A trip to title hopefuls Manchester City (7/2 Premier League outright) is almost the toughest opening possible for top-flight new boys Swansea City.
Brendan Rodgers’ men have been tipped by many to head straight back down to the Championship (8/15 to be relegated) after reaching the Premier League promised land via the play-offs last term.
Rodgers has moulded his side into a confident passing outfit and has vowed not to change his ways, having largely stuck with the players who helped the Swans win promotion.
The most notable new face is £3.5million record signing Danny Graham (9/1 match goalscorer), with the striker having netted 27 goals for Watford last season to earn a crack at the Premier League.
Leroy Lita also adds to the attacking options available to Rodgers, who last season placed his faith in the twin threats of Scott Sinclair and Nathan Dyer on the flanks.
Rodgers may be more concerned by having to make a change in goal following Dorus De Vries’ departure for Wolves, with Dutchman Michel Vorm and Portuguese Jose Moreira competing for a starting role.
His worries will be heightened by the knowledge that the Swans conceded 31 goals on their travels in the Championship last season, while at home they let in a mere 11.
However, Rodgers is ready for the tough task of avoiding the drop, saying: “We understand the scale of the task, not only on Monday, but throughout the season.
“We know it will be a roller-coaster ride but I’m excited about the challenge.”
Hosts City have high expectations after winning the FA Cup last term and head coach Roberto Mancini will be under pressure to mount a title challenge this time around.
Mancini has again been busy in the summer transfer market, with former Arsenal left-back Gael Clichy and Stefan Savic strengthening their defence.
The big-name signing has been Argentina frontman Sergio Aguero (7/2 match goalscorer), a £38million recruit from Atletico Madrid, who is seen as a direct replacement for compatriot Carlos Tevez, who is expected to depart before the transfer window shuts at the end of the month.
However, Mancini is wary of expecting an easy win to start their Premier League campaign, with both Aguero and Tevez short of full fitness.
“I think that the first ten games are very difficult – the squad is not 100 per cent ready,” Mancini warned. “It needs four or five games to find good form for the players.”
Mancini’s caution is understandable after his side capitulated in the second half of the Community Shield to lose 3-2 to Manchester United, but City cannot afford to make a slow start in the league and lose touch with the likes of United and Chelsea.
Anything less than three points on Monday evening will be seen as a setback at the earliest stage of the battle for Premier League supremacy.
However, a victory should be on the cards if the hosts perform as they did in the opening 45 minutes against United, when they took a two-goal lead against the reigning champions and the favourites for glory again in 2011/12.
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