Swansea vs Man City live streaming: Watch New Year's early EPL game

Topics: Live Stream, TV Schedules, Live Scores, Swansea City, Manchester City, English Premier League

Manchester City and Swansea will square off in the first Premier League match of the year as they clash at the Liberty Stadium on New Year’s Eve.

Preview: City hoping to start new year on a strong note

After ending 2013 on a high, the Citizens will be hoping to start from where they left off and begin the year in style. The Sky Blues are currently unbeaten in their last 11 matches in all competitions, a run which has seen them maul the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham and brush aside title contenders Liverpool as well as European heavyweights Bayern Munich.

Their next challenge will be a trip to South Wales where they face a Swansea City side which has failed to live up to the billing this season.

After an exceptional campaign last time out which saw them secure a place in the Europa League, the Swans have failed to cope up with European and domestic fixtures and their antics have seen them drop down to 11th place, just five points shy of the relegation zone.

But their Danish manager Michael Laudrup has insisted that he has no concerns over his team’s performance so far this season and has also claimed that he would be content with a mid table finish.

"I thought we could [reach the New Year] on 23 points, so we are a couple short of where I expected to be," said the Dane.

"But I think we can do better in the second half of the season and we can end up more or less where we did last year."

"I said before the season that our target is to consolidate the club as a mid-table team."

"If we can do that this season, which has been so complicated with all the European games as well, it would be for me a big success.”

Swansea are winless in their last five games having lost thrice in the process and if the Jacks fail to turn things around against the league’s most lethal attack they will risk falling down to as low as the 14th spot in the table.

City on the other hand are on a devastating run which has seen them win all of their last five matches. The Citizens struggled in their away fixtures at the start of the season but since their loss to Sunderland on the 10th of November, Manuel Pellegrini’s side have not lost away from home.

England number one Joe Hart has made a return to the starting line-up after being banished from the first eleven due to a string of high profile errors which heavily cost Manchester City. However the 26 year old is returning to his previous best and a series of fine saves against Crystal Palace in his last outing ensured that the former Birmingham loanee will feature more often between the posts for Man City this season.

A clash with Palace striker Cameron Jerome left Joe Hart bruised. But Pellegrini has ensured that his star goalie will be fit for the trip to Wales.

"Joe Hart has a cut beneath his eye but it's not dangerous and he can play without risk," the Chilean said at Monday's pre-match press conference.

The former Real Madrid boss also had words of praise for his first choice goalkeeper and reiterated that the 26 year old could continue to produce exceptional performances for his club, like he has done for the past two years or so.

"Everyone knows why Joe Hart is the first choice goalkeeper here," Pellegrini added.

"He's played for two or three years at a very high (level of) performance; he can do it so we hope that he will continue in the same way."

City will continue to be without star striker Sergio Aguero who is expected to return in January, defensive duo Micah Richards and Martin Demichelis are also likely to miss out due to injuries.

Swansea on the other hand will continue to be without Spanish forward Michu as well as winger Nathan Dyer who have both been ruled out due to ankle injuries. Goalkeeper Vorm as well as defender Garry Monk will also continue to remain on the sidelines.