We take a closer look at our opposition for the upcoming Premier League season
Current holders of the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League, City were founded in 1880 as ‘St Mark’s (West Gorton)’, becoming ‘Ardwick Association Football Club’ seven years later before eventually falling under the guise of ‘Manchester City’ come 1894.
The Sky Blues’ first honours came with a Second Division title in 1899 and a promotion to the top flight of English football. A first major honour came in the form of the FA Cup in 1904 as they beat Bolton Wanderers in the final of the domestic competition.
A fire at Hyde Road where City had been playing their home games brought a move to Maine Road in 1923 and it was there where over 84,569 fans flocked to watch a sixth-round FA Cup tie against Stoke City in 1934, a record which stood until 2016.
City won the First Division title for the first time in 1937 but were relegated the following season and after another spell outside the top flight in 1965, Joe Mercer was brought into the club, winning the Second Division title in his first full season in charge and signed Mike Summerbee and Colin Bell in the process.
1967/68 then saw the Cityzens pip neighbours Manchester United to the top flight title on the final day of the season. City then lifted the League Cup and European Winners’ Cup in 1970 becoming the second English club to win a domestic and European trophy in the same season.
The last trophy of the club’s most successful period in the 20th century saw Newcastle United beaten in the 1976 League Cup final at Wembley, before City’s fortunes then changed.
Culminating in a relegation from the Premier League in 1996, the Sky Blues would go on to fall into the third tier and were promoted from that in the most dramatic of play-off finals against Gillingham at Wembley in 1999.
Making it back-to-back promotions and reaching the top flight, they were relegated oncemore in 2001 but responded with another Division One title in 2002 and have remained a Premier League team since with huge success.
Having moved to the Etihad Stadium ahead of the 2003/04 campaign, City were taken over in 2008 and three years later brought an end to their major honours drought with the FA Cup beating Stoke City at Wembley.
The takeover was in full swing and the 2011 summer transfer window saw the likes of Sergio Aguero, Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri arrive in Manchester and join up with teammates such as Carlos Tevez, Vincent Kompany, David Silva, Mario Balotelli and Yaya Toure.
The famous ‘Aguero’ goal 12 months later then meant that they won the Premier League with victory against Queens Park Rangers on the final day of the 2011/12 season in dramatic fashion.
Including those two honours above, in the last 12 years City have now won 20 pieces of silverware, breaking countless records and most recently the ‘Treble’ last season.
Stadium: Etihad Stadium (53,400) – Ashton New Road, Manchester, M11 3FF
Nickname(s): The Cityzens, The Sky Blues
Manager: Pep Guardiola
2022/23 finishing position: 1st (Champions)
2022/23 top scorer (all competitions): Erling Haaland (52)
Played for both:
Joey Barton – The midfielder joined City’s academy set-up in 1997 and made his first team debut for the Club in November 2002 against Middlesbrough. After featuring 153 times over five seasons in Manchester, Barton then signed for Newcastle United in 2007. The former England international spent five years at St James’ Park, before having spells at both QPR and Marseille. Barton moved to Turf Moor in 2015 and helped the side secure the Championship title before departing for Rangers in the summer. The Huyton-born midfielder then re-joined Clarets in January 2017 and scored on his second debut for the Club against Southampton.
Joe Hart – Hart came through the academy system at Shrewsbury Town before earning himself a move to Manchester City in 2006. The goalkeeper spent 12 years at the Etihad making 348 appearances, winning two Premier League titles, two League Cup’s and establishing himself as England’s No.1 in the meantime. Towards the end of his tenure with City, the shot-stopper spent time on loan at Torino and West Ham before joining the Clarets ahead of the 2018/19 campaign. Hart made 24 appearances for Burnley across two seasons before leaving in 2020.
Stephen Jordan – Similar to Barton, Jordan was a City academy youngster and signed first team terms in 2002. The defender made his senior debut for the Cityzens in April 2003 against Bolton Wanderers and went on to feature 64 times over seven seasons before signing for the Clarets in 2007. Jordan spent three years at Turf Moor and helped the side secure promotion to the Premier League in his second season, with a move to Sheffield United to conclude his time in East Lancashire in the summer of 2010.
Full record against (competitive): P – 110, W – 30, D – 25, L – 55
Last time we met: 18.03.2023 – City 6 [Haaland x3, Alvarez x2, Palmer] – 0 Burnley (FA Cup)
Last win against: 14.03.2015 – Burnley 1 [Boyd] – 0 City (PL)
2023/24 Fixtures: H – 11/08/2023 / A – 31/01/2024
