Manchester City

Image source, Getty Images

Ilkay Gundogan is "very confident" Manchester City can "bounce back" in 2025-26 after finishing this season in stronger form.

Pep Guardiola's side racked up nine Premier League defeats, equalling their record for most league defeats in a season during the Spaniard's reign.

But when it mattered most, City started to look stronger and finished the season in third with 21 wins from their 38 matches.

"It feels like the season was so long, with a lot of up and down things," said Gundogan. "Not just with the team, but everyone individually as well.

"Obviously everyone went through the struggles. I feel like now at the end of the season the feeling is positive in the way we've performed in the past two months since the last international break.

"Since we returned, we won most of the games and got a lot of points. If we were able to perform in that way throughout the whole season it would be a completely different outcome for us in the end.

"That's the target for next year, to learn from all the mistakes in the campaign, to take that last couple of months as the standard and expectation going into the Club World Cup and the next Premier League season.

"I'm very confident that if we're able to do that, we'll definitely bounce back and be in competition for the Premier League title.

"These are the standards that this team, this club has set over the past few years, the past decade. Unfortunately nothing less than that is enough in a very competitive Premier League."

Image source, Getty Images

Former Manchester City midfielder Michael Brown hopes Jack Grealish can be back playing football next season and with a smile on his face.

Speculation has grown over Grealish's future as he has become accustomed to sitting on the bench this season and he was left out of Pep Guardiola's final squad of the season.

"The problem is that he has a decent contract so it won't be easy for a club to come and take him," said Brown on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "It looks like it will have to be a loan deal because no-one can probably pay the transfer fee and the wages.

"Grealish is a very infectious character - he is kind and he just wants an arm around him and to play football.

"I think there will be a few takers for him on a loan deal because they might be able to get the best out of him if they do get him to enjoy his football again.

"He just needs to be playing. He is great in the dressing room with everyone and he trains hard. Yes, we know he has had the odd moment where he has let himself down but that is his character and you have to accept it.

"I think that may have caused an issue on the odd occasion for obvious reasons, but I want to see him playing football and smiling again."

Listen to the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's 10 final day Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Nottingham Forest 0-1 Chelsea

• Liverpool 1-1 Crystal Palace

• Wolves 1-1 Brentford

Napoli have offered 33-year-old Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne a £23m salary over a three-year deal following his departure from Manchester City this summer. (Fabrizio Romano, external)

Club president Aurelio de Laurentiis has confirmed the Napoli's interest in De Bruyne. (II Mattino, via Mirror, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Manchester City secured Champions League qualification with a 2-0 win over Fulham on the final day of the season.

Here are some of your replies:

Usama: Job done. The bare minimum objective has been achieved. I would say it is better to forget this season but, for the sake of evolving, we need to use it as a lesson for future reference. From the summer window, to adapting to constant injuries, to tactical flexibility - the players need to use this season as a source of motivation for next and do everything to avoid it happening again.

Lacey: Today's game was fantastic. This season has definitely not been what I hoped it would be, but finishing in the top three is still a good thing. I'm glad that we will have a chance to play in the Champions League next year. I'm looking forward to the Club World Cup in June.

Sean: A professional performance to make sure we got into the Champions League next season. It has been a hard season with injuries and players being below par. Thank you, Kevin de Bruyne, for an amazing 10 years at the club. A squad revamp is important going forward, with our ageing players, to make sure that we can keep challenging for major honours in years to come. It's going to be an interesting summer with who is coming in and who will be leaving our club. I'm looking forward to next season and hopefully building a new team around Rodri.

Phil: What a season. I wonder how many fans of the Premier League would turn their noses up at a third-place finish and an FA Cup final in what was a season full of unfortunate injuries and one that will end up as a transitional one too. Thanks to KDB. Good luck to the others that are leaving.

Ben: Dismal year, slightly redeemed by Champions League qualification. Too many terrible performances for many games (including the FA Cup final). To top it all off, we are losing KDB and likely Grealish as well, who for some reason just can't get playing time.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has been speaking about securing Champions League qualification on the final day of the season: "Coming to a tough ground against a really good opponent, to play the way we have played, to create our chances, to manage their chances, and then to win and secure Champions League was very important. We are very happy with that."

On scoring his first league goal of the season: "It took me some time this season to score, but it was just intuition. Arriving in the box at the back post, I try to be where I think the ball might drop. When I saw the ball going over my head, I had to adapt my run, adjust and then just try to go for it.

"When I landed and turned around, I didn't even know if the ball was in the net or not but then I saw my team-mates coming towards me."

On what it is like to play with Kevin de Bruyne: "Exceptional. I feel very lucky and grateful that I've had the opportunity to share the pitch and the dressing room with him.

"He is one of the most special players that I have played with and that the Premier League has ever seen. He will be missed and we wish him the best."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day about manager Pep Guardiola saying that securing Champions League football for next season is "like winning a title" for the club: "It's not a title feeling but I know what he means and I agree with him. It is really important.

"This club has to play in the Champions League, I have to play in the Champions League, Pep has to manage a team in the Champions League. So it is important and we are relieved to be there because it has been a hard and difficult season.

"We are really happy. We came back after a really difficult period and we have been working through it together. It's not been easy but we have shown great character. In the end, we have come third and we are relieved. We are really happy.

"We are focused on going into the Club World Cup now in good shape and we want to attack that."

On whether he knew he would be the penalty-taker this afternoon: "Yes, I knew it."

On what is needed going forward: "I mean, you cannot win it [the Premier League] every year. Nobody has ever won it four years in a row. We came third this season, but City have won the Premier League in six out of the past eight years.

"If I was a City fan - which I am - I'm not complaining. I wish we had won it this year as well, but you cannot win it every year. Next year we are going to do everything we can to make it a much better season."

Hear more from Haaland on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has provided a defiant response in his post-match news conference when asked about Jack Grealish's future at the club: "Don't ask me about Jack. Who said I'm not happy with Jack?

"Rico [Lewis] was not selected. [James] McAtee was exceptional against Aston Villa and Wolves, so why not ask me about McAtee? It is not personal.

"I have 24 players. I had to get rid of six players last game and five players today because [Mateo] Kovacic got sent off.

"I treat Jack like [Abdukodir] Khusanov, McAtee and all the players who have not been selected, but you say they are in trouble? It's not about that. I have 24 players and I had to get rid of five players because Kovacic was sent off in the last game.

"It is nothing personal with Jack. I'm the person who fought for him to come here, the person who fought for him to stay here this season, and the same next season. I'm the one who said that I want Jack Grealish.

"He didn't come because he didn't come, but not for some other reason. What happens in the future is a job for Txiki [Begiristain], Hugo [Viana] and the agents."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day about his side's winning performance against Fulham: "We started really well and, after that, we had the momentum. It was in our hands and we did our job. It has been a tough year but we never gave up.

"I'm very proud and pleased for the team. Now we will recover and next season we will be better."

On securing Champions League qualification: "It is like a title [because of] the obstacles. When you continue [a poor run of form], you finish 10th or 11th or 12th or 13th. This is the destiny of all the teams in the Premier League when they are in November, December or January and cannot fight for the Premier League, like we have done for many years. People can say: 'I don't want to fight again, just to qualify for the Europa League.'

"But we continued playing good, we were there and we did it.

"At the end of it all, we have finished third. We are not miles away from Arsenal but the distance to Liverpool is huge. We have to improve - and hopefully we can do it."

On if he knew Erling Haaland would take the penalty: "I saw him. I saw him take the ball, yes."

On Jack Grealish being left out of the matchday squad: "It was just a decision to travel with other players. It was a nightmare for us, for me especially, the last three or four weeks. I've got five or six players at home, and that it so difficult."

On the Club World Cup: "It is an honour to be there for what we have done in the past. We are going to prepare to compete well and prepare for next season."

Listen to more from Guardiola on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City have now won their past 15 league meetings against Fulham, the longest winning run one side has recorded over another in the history of England's top four tiers (overtaking Manchester City v Bournemouth - 14).

Pep Guardiola's side ended the Premier League season with a 10-game unbeaten run (W7 D3), their longest of the season. It is also the longest run without defeat by any side to end the 2024-25 campaign.

Since his first Premier League season in 2022-23, Erling Haaland has scored more penalties in the competition than any other player (17).

Image source, Getty Images

It went right down to the final day but the European places for next season are now finally confirmed.

Manchester City and Chelsea's wins saw them secure third and fourth respectively, while Newcastle took the fifth and final Champions League spot despite a final day loss to Everton.

Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest's defeats mean they miss out on the top five but will be heading on European adventures in the Europa and Conference Leagues respectively.

Chelsea's win means there will not be an additional spot for eighth place so Brighton's victory at Tottenham does not creep them into Europe.

So the curtain has come down on Manchester City's season with a win against Fulham.

The Blues have had a turbulent campaign to say the least, but a strong finish at Craven Cottage secures the club Champions League football for a 15th consecutive season, and a there is also Club World Cup campaign to look forward to next month.

The departures of Kevin de Bruyne - and probably a few other names - means Pep Guardiola has work to do this summer.

How are you feeling after the game and at the end of a long campaign?

Have your say on City's performance and season

Come back to this page later to find a selection of your replies

After 26 shots without success before Sunday's match against Fulham, Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan finally scored with his 27th attempt.

Only two players had had more shots without scoring in the Premier League this season heading into the final day – Everton's Jesper Lindstrom (28) and Idrissa Gueye (27).

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport football news reporter

Fulham make four changes to the side that beat Brentford last Sunday, in the final Premier League game of the campaign.

Captain Tom Cairney comes into the side along with Harry Wilson, Andreas Pereira and Jorge Cuenca.

Emile Smith Rowe, Alex Iwobi, Sander Berge and Calvin Bassey drop to the bench.

Fulham XI: Leno, Tete, Andersen, Cuenca, Robinson, Lukic, Cairney, Traore, Wilson, Pereira, Jimenez.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has made two changes to the side that beat Bournemouth on Tuesday, knowing a point here should be enough for a Champions League spot.

The big news sees Jack Grealish left out completely, while Kevin de Bruyne is on the bench for his final appearance in a City shirt. Ballon d'Or winner Rodri is only a substitute too.

Nico Gonzalez replaces the suspended Mateo Kovacic, while Jeremy Doku is in for De Bruyne.

Man City XI: Ederson, Nunes, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol, Gonzalez, Gundogan, Silva, Marmoush, Doku, Haaland.

All 20 teams are in action on the final day of the 2024-25 Premier League campaign, and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Bournemouth v Leicester City

• Fulham v Man City

• Ipswich v West Ham

• Liverpool v Crystal Palace - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Man Utd v Aston Villa

• Newcastle v Everton

• Nottingham Forest v Chelsea - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Southampton v Arsenal

• Tottenham v Brighton

• Wolves v Brentford - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

All kick-off times 16:00 BST

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Manchester City were really good in their win over Bournemouth on Tuesday, and they did not let the disappointment of last weekend's FA Cup final defeat affect them. Omar Marmoush was excellent, they created lots of chances and defended strongly too.

City still made mistakes, though, and the stray es that led to Mateo Kovacic being sent off and also gifted Bournemouth a late goal are the kind of simple errors you don't expect their players to make.

City will miss Kovacic here because he gives them legs in midfield and knits their play together so well. Without him, I have a sneaky feeling that this will not be a straightforward afternoon for them. The way the season has gone for Pep Guardiola's side, I would not put it past them to screw this up.

They only need a point to secure a top-five finish and maintain their ever-present record in the Champions League since 2011 but, with the way Fulham play, they are in for a tough time at Craven Cottage.

I still think City will find a way of winning, but me saying that is probably bad news for Pep Guardiola's side. I've found it impossible to predict Fulham all season and, whatever I say they will do, I am usually wrong.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, 33, is set to finalise a move to Serie A champions Napoli in the next fortnight. (Mail, external)

Finally, England winger Jack Grealish's future has been cast into further doubt after the 29-year-old was left out of their squad for the final game of the season at Fulham. (Telegraph - subscription required, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Sunday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport