Next Six Games Will Define Season

The blues are in for a tough six games which will ultimately show whether City have got the credentials to claim a top four place or indeed winning any silverware.

City take on Bolton tonight which, on paper, they should win. But as Saturday’s result at Hull shown, paper results mean nothing. Following the Bolton game, the blues take on Stoke at Eastlands with a place in the quarter finals up for grabs. Given City’s record of five quarter finals in five seasons, the blues will be odds on favourites to beat Stoke and claim a place in the last eight.

Following Stoke at home, we have Stoke away, a place where the blues lost 1-0 last season. The Britannia Stadium is a difficult place to visit, particularly given our less than impressive away form which has seen us only win three away games this season.

Then we play one of our key opponents for fourth place when Liverpool arrive in Manchester. The game will be a huge test for Mancini and City where victory for either side could mean the end of the road for the other while Chelsea lie in wait at Stamford Bridge the following week. City came from a goal down at home to beat the Londoners 2-1 but Chelsea can ill-afford to lose any more points this season, particularly when nearest rivals United seem to be brushing league opposition aside with relative ease.

The sixth game see City entertain current bogey side Spurs at Eastlands. The Londoners inflicted City’s heaviest defeat of the season when they won 3-0 at White Hart Lane in December. City will be eager to gain some measure of revenge with the potential of making fourth position ours.

Now is the time the blues need to knuckle down and carve out some results. We’ve got the players. Now is the time to prove our credentials to break in to the top four.

And that must start tonight with Bolton.