5 Premier League Teams Dramatically Better Since The Restart (And 5 Much Worse)

Second before the break and ultimately finishing second overall, Man City's post-lockdown form made little practical difference to their Premier League fate. It does, however, deserve a mention simply because City's eight wins and 34 goals gives them by some margin the most impressive record for June and July.

Beating all of Burnley, Newcastle, Brighton, Watford and Norwich by four or five goal margins gave us a look at the old unstoppable City that won back-to-back titles.

More than anything, though, they sent a message by taking on newly crowned champions Liverpool and following up a guard of honour with a blistering twenty minute onslaught in which they raced into a three goal lead. Eventually winning the game 4-0, the Citizens responded to losing their title by immediately throwing down the gauntlet for next season.

With the unprecedented nature of the present season also meaning that the new campaign follows on uncommonly quickly from the conclusion of this one, City will carry the advantage of this exceptional form into the next season. Can even Liverpool stop them when playing like this?

Even more importantly it's great form with which to go into their much delayed Champions League game with Real Madrid and finally to put together a real challenge for the European title.

Their successful appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport against their ban from future European competition is just the icing on the cake of an encouraging summer for Pep Guardiola's team.