Expectations High At Eastlands

Never before in the club’s history has a Manchester City manager had to deal with the sheer weight of expectation that currently hangs around the neck of Roberto Mancini. Since the club’s takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, season upon season the demands of the players and owners have risen, all seemingly to this point where they find themselves not only going into the new season with the majority of their fans demanding a comfortable top-four finish, but with certain sections of the media saying that they now have all the necessary credentials to wrestle the Premiership title from their neighbours and arch rivals, Manchester United. Those who follow the Premier league betting will be watched them intensely.

And if their early season form is anything to go by, they might just be in with a shout. Their opening fixture against QPR was, at times, a joy to behold, and in the second half when their new signing Sergio Aguero was brought into proceedings, the link-up play between midfield and attack will certainly have had Alex Ferguson feeling a little hot under the collar.

Failure to deliver the title would not be a disaster, but City cannot afford to make the same mistake that Spurs made last season by allowing their European adventures to affect their league form.

Having also added the likes of Stefan Savic and Gael Clichy to their ranks – with the latter player a clear indication of the tilting balance of power in the top flight of English football – they now look to possess a far more balanced squad, and with their signing from last year now bedded-in and with an full pre-season under their belts, their improved resultant team spirit will surely pay dividends as the campaign progresses. The latest football betting odds certainly suggest they pose a great threat.

Quite where the signing of Aguero leaves the likes of want-away striker Carlos Tevez as well as Mario Balotelli, who is as infuriating as he is talented, remains to be seen, but this will be seen as a welcome problem for Mancini. Competition for places is not something to be sniffed at when you’re competing on four fronts, and as a result, there will surely be plenty of opportunities for the Italian to shuffle his squad and keep even the most demanding of his stars happy.