Upon returning from the World Cup break, Manchester City faces a tough schedule.
Club football is back on the horizon, and Manchester City is no doubt already in preparation for their opening few games. In total, they will face off in the EFL Cup (Carabao Cup if you like), FA Cup, and the Premier League. Here are their first 5 fixtures:
Liverpool (EFL Cup, Dec 22, Etihad Stadium) – There is no rest for the wicked, and Manchester City should be thankful their star striker had a lot of time to rest up and recover ahead of a cracking first match in the Carabao Cup against recent rivals Liverpool. This will be a stern test, even at home, against a team that has had their number and in a fixture that has produced some classic games in recent meetings.
Leeds United (Premier League, Dec 28, Elland Road) – Away at Elland road, Manchester City will revive their Premier League title push against Jesse Marsch and Leeds United. In the last two games versus Leeds, Manchester City has scored a combined 11 goals and will hope the trend continues as they have also kept clean sheets in each of their last two matchups.
Everton (Premier League, Dec 31, Etihad Stadium) – Back at home for this meeting at the Etihad Stadium, most will remember the controversial offside/handball incident involving Manchester City’s Rodri, when City eventually went on to win that game 1-0. Everton this season is no pushover, quietly having one of the best defenses in the league, and could present a stern test if City isn’t up to par.
Chelsea (Premier League, Jan 5, Stamford Bridge) – Similar to Liverpool, these matches against Chelsea have produced some incredible viewing over the years, with Manchester City winning the previous two encounters with Chelsea, however only taking those two out of the last 5 meetings. This is going to be another big game for Manchester City, as they aim to let their intentions be known about winning a third consecutive Premier League title.
Chelsea ( FA Cup, Jan 8, Etihad Stadium) – This could very well be a revenge game for either side, depending on how the Premier League game goes. This only adds to the excitement surrounding this mouthwatering FA Cup tie. Manchester City will want to win both these matches, but it remains how to be seen how badly, with the option of rotating the squad a real possibility with players coming back into fitness and form who weren’t at the World Cup.