led Manchester City to six Premier League titles and their first European Champions League title, accumulating 20 trophies since his arrival in 2016. The 55-year-old manager won the FA Cup and the League Cup in his final season, but departed after City lost their dominance in English football by failing to win the league title in the past two campaigns. Guardiola acknowledged that during last season he struggled to find the energy needed to compete with Arsenal, who took the title with a seven-point margin.
The departure of Czech sporting director Petr Cech in 2025 dealt a blow to Guardiola, who stated at the time: "Part of me goes with him". Simultaneously with the ongoing investigation into alleged financial irregularities, Guardiola found himself tasked with rebuilding a team that had lost several of its most prominent players in recent years, including Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson, Kyle Walker and Riyad Mahrez. City's reconstruction project, despite significant spending, has yet to reap complete success, placing Maresca facing a difficult challenge in succeeding one of the most successful managers in English football history.
The Italian manager knows City well, having worked as Guardiola's assistant during the 2022-2023 season, the year the team won the historic treble. However, his experience as a head coach remains limited compared to his predecessor, having spent less than two seasons with Chelsea, in addition to one campaign with Leicester City and a brief period with Parma.
Approximately 35 miles away, Liverpool begins its own search for a new identity without Salah. The Egyptian star joined the Reds from Roma for £36 million in 2017, following an unsuccessful spell at Chelsea, to become one of the greatest players in the club's history. Salah scored 257 goals in 442 matches across all competitions, making him Liverpool's third all-time leading scorer, and helped lead the team to two Premier League titles, as well as the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup.
However, his final season did not reflect his golden years, when Dutch manager Arne Slot left him out of the team on several occasions. Salah accused the club of "abandoning him", though differences between the player and his manager were never fully resolved. The forward scored just seven league goals, whilst Liverpool finished in fifth place, which resulted in Slot's sacking.
Iraola is aware that compensating for the departure of a player of Salah's calibre will not be an individual task. He hopes Swedish forward Alexander Isak will perform better following a first season marked by injuries at Anfield. The Spanish manager also trusts that new signing Víctor Muñoz and young forward Rio Ngoumoha will help partially fill the offensive void left by Salah.
As the new campaign begins, all eyes are on the ability of Liverpool and Manchester City to build a new identity following the departure of two of their most emblematic figures, in a test that could determine whether both clubs are capable of starting a new successful era or whether the impact of Salah and Guardiola will require a prolonged period to overcome.
