Six games in 19 days to make or break Man City dreams this season

Manchester City have six games across four competitions in a spell of 19 days this month that will be critical for their season

Pep Guardiola is not a man for counting chickens. Ask him what he expects to happen in any given game or season and he will refuse to take anything for granted or accept the most likely outcome.

It is how the Manchester City manager has won as much as he has a coach, and how in his tenth year in English football he is still fighting at the very top of the game. It also means that when he does speak about what is to come it is worth listening and taking notes.

Such a moment came after the 1-0 win over Leeds, a hard-fought battle that showed his team have the potential to push Arsenal all the way in the Premier League title race. It was no different to their other recent wins really, except that it moved them two points off top spot with just 10 games to go and into March.

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Even for the ultra cautious like Guardiola, moving into spring with real hopes of winning a league title is a big thing. Being in with a chance of winning four trophies is monumental, and arguably makes the season a success whatever happens to be able to show such consistency over the first two-thirds of the campaign; for all the amazing teams Guardiola has previously had at the Etihad, they have only managed to get to this position in two of the last nine seasons.

And yet, coming so far only increases the pressure and expectation on City - and indeed Arsenal, who are also in contention to win four trophies and can say they are better placed to win in each of the four. They lead in the Premier League, have a much easier draw in the Champions League (after finishing top of the first stage) and have a much gentler schedule before facing City in the Carabao Cup final.

That Wembley match comes on March 22, and is at the end of a two-and-a-half week stretch for the Blues that could have them dreaming of glory this season or see their hopes shattered. For all the optimism of City and Guardiola heading into spring, six games across four competitions in the next 19 days will be critical.

It starts this Wednesday with the home visit of Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, which along with West Ham away a week on Saturday makes up the two matches with the lowest profile. They are both games that City should win though which means any slips will leave a painful taste - particularly because after the West Ham game the table will stay untouched until the second week of April.

Newcastle away was a tough draw to get in the FA Cup, particularly because it comes before the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie away from home that also happened to be the toughest option in Real Madrid. Two good results in these two games plus the home return against Real will result in two quarter-finals and soaring confidence, but lose and it will knock the momentum out of City's season.

Five days after the home leg against Real, it is Arsenal at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final in a game that will not only influence the title race but also be a major topic of conversation for the next fortnight while club football is parked. The winner will be boosted while the loser will have to try and use it as motivation.

It is a brutal schedule if City want to arrive in April with their hopes of multiple trophies still alive, with the possibility that they could be cut out of three this month. Whichever exits can be avoided will only make them stronger for what is left for the final two months.

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