Surprise, shock. Man City are preventing on a number of fronts heading into the ultimate stretch of the season.
Despite the addition of goalscoring phenom Erling Haaland, it hasn’t been plain crusing for Pep Guardiola’s facet this time period. Nevertheless, they’re nonetheless in an excellent place to get pleasure from an extremely productive marketing campaign.
Their stuttering type at occasions means they’re the hunters within the Premier League title race for the primary time shortly. They’re 5 factors behind leaders Arsenal with 11 video games to go. Guardiola additionally has the FA Cup – a contest he is received as soon as – and the Champions League – the trophy that is eluded him in Manchester – to contemplate, however he is actually blessed with a deep sufficient squad to compete efficiently on a number of fronts.
Here’s what City’s schedule seems to be like after Tuesday night time’s Champions League mauling of RB Leipzig.
This is a narrative-laden FA Cup fifth-round tie as Vincent Kompany returns to the Etihad for the primary time as a supervisor. The Belgian’s Burnley facet are poised to return to the Premier League as Championship victors subsequent season, and this will probably be an intriguing measuring stick with see the place the Clarets are at.
Everybody expects City to advance, however Kompany’s new-look Burnley may shock a number of even when they do not trigger an upset.
The Citizens aren’t in Premier League motion once more till the beginning of April because of the March worldwide break. God, we’ve not missed these.
Nevertheless, the Premier League returns with a bang as the 2 nice sides of the highest flight’s latest historical past collide on the Etihad. Liverpool’s points this time period means they are not preventing for the title, however a top-four spot is inside attain.
The Reds have been mightily inconsistent, and so they could be saving their greatest for Guardiola’s facet.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Saints typically prompted City a little bit of grief, and even Nathan Jones had success towards the Citizens throughout his disastrous tenure.
There’s one thing about St. Mary’s that simply would not fairly sit proper with the champions. Nevertheless, they will ill-afford to drop factors in a contest like this given Arsenal’s present type.
Leicester’s counter-attacking efficiency of yesteryear used to present Guardiola migraine after migraine. There have been occasions when the Foxes merely blew City aside in transition.
However, this isn’t the Leicester of outdated. They’re in dire straits and the opportunity of relegation is real. Brendan Rodgers has change into overly reliant on James Maddison in assault, and it is onerous to envisage City having too many issues combatting the guests’ risk on this one.
City supporters have fond reminiscences of the Amex seeing because it was the bottom the place City secured the Premier League title in 2019.
Brighton have improved significantly since then, nevertheless, and there is no doubt many will have a look at this fixture as a possible banana pores and skin for the title chasers. Roberto De Zerbi has masterfully constructed on the foundations led by Graham Potter and is hoping to information the membership into Europe for the primary time ever.
The tough take a look at on the south coast arrives simply days earlier than the massive one. The reverse fixture on the Emirates, which City received 3-1, will pale compared to the importance of this bout on the Etihad.
Arsenal’s present type suggests this could be a title decider, and City will benefit from taking part in on house soil. The Gunners have not received on the Etihad since 2015, however Mikel Arteta’s facet have made a behavior of breaking obstacles and defying the chances this season.
We’re already counting down the times till the Premier League’s high two meet in Manchester.
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