Manchester City odds
Published:Manchester City won the Premier League in 2012 but they did so against all the odds in the final five minutes of the season.
Led by manager Roberto Mancini, City were losing 2-1 to QPR at home as arch-rivals Manchester United were winning by the same scoreline at Sunderland.
As United players prepared to celebrate up in the north-east, Mancini’s side produced a fairytale ending to the season.
First Edin Dzeko levelled in the 92nd minute before City’s Argentine striker Sergio Aguero fired a dramatic late winner in the 95th minute, clinching the title on goal difference.
Manchester City have won three league titles
That was Manchester City’s first league title since 1968 and it was also the first time that the Premier League odds had been landed by a team who had previously been relegated from the division.
It was City’s third league title in total, having also won the First Division in 1937 but Manchester City’s story has not always been a happy one for their supporters.
The club were relegated from the Premier League in 1996 and endured a period of decline which culminated in the club playing in the third tier of English football.
However managers Joe Royle and Kevin Keegan helped resurrect the club and by 2003 Manchester City were back in the Premier League in a new stadium.
The City of Manchester stadium, also known as Eastlands, is a stark contrast from the club’s old Maine Road ground and since 2008 the club has benefited from the huge investment of the Abu Dhabi United Group led by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Manchester City odds have won the FA Cup five times
Manchester City’s odds for trophies have reflected the heavy investment on the pitch and the current squad includes Sergio Aguero, their £38 million record signing from Atletico Madrid.
Other big-money signings include Robinho (£32.5 million from Real Madrid) and Carlos Tevez (£25.5 million from Man Utd) who are no longer with the club.
However the investment has continued, with the Sky Blues paying Shakhtar Donetsk £30 million for the Brazil international Fernandinho in the summer of 2013.
All of these players will be hoping to capture the Manchester City fans’ hearts like players such as Dennis Law and Franny Lee.
Law was a British record signing when he joined City for £55,000 in 1960 and, like £60,000 signing Lee, he is part of the Manchester club’s rich history.
As well as winning the league in 1968, Lee also won the FA Cup a year later; one of Manchester City’s five FA Cup wins.
Manchester City won the Premier League title in 2011/12
In terms of managers, whilst Roberto Mancini will always be revered for producing the first league title in 44 years, the most successful City manager is Joe Mercer.
Mercer won four trophies in six years between 1965 and 1971 but became embroiled in a disputed takeover in 1971 and he became manager of Coventry City the following year.
Manchester City’s current manager is Manuel Pellegrini who was appointed in the summer and the club’s odds for the Premier League shortened as a result.
The Chilean has managed all over the world and the experienced coach has signed several star players – including Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas – as the club look to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time.
