History

St. Mark's (West Gorton), the club that would later become Manchester City, was founded in 1880. Manchester City joined the Premier League after its inception in 1992 and has since spent 13 years in England's top division. The club struggled in the 1990s, being relegated twice in a span of three years and spending the 1998-99 season in the third tier of English soccer. The club has since regained its spot in the Premier League, and in the 2002-03 season, it was one of two English teams to qualify for the UEFA Cup. After Manchester City finished 14th in the 2006-07 season. Sven-Göran Eriksson took over the club and led it to a ninth-place finish the following season. In September 2008, the Abu Dhabi United Group took over Manchester City and made it the richest club in the world, later hiring manager Roberto Mancini.

League

Last season, Manchester City finished fifth in the Premier League with a record of 18-7-13. With such renowned sides as Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, the Premier League is one of the world's most popular and lucrative leagues.

Manager and Key Players

Roberto Mancini: Mancini was appointed manager halfway through last season and had an immediate impact on the club. Manchester City finished the season in fifth place, its highest-ever Premier League finish and the first time since 1978 that the team qualified for the Europa League. Mancini is known for his knowledge of the game and for wearing a scarf embroidered with his club's colors.

Carlos Tévez: Tévez, 26, plays forward and scored 32 goals for Manchester City last season. Tévez uses his body well and offers great technical skills. He scored two goals in the World Cup this year for Argentina.

Kolo Touré: Touré, a 6-foot, 163-pound midfielder, is known for his defense and is an exceptional tackler. He has the ability to intercept passes and provides great distribution downfield. The Manchester City captain has been criticized some for the team's lack of organization on defense.

Shay Given: Given is considered one of the best goalkeepers in the league and has quickly gained the respect of Manchester City fans. He is a strong shot-stopper and will compete for the starting job this year with newcomer Joe Hart.

•Mancini managed Inter Milan from 2004 to 2008, where he won three successive straight Serie A Italian League titles and two Supercoppa Italiana championships Italian Cups.

•Since Manchester City was purchased two years ago by

•It is rumored that tThe club is reportedly interested in trying to acquire American soccer star buy Landon Donovan, the American soccer player who was a key component of the U.S. team's making it to the who helped lead the U.S. to the knockout round at the World Cup this year.

—Compiled by Kaitlyn Carr (Sources: mcfc.co.uk, premierleague.com)