With the previous three years having affected the majority of Premier League club’s pre-season plans due to the pandemic, it seems as though normality will be restored in the upcoming summer.
Jack Gaughan of Sportsmail has reported that Manchester City are finalising a trip across the Atlantic, with the defending Premier League champions planning to visit the United States later this year, with the preparation for the 2022/23 season set to last around a week in July.
City’s last visit away was a tour of Asia in 2019. Pep Guardiola’s side were scheduled to jet off to Abu Dhabi in January earlier this year – however, plans were scrapped due to Covid protocols.
Last summer, the Cityzens chose to stay as close to home as possible, as they faced Championship outfits Preston North End, Barnsley, and Blackpool at the club’s Academy Stadium.
Two friendlies are expected to be played in the States, with Texas reported to be one of the potential destinations. City have visited Texas previously, where they faced arch-rivals Manchester United in the summer of 2017 in Houston as part of the International Champions Cup.
For the upcoming tour, the Etihad faithful will be hoping their side go into the trip as Premier League champions, with title rivals Liverpool having cut the gap to just one point after Wednesday night’s contest against former City assistant Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
Should City win either the league or FA Cup, they would be required to participate in the Community Shield reportedly pencilled in for the weekend of July 30 – but were they not to be involved in the fixture, Gaughan reports City may debate staying in the US longer.
Written by: @AadamHaladh
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