New Manchester City kit: The shirt Manuel Pellegrini's Premier League champions will wear next season

The new shirt features a smart black v-neck to replace the white and black crew from 2013/14

Manchester City have launched their 2014/15 kit (Manchester City FC)

Manchester City have unveiled their new shirt for the 2014/15 season as they attempt to defend Premier League crown.

Nike have taken charge of designing the second kit for the Blues' kit since signing a bumper £72 million deal to make their kit in May last year, having announced they will no longer back city rivals Manchester United after the 2014/15 campaign.

The club's World Cup stars Sergio Aguero, Jesus Navas, Fernandinho and Pablo Zabaleta all feature in the images released by the club.

The club took to Twitter on Thursday morning to announce their new home shirt for the 2014/15 season, following the lead of Manchester United and Arsenal, who announced their new kits earlier in the week.

In terms of changes to the kit, there aren't many to note. A slight edit to the collar, which was a light blue and white crew trim on a crew neck, now sees a black v-neck on the new shirt.

The new black and light blue colourway features prominently throughout the kit, with patches occurring on the arms of the shirt and the top of the socks.

With laser-cut ventilation holes and mesh panels in several areas of the shirt, players will receive improved air circulation allowing players to "regulate their temperatures" during games, according to the club's website.

Quite how Nike managed to make each shirt out of 18 plastic water bottles is beyond us, but it will do no harm in improving Nike's image in the environmental sense.

And after a successful partnership in the first season, Manchester City will be hoping lightning strikes twice with their new shirt for the forthcoming season.