Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini thinks he has a stronger squad than last season as the champions prepare to begin their Premier League title defence at Newcastle on Sunday.
City start their campaign with a trip to St James’ Park having added a number of new faces to their ranks since last season’s Premier League and League Cup triumphs.
Pellegrini signed French defender Eliaquim Mangala and Brazilian midfielder Fernando from Porto, Argentine goalkeeper Willy Caballero from Malaga and French right-back Bacary Sagna on a free transfer from Arsenal.
City have also loaned veteran midfielder Frank Lampard, released by Chelsea during the close season, from their sister club New York City FC.
Pellegrini believes those acquisitions put City in a strong position to retain the title and make a sustained challenge in the Champions League as well.
City will be without Mangala while he builds up his match fitness, so Martin Demichelis will partner captain Vincent Kompany at the heart of defence this weekend.
Argentine forward Sergio Aguero, who signed a new five-year contract this week, may also be rested after struggles with injuries during the World Cup, while Spain striker Alvaro Negredo has been ruled out until September with a broken foot.
Newcastle have been among the busiest Premier League clubs during the close-season transfer market, with nine new arrivals at a cost of almost £40 million.
Of those, French duo Remy Cabella and Emmanuel Riviere, former Sunderland midfielder Jack Colback and Dutch defender Daryl Janmaat are set to make their league debuts against City.
Another of those recent signings, former Ajax midfielder Siem de Jong is ruled out by a calf problem.
Ivory Coast international Cheick Tiote, who has been linked with an £8 million move to Arsenal, is sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Newcastle hope to end a 16-game winless streak against City stretching back nine years, which has seen them lose their last 10 games in this fixture, claiming two points from a possible 45.
“We’ve got a couple of notable absences from the squad through injury, and last season we wouldn’t have been able to cope with that,” Magpies manager Alan Pardew said.
“But with the signings we’ve brought in, we’re able to deal with it and that shows the strength in depth we’ve got.
“We go into the game in good spirits with a fit, strong team and hopefully we’ll give City a good test.”
