Manchester City Schedule 2016-17: Premier League Fixtures Released
Pep Guardiola will face Sunderland in his first match as Manchester City boss, with the Sky Blues hosting them at the Etihad Stadium on August 13.
The Premier League's fixtures for the 2016-17 season were released on Wednesday, per the Premier League's official website. Guardiola will face old rival Jose Mourinho in the Manchester derby for the first time on September 10, per Squawka News:
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
Here is City's full fixture list for the upcoming campaign:
| 13 Aug 2016 | Sunderland (H) |
| 20 Aug 2016 | Stoke City (A) |
| 27 Aug 2016 | West Ham United (H) |
| 10 Sep 2016 | Manchester United (A) |
| 17 Sep 2016 | AFC Bournemouth (H) |
| 24 Sep 2016 | Swansea City (A) |
| 01 Oct 2016 | Tottenham Hotspur (A) |
| 15 Oct 2016 | Everton (H) |
| 22 Oct 2016 | Southampton (H) |
| 29 Oct 2016 | West Bromwich Albion (A) |
| 05 Nov 2016 | Middlesbrough (H) |
| 19 Nov 2016 | Crystal Palace (A) |
| 26 Nov 2016 | Burnley (A) |
| 03 Dec 2016 | Chelsea (H) |
| 10 Dec 2016 | Leicester City (A) |
| 14 Dec 2016 | Watford (H) |
| 17 Dec 2016 | Arsenal (H) |
| 26 Dec 2016 | Hull City (A) |
| 31 Dec 2016 | Liverpool (A) |
| 02 Jan 2017 | Burnley (H) |
| 14 Jan 2017 | Everton (A) |
| 21 Jan 2017 | Tottenham Hotspur (H) |
| 31 Jan 2017 | West Ham United (A) |
| 04 Feb 2017 | Swansea City (H) |
| 11 Feb 2017 | AFC Bournemouth (A) |
| 25 Feb 2017 | Manchester United (H) |
| 04 Mar 2017 | Sunderland (A) |
| 11 Mar 2017 | Stoke City (H) |
| 18 Mar 2017 | Liverpool (H) |
| 01 Apr 2017 | Arsenal (A) |
| 05 Apr 2017 | Chelsea (A) |
| 08 Apr 2017 | Hull City (H) |
| 15 Apr 2017 | Southampton (A) |
| 22 Apr 2017 | West Bromwich Albion (H) |
| 29 Apr 2017 | Middlesbrough (A) |
| 06 May 2017 | Crystal Palace (H) |
| 13 May 2017 | Leicester City (H) |
| 21 May 2017 | Watford (A) |
The Citizens endured a fairly poor campaign last season, which notably took a downward turn after Guardiola was confirmed as their new manager on February 1—they won just eight of their final 22 games in all competitions following the announcement, not including the Capital One Cup final, which they won on penalties.
They were able to secure UEFA Champions League football on goal difference but finished 15 points behind champions Leicester City, and the Spaniard will be expected to provide a much stronger title challenge having won the league in six of his seven seasons as a manager.
Guardiola isn't the only new face in charge of an elite club, however.
Mourinho is at Manchester United, while Antonio Conte will be at the helm for Chelsea. Liverpool will also be enjoying their first full season under Jurgen Klopp, who will have the chance to make his own mark on the Reds in the transfer market this summer.
Aside from the early Manchester Derby, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss faces a fairly kind start to life in the English top flight. Sky Sports News HQ ran the rule over their first six games:
The mostly straightforward start should allow his players time to adapt to their new philosophy and new signings the chance to gel together, though it's likely Guardiola would have preferred not to face Mourinho so early on.
With so many rivals also harbouring ambitions of winning the title—or at least reaching the top four—it's important for City to start well.
If they struggle here, games against their fellow title contenders later on in the season will take on even more significance when they come around.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
