Man City handed nightmare fixture run as Champions League play-off adds to February chaos

Manchester City face seven fixtures in 24 days across three competitions in a brutal fixture list that will define their season.

The Blues have just emerged from games against Champions League-chasing Chelsea and a must-win European clash with Club Brugge. But it doesn't get any easier for City with a trip to Arsenal coming this weekend that kickstarts a frantic February.

While an FA Cup tie away at League One side Leyton Orient on February 8 should be easily navigated, the prospect of playing Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in a Champions League play-off is a daunting one. Those ties will take place on February 11/12 and February 18/19 with the details to be confirmed today.

With City facing a testing Premier League schedule, the heavyweight European clashes add further difficulty to a fixture list that was already tough enough.

The play-off matches sit either side of home league games against Newcastle United and Liverpool while a trip to Tottenham, who thrashed City 4-0 at the Etihad earlier in the campaign, rounds off the month.

March could begin with a fifth round FA Cup clash before a top flight visit to surprise package Nottingham Forest concludes City's run of successive matches against the other five members of the Premier League's top six.

The packed schedule is a tough enough proposition but the quality of opposition makes it treacherous. If City can emerge with hopes of silverware still alive in two competitions, and a place in the top four of the Premier League, it will represent a job well done.