And so, the Premier League returns to Manchester City. The 2010/11 season saw Manchester City finish in 3rd place, above Arsenal - who play the best football on the planet - and in doing so, secured their place in the Champions' League for the 2011/12 season.Manchester City haven't been at home on the first day of the Premier League season since 2005. Robbie Fowler secured a 1-1 draw for City against Fulham on that day. Edwin van der Sar was still a year away from his move to Manchester United and Stuart Pearce was being tipped to take over the England job.
After last week's disappointing defeat in the Community Shield, City will be hoping to bounce back quickly, and a home tie against a newly promoted team would seem like the ideal fixture. But Swansea have been tipped by some football fans to not only stay up, but challenge for European places too.
City's injury table has been deserted since Shay Given and Jerome Boateng found new clubs, but Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero are doubts ahead of Monday's fixture. Aguero finds himself unable to shake blisters from his feet, and Tevez simply isn't match-fit due to having extended leave up until August 8th.
I feel City will win. I'm not expecting a 5-0 or 6-0, but something comprehensive (like a 2-0 or 3-0) would not be too far from the ideal result for me. It would be nice to see Edin Dzeko get his name on the score sheet, and I hope Balotelli has the performance of his life to silence the doubters in the press - who I'm sure will be looming around his head for another season, awaiting his first red card like a child on Christmas Day.
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Hart; Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy; Barry, de Jong, Yaya Toure; Silva, Dzeko, Balotelli.Taylor; Zabaleta, Savic, Kolarov; Milner, A.Johnson; Aguero.
Manchester City 2-0 Swansea.
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