Writers' panel: August

It’s been a solid, if unspectacular start to the new season and seven points from three matches gives City a great platform on which to build.

Pep will be hoping his side can be more ruthless in attack. Much like last season, they are dominating possession and completely outplaying their opponents but going forward there’s some improving to do.

The signs are good, though, and if City do click in the final third, there will be very few sides who can stop them.

In a tight game that saw Bournemouth make things difficult for City, it was going to take a moment of individual brilliance get the visitors back in the game after Charlie Daniels’ world-class opener.

And David Silva provided it with a through-ball few other players could manage.

It sliced open the Bournemouth defence in a split second – and Gabriel Jesus, taking the ball first time and on the turn, finished expertly.

It was City at their devastating best.

There’s been little wrong with City’s defending in the opening three games, with Vincent Kompany’s presence key to their solidity.

He’s not only a brilliant defender possessing pace and the ability to accurately read the game, he’s also a leader on and off the pitch.

Every Club needs a player like Kompany and with his fitness problems now a thing of the past, expect City’s defensive improvement to continue. 

It looks like this City team are yet to hit top gear, so heading into the international break unbeaten is satisfactory as well as important.

The Blues will hope to be more clinical once the Premier League resumes, but despite this, the volume of chances and the manner in which they have totally dominated possession and territory has been pleasing.

New boy Ederson has impressed, while Vincent Kompany has been equally integral in a composed defence and David Silva continues to make City tick in the way only he can. Add a fully fit Benjamin Mendy and Bernardo Silva into that mix, plus the returning Ilkay Gundogan and there’s plenty to look forward to.

It was the proven combination of Silva and Sergio Aguero, which married for the usual outcome to score our first goal of the new campaign.

How fortunate we’ve been to bask in the brilliance of this deadly duo over the years and we’ll never tire of it.

From Sergio’s movement, Silva’s inch-perfect through ball and a typically cool finish from the Argentine, it was everything we’ve come to expect from them.

The importance of our No.7’s two strikes this month cannot be underestimated.

Late goals that came as the pressure mounted on City to ensure they found the breakthrough their dominance more than deserved in both games.

And he scored in fine fashion, too.

A sweetly struck volley rescued a point against Everton, while he showed great composure to take a touch in a crowded penalty area, before picking his spot to net in dramatic fashion on the South Coast.

Seven points looks a lot better than five so the last-gasp win at Bournemouth was crucial going into the international break.

Though the Blues dropped points against Everton, signs are last season’s blistering form on the road is set to continue as City made it back-to-back wins on the road.

None of the games so far have been easy – Brighton were difficult, Everton well-organised and Bournemouth full of vim and vigour.

September promises to be even tougher with Liverpool, Chelsea and a revitalised Watford to play, not to mention a couple of Champions League group matches and Crystal Palace so it’s full steam ahead…

It’s impossible to see past Raheem Sterling’s late winner at Bournemouth for pure drama and adrenaline.

A last-minute winner is always special but the almost slow-motion aspect to Sterling’s shot as it looped up and nestled into the net made it even better for the travelling fans.

The calmness on the ball and opening performances by Ederson suggest City have acquired a special talent.

His reflexes have been tested a number of times and on each occasion, he’s made some excellent saves, particularly the stop from Jermain Defoe at Bournemouth when the Blues could have gone two goals behind.

He was unlucky to be beaten by Wayne Rooney against Everton and no keeper on the planet would have stopped Charlie Daniels’ superb half-volley against the Cherries.