Breaking Down Manchester City's 2012-13 Schedule

Manchester City prepare for the coming 2012-13 English Premier League season with a target on their backs. After having pulled off a victory on the final day of the season to stop Manchester United's celebrations in their tracks, it will be a season for Roberto Mancini and his men to put up or shut up.

They may have won the title, but now the true test truly awaits. Only two clubs (Manchester United and Chelsea) have managed to win back-to-back EPL titles since its inception 20 years ago.

United are the only ones to have won a treble of league titles in a row and they achieved that feet twice, once between 1998-2001 and again from 2006-09.

Chelsea managed back-to-back titles under Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 and 2005-06, and Manchester City will been hopeful of doing the same under Roberto Mancini to prove that they are not a one off at the top of the league.

As the Citizens prepare for perhaps the most important season of their club's history, we take a look at their coming 10 month campaign that they hope will culminate with a second straight league title.

August 2012

The title holders open the 21st English Premier League season at home against newly promoted Southampton who will be eager to prove they are back in the top flight to stay. However, it is unlikely that the Saints will have anything to topple the Citizens.

City travel on August 25th to face off against Liverpool. The Reds will be a new club with a new tactical ideology under Brendan Rodgers. But it is unknown if the former Swansea boss will have had a full effect on Merseyside yet.

While the Saints should prove a smooth opening, Liverpool are a potential threat to a perfect opening campaign in August. City take a 1-1-0 record out of September.

September 2012

Manchester City open up September the way they ended last season, hosting Queens Park Rangers. QPR are likely to be a stronger side than last season, and the suspension of Joey Barton will see the pitch devoid of his controversy lurking attitude.

A trip to the Britannia Stadium follows a fortnight later as the Citizens face Stoke City on the Potters tough home ground. It will be one of the most physical games of the club's early campaign.

What should be the clubs first truest test of their pedigree will come against Arsenal September 22, as the new look Gunners that are still in process are likely to have a powerful front line taking on the Citizens defense and could prove to be one of the early games of the season.

Lastly, the club ends the month against Fulham at Craven Cottage, and how the summer turns out for the Cottagers in the transfer market will determine just how big of a test it will be.

All in all, City should take at least a 2-1-1 record from September as they also open up their UEFA Champions League campaign on either the 18th or 19th.

October 2012

The league season starts to hit its stride as City continue on with two Champions League group stage matches in the first and fourth weeks of the month as well as fixtures against Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns and Swansea City.

City should make short work of their competition as Sunderland are the biggest threat, while both WBA and Swansea lost their managers this summer. Neither of the two are likely to have completed their transitions too smoothly with their playing styles suffering drastically.

Roberto Mancini should see his club pick up maximum points with a 3-0-0 record from the month.

November 2012

November sees the league fixture schedule start its traditional holiday back up with five matches throughout the month as well as two more Champions League group stage fixtures and likely one of each Capital One Cup and FA Cup fixtures.

City start off against West Ham United who could battle their way to a draw but not likely. Tottenham are the next league matchup for the club, but as another club that is in complete transition it is hard to predict what kind of team Spurs will put out. If it was the same Spurs team from November of 2011-12 I would say watch out, but it will surely be different.

Aston Villa come to the Etihad also with a new look and new manager, and if Darren Bent is on form they could be a pesky side, but without a strong defensive line it should be a third victory of the month.

Finally, the Citizens trip to Stamford Bridge November 24 is expected to be the biggest test of the season at the time for the Sky Blues.

Robert Di Matteo has a potent new set of attackers for the Blues and the defending UEFA Champions League title holders are sure to take the fight to Roberto Mancini. I see this as the first defeat of the season for the EPL champs.

Closing out the month the club face another away match, this time at the DW against Wigan Athletic. The Latics were strong in the run-in last season but are not likely to bother the Manchester club.

City come out of November 3-1-1 with West Ham the potential draw winners at Upton Park and Chelsea the victors at the Bridge.

December 2012

The run-in to the New Year see six league fixtures clog up the schedule on top of the conclusion of the Champions League group stages.

Manchester City face their toughest three-game test of the season as they face off against Everton, Manchester United and Newcastle United in their opening two-week period.

That is followed by Reading, Sunderland and Norwich City in an eight-day span that is sure to see the giants suffer at least one shocking defeat and or another draw due to fixture overload and fatigue.

The Citizens come out 2-2-2 from the month with Manchester United getting some revenge and Sunderland pulling of another shock. Newcastle and Everton are the two tipped to hold the club to draws.

January 2013

City ring in the new year with their fifth match in 11 days as they host Stoke City at the Etihad. The Citizens are likely to still be feeling the fixture congestion hangover just as the rest of the league. However, their home record should remain intact against the Potters.

A deserved week and a half of rest is followed by a trip to London, as the Emirates Stadium draws the Citizens in to what should be another fireworks-packed spectacle with the Gunners that could go either way. The difference is likely to be at the back between Joe Hart and Wojciech Szczesny.

Two more London clubs in Fulham and Queens Park Rangers round out the list as the Citizens have a near perfect month aside from a hiccup to Arsenal to finish 3-1-0.

February 2013

A short February sees two potential great games between Liverpool and Chelsea sandwich the second installment of Southampton's return to the top flight.

By February Liverpool should be playing a much better brand of football under Brendan Rodgers and could give the Citizens a real go at the Etihad.

Southampton are likely to put up a fight at St. Mary's but will realistically fall to the Citizens while once again I believe Chelsea could get the better of the Sky Blues despite them being at home in their second match of the season.

City will come out 1-2-0 after tough matches against Liverpool and Chelsea.

March 2013

March sees at least one victory with Wigan in the second match of the month. The opener against Aston Villa should be a victory as the last time City faced a club under Paul Lambert they ran out 6-1 to the good.

However, the last two matches of the month against Everton and Newcastle United will prove tough tests.

No matter what anyone says, David Moyes always has a chance of upsetting any club on any day with the Toffees, and on home turf at Goodison Park it is a highly likely scenario.

Newcastle United likewise will offer a tough threat but should be dealt with at home as the run-in starts to heat up. Mancini's men to take a 3-1-0 record from March.

April 2013

The last true test of the season for City should be the April 6th Manchester Derby. With the match potentially being one that sets up their final push for a title repeat, the Citizens will be doing all they can to take another three points from their hometown rivals.

West Bromwich Albion, Tottenham and West Ham all round out the month but should be another full rack of points for the club as they cruise in April 3-1-0, with United a likely sticking point if Sir Alex Ferguson has anything to say about it.

May 2013

If Manchester City drop points in May then they are not fit to be champions. Swansea City, Reading and Norwich in their final three fixtures should be a cut and dry run to the finish for the Citizens.

However, it is usually with a set of fixtures like that that can cause major problems for a league title campaign.

All three could potentially be fighting for their EPL survival at that point, and with nothing to lose offer up quite a bit of trouble to City.

In the end, the Citizens should dispatch them all and cruise to a potential repeat at the top if their season proves as positive as it should, 3-0-0 to round out the season.

The Verdict

Manchester City have all the tools in place for a potential repeat campaign. With a summer transfer window that is likely to see them only get stronger, there is no reason to think that the EPL trophy cannot stay on the blue side of Manchester.

If my predictions pan out, then the club would finish with a record of 24-10-4 for a total of 82 points.

Although it is seven points less than last season's 89 points from a record of 28-5-5, the club will be predictably more feared. That should likely see much tougher defensive formations against them as they now appear more of a threat and could lead to several more draws.

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