Some Manchester City fans have been left concerned about the club’s chances of winning the Premier League title due to a ‘nasty’ run of fixtures at the start of 2025.
Manchester City are the reigning Premier League champions and will be aiming to stretch their unprecedented dominance into a fifth title triumph in a row.
However, they will face some tough periods over the next year that might serve to end their grip on the top spot, in what could be Pep Guardiola’s final season in charge of the club.
The Premier League fixture list for the 2024/25 season was released in full on Tuesday and City will get their title defence underway with a difficult trip to Chelsea.
The Blues will also face Arsenal and Newcastle within the first six games of the campaign but that run is a walk in the park compared to what’s in store in February.
In 32 days, City will face Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle Liverpool and Tottenham in a row.
If that wasn’t bad enough, there will also be matchday eight of the Champions League as well as FA Cup and Carabao Cup games in that period, if City advance in those tournaments.
On top of all that, there could even be a Champions League last 16 play-off if they fail to qualify automatically in the new format.
That’s a possible run of 10 games in just a month and fans are concerned it could derail the season if the club isn’t busy in the transfer market.
Fans are desperate for the club to make signings this summer
Recent transfer speculation has suggested City will only make moves to sign new recruits this summer if other key players leave first.
One report suggested City would only turn their interest in Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes concrete if one of Kevin De Bruyne, Matheus Nunes or Bernardo Silva departed.
Some supporters were already worried enough about the club not strengthening this summer but those fears have been compounded following the release of next season’s fixture list.
One user wrote on X: “Yeah, let’s continue with the same squad, zero upgrades and treating Rodri as a workhorse.” While one wrote about the February fixtures: “That’s a nasty run-in.”
“And they say they won’t sign players,” one fan wrote in dismay while another pessimistically predicted: “We won’t win the league behaving passive on the market. Sorry.”
Another fan said: “Sign new players or just forfeit the league,” while another expressed his desire to see some action in the market by writing: “Just sign players man.”
- 2024/25 PL season: Man City’s first five fixtures compared with Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd
Man City need at least one signing this summer
The last two summers have been far more hectic than City usually likes to do things.
Just one signing was made in the summer of 2021 with the arrival of Jack Grealish but the two following summers saw at least four signings each.
This was largely through necessity as each year saw several massive stars depart the Etihad but it’s instability Guardiola looks to avoid.
The Blues are due a quiet summer but they have to make at least one signing and that should be in the middle of the park.
Rodri was run ragged last season and it’s unsustainable to think he can continue carrying such a heavy workload for another term.
He is crucial to the team and City have no good alternative, displayed by the fact the four Premier League losses came in the four games he was suspended for.
If Rodri picks up an injury or a suspension, especially in that February period, City will suffer so a quality back-up must be acquired.