Manchester City are Premier League champions: How Pep Guardiola did it

Guardiola’s instant replacement of two-time title-winner, England goalkeeper and firm fan favourite Joe Hart was a bold and ruthless first statement of intent.

Hart’s City career was over from the moment the Spaniard stepped through the doors of the Etihad Campus, an uncertain Euro 2016 seemingly confirming that he was surplus to the new manager’s requirements.

It was a move that was not immediately a success as Guardiola turned to Chile international Claudio Bravo, signed for £15.4m from his former club Barcelona.

Bravo subsequently became the symbol of City’s defensive struggles, a goalkeeper who was not as proficient with the ball at his feet as many assumed, even earning an unfortunate reputation as the shot-stopper who did not stop shots.

After the 2-2 draw against Tottenham at Etihad Stadium in January 2017 and the 4-0 loss at Everton the previous week, Bravo had conceded six goals from the last six shots he had faced. It also meant he had conceded 16 goals from the last 24 shots he had faced.

In 22 league games last season, he kept only five clean sheets and made 33 stops with a save ratio of 55.9%.

Guardiola, despite a continued loyalty to Bravo that ensured he played a crucial role in this season’s EFL Cup win, decided he had to make the change.

In came Ederson from Benfica in a £35m deal and the 24-year-old Brazilian has been a resounding success, not only making crucial saves but giving City the extra attacking dimension Guardiola craves from his keepers with his calmness with the ball at his feet and the accuracy of his short and long-range distribution.

Burnley manager Sean Dyche said after City’s 1-1 draw at Burnley: “It’s like having [former Netherlands defensive great] Ronald Koeman in goal. He gets the ball and spins it around the pitch, all over the place, and that adds to City’s game plan massively because he defuses the game.

“They give it back to him, he’s nice and calm and then he’ll clip one into midfield or clip it wide. There’s not many keepers I know who can do that. It’s a massive weapon for them.”

Mills believes Guardiola’s move to marginalise Bravo is another sign of his courage and willingness to alter strategy.

“He made decisions on what he thought was going to work, bearing in mind he’d never worked in this league at a close up level before, and some didn’t quite work out,” says Mills. “The change of goalkeeper is the perfect example.

“He was quite open by doing that. It was a massive decision and that takes a lot of bravery, holding your hands up and saying: ‘You know what – I got it wrong.’

“He dropped England’s number one, sent him out of the football club and brought in a goalkeeper in Claudio Bravo that didn’t quite work.

“And rather than sticking with it to save face, he accepted it hadn’t quite worked and he hadn’t got that decision right and bang – changed. That is what top managers do. They don’t mess about. They take the big decisions.”

BBC Sport pundit Mark Lawrenson agreed the Ederson upgrade has been crucial.

“Distribution, shot-stopping, decision making – everything about him is a step up,” said Lawrenson.

“Pep clearly identified areas where City had to improve. Goalkeeper was one of them and this is exactly what he did.”