“‘Where now for Manchester City?’ has probably been the hottest Premier League question of the summer. Such has been their level of spending that the Champions League was regarded by some as the minimum target for last season, and Mark Hughes paid the price for this increase in expectation with his job. Whether the improved that much under new coach Roberto Mancini is open to question, and City were beaten to the fourth Champions League place by Tottenham Hotspur with a game to go of the season. City’s reaction has been, perhaps unsurprisingly, to go out and spend more money, though perhaps not as much as some had expected. This season, qualification for the Champions League is the minimum expectation for Manchester City, and that’s a phrase that not many people would have considered likely as recently as three or four years ago.” (twohundredpercent)