Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Pep Guardiola, Pep Lijnders and Kolo Toure have arrived at a system that suits Manchester City's players

By

Football tactics correspondent

Pep Guardiola has an uncanny ability to time his season right.

Like a long-standing sitcom, much of Guardiola's Manchester City career follows the same story arc: a bright September before his side begin to struggle.

As fans and pundits begin to predict City's downfall, Guardiola tinkers with his squad before a long winning streak results in his club being crowned Premier League champions.

Whether that storyline plays out at the end of this season is yet to be seen but Guardiola has finally landed on a system he trusts for the run-in.

Getting here, however, hasn't been easy.

Manchester City v Southampton

FA Cup semi-final

Saturday, 25 April at 17:15 BST

Wembley

Watch live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds (both UK users only).…