Premier League 2 will replace the U21 Premier League for the 2016/17 campaign and is intended to better prepare young players for the intensity, physicality and technicality of first team football.
The Under-23 age limit is an increase of two years and rules for teams fielding overage outfield players remains the same with three players permitted plus an overage goalkeeper.
The Blues, however, are taking the opportunity to give crucial experience to our upcoming youngsters by fielding an Under-19 team in the new league.
There are 12 teams in Division 1 and 12 in Division 2 with each side playing 22 league games per season with team playing each other home and away.
The team in Division 1 finishing top are champions while the bottom two sides will be relegated to Division 2.
The Division 2 winners will be promoted while the teams in 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th will go into a play-off with the final taking place at the home stadium of the team who finished highest after 22 games.
The full line-up of clubs in each league is as follows:
Premier League 2
Teams in Division 1
Arsenal, Chelsea, Derby County, Everton, Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Reading, Southampton, Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur
Teams in Division 2
Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Brighton & Hove Albion, Fulham, Middlesbrough, Newcastle United, Norwich City, Swansea City, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers
Simon Davies’ side will begin their campaign at St George’s Park against Derby County on Monday 15 August before playing host to Arsenal on Friday 19 August.
The season will wrap on 5 May against Southampton.
Fixtures:
15/08/2016 Derby County v Manchester City
19/08/2016 Manchester City v Arsenal
26/08/2016 Reading v Manchester City
09/09/2016 Manchester City v Manchester United
18/09/2016 Sunderland v Manchester City
23/09/2016 Manchester City v Leicester City
14/10/2016 Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City
24/10/2016 Southampton v Manchester City
29/10/2016 Manchester City v Liverpool
19/11/2016 Everton v Manchester City
26/11/2016 Manchester City v Chelsea
10/12/2016 Manchester City v Reading
09/01/2017 Manchester United v Manchester City
13/01/2017 Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur
30/01/2017 Leicester City v Manchester City
03/02/2017 Manchester City v Sunderland
17/02/2017 Chelsea v Manchester City
03/03/2017 Manchester City v Everton
13/03/2017 Arsenal v Manchester City
07/04/2017 Manchester City v Derby County
23/04/2017 Liverpool v Manchester City
05/05/2017 Manchester City v Southampton
