Manchester City have been shown the path they will have to take to win the 2025/26 Premier League title.
The Premier League have released their fixtures for the new season on Wednesday, and like every year, they provide fans with renewed hope, which always trumps any bad feelings left over from the season before.
Man City fans rarely fall into this category, but the 2024/25 campaign is one that the Manchester club have already put in their rear-view mirrors as it was very underwhelming with Pep Guardiola’s men going the entire season without a major trophy.
Guardiola wanted four or five new players ahead of the new season, and having already hit that number before the FIFA Club World Cup, the legendary coach will hope to have them fully settled in by the time City get their Premier League campaign underway in August.
If Man City are to win the title, there is one tough period of the season that Guardiola’s men will need to get through, which could be crucial to the Manchester club’s season.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola with his hands on his head.
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Manchester City’s toughest run of fixtures
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However, that will be the least of the Spaniard’s worries once he sees the run of fixtures Man City have at the start of 2026.
City begin the new year hosting potential Premier League title rivals Chelsea and then Brighton, before travelling to Old Trafford to play local rivals Manchester United.
Guardiola’s men will take on Wolves at the Etihad Stadium after those three games, which is the easiest of the run, before travelling to North London to play their bogey team in Tottenham, which is followed by a very tough match at Anfield against Liverpool.
This run of fixtures could be season-defining for Man City as they play two potential Premier League title rivals, their bogey team, and have to compete in a Manchester derby.
After seeing this run, Guardiola’s attention will likely turn to Man City’s Premier League title rivals, as when these games fall can be crucial to where the trophy ends up at the end of the campaign.
When will Man City play their Premier League title rivals
Heading into the 2025/26 campaign, Liverpool will be viewed as the favourites to defend their crown, with Arsenal and Man City the two clubs expected to challenge the Merseyside outfit, while Chelsea could potentially find themselves involved.
New Man City coach Pepijn Lijnders knows Liverpool’s players well after the many years he spent on Merseyside, and Guardiola will use his knowledge when his team hosts the Reds at the Etihad Stadium on 8 November, with the Manchester club making the tough trip to Anfield on 7 February.
As for Arsenal, City travel to the Emirates Stadium very early in the season, with the Manchester club set for the trip to London on 20 September. Man City will host Mikel Arteta’s team on 18 April, which could be a crucial contest in the title race given how late in the campaign the match occurs.
It remains to be seen if Chelsea can win the Premier League this season, but if they do somehow get involved in the race, Man City host the Blues on 3 January with the return fixture taking place at Stamford Bridge on 11 April.