Uncertainty surrounds Manchester City on the eve of their first Premier League game of the season

It still all feels rather strange that the Premier League’s top scorers, and a team boasting the Golden Glove winner, would finish so haplessly short of the champions as Liverpool finally lifted their title inside an empty Anfield two months ago.

Manchester City had bludgeoned 102 goals. They kept 16 clean sheets. Their goal difference was 15 superior to the champions. Yet the title had long gone by the time they capitulated at Monday’s opponents, Wolves, just before New Year.

City are a dichotomy and nobody is more aware of that than Pep Guardiola. The individual mistakes that plagued last season – and, in truth, have riddled each of his four campaigns, irrespective of unmitigated domestic success – are largely unexplainable.

Manchester City are a dichotomy and nobody is more aware of that than Pep Guardiola

Take that winter night at Wolves. City were down to 10 men, raced into a two-goal lead playing scintillating countering football, before surrendering and departing with nothing, ruing the absent-mindedness of Benjamin Mendy and Nicolas Otamendi.

The latter’s fingerprints were across the majority of disasters – most notably the traumatic defeat at relegated Norwich – and City are trying to move him on for a second summer running.

It is hard to see how those errors, the sort of which laced last month’s Champions League calamity, can be eradicated in such a short space of time. Their looming threat is partly why Guardiola alters his formations, or solidifies midfield, in decisions that mystify supporters and, occasionally, the players themselves.

The fear of implosion festered, subliminally eroding trust in their attacking instincts. City boasted more than 65 per cent possession in all but three of the 12 games in which points were dropped but failed to create meaningful opportunities in plenty of them. When they did, chances were spurned, and dressing room sources struggled to ascertain why their team suffered in both boxes with such regularity.

Manchester City had bludgeoned 102 goals and kept 16 clean sheets but fell short last season

City have signed centre-back Nathan Ake from Bournemouth this summer for £41million

Guardiola pinpointed the normally free-scoring Raheem Sterling as the best player on the pitch against Lyon but he missed an open goal that turned the tie.

They rank Aymeric Laporte as the best left-sided central defender in world football but he made two errors as City lost 3-1. Unexplainables.

‘We have to play our football and avoid these kind of situations, these kinds of mistakes, that is what we are trying to do,’ Guardiola said during a fairly joyless first press conference, the sort of which that did not exactly exude confidence on the season’s eve. Maybe there was an element of theatrics to his performance, given the talk around City is that the first full week of training has been positive.

Nobody is quite sure how this season will go for City. Guardiola is in his fifth term at the helm, with questions swirling on his own future, with nine months remaining on his contract.

City will have to spend big money when they sign a central striker to replace Sergio Aguero

The Catalan quashed suggestions that he had already agreed an extension and the truth is that no one – not even sporting director Txiki Begiristain – knows what will happen.

Sportsmail understands Guardiola is likely to leave a decision until midway through the campaign, one basically centred on whether the squad is still reacting to his methods.

The plan two years ago, immediately after amassing 100 points, was to guard against complacency. It worked. Last year was to move away from intense individual coaching and focus more on enjoyment. It didn’t.

This time, Guardiola felt the squad needed reshaping with new faces to break-up the monotony and offer new energy. Ferran Torres, the exciting young winger, is already proving a lively character. Claudio Bravo, David Silva and Leroy Sane have gone; more than just Otamendi will follow if there are willing buyers.

Guardiola wanted four signings but may only end up with three after the Lionel Messi episode

Guardiola hopes that a new centre half will arrive before the end of this week. He wanted four signings but may only end up with three after the Lionel Messi episode. Regardless, a partner for Laporte has always been priority number one.

Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibably or Jules Kounde at Sevilla appear the most likely and it is sounding as if Begiristain is now ready to do that deal after waiting and waiting, haggling over finances.

City have oodles of cash but are always reticent to spend the mega money required. That has to change – if not now, certainly when they sign a central striker to replace Sergio Aguero.

‘I would not be here if I didn’t feel the fire or the desire,’ Guardiola said. ‘I still want to help the players avoid making mistakes and I still have passion to do it – maybe more than ever. I want to try to be together and do a good season.’