On paper, a home fixture against a team that has come up from the npower Championship would appear to many to be an ideal assignment for the Blues in their opening Premier League game. But last season's promoted trio Newcastle, West Brom and Blackpool - who memorably got their campaign started with a 4-0 thumping of Wigan at the DW Stadium - all fared well in their initial round of league matches and were each positioned in the top half after 10 games. With that in mind, there is no danger of Mancini underestimating the task that awaits his players in two days' time. "When you start the season and you play against a team that comes from the Championship, it is really difficult," Mancini said. "Last year, with all the teams that came from the Championship, it was very hard to play against them in the first 10 games and it will be the same this year. "But this is why the Premier League is difficult. Every game is hard." Swansea secured their place in the top flight via a 4-2 victory over Reading in the play-off final at Wembley in May and will be the first Welsh team to compete in the Premier League. They have become renowned for their dynamic brand of football over the last few years and Mancini is well aware of the kind of challenge Brendan Rodgers' side are likely to pose. "I have watched many of their games," Mancini said. "Swansea play good football. They don't play long ball and they have good players. The manager is good - last year, he played really good football and got promoted." Although Mancini's expensively assembled squad are being widely tipped to mount a serious title challenge this term, the Italian has been keen to stress the difficulties of the early part of a season, both in terms of player recruitment and condition. He is currently being forced to operate short of what he had hoped, with any talks over Samir Nasri's expected move from Arsenal too late to give the Frenchman a chance of being involved against Swansea. In addition, record signing Sergio Aguero is still some way short of full fitness, whilst controversial skipper Carlos Tevez only came back to training on Monday. "I think that the first 10 games are very difficult - the squad is not 100% ready," Mancini said. "It needs four or five games to find good form for the players." Tevez will sit out the game on Monday, and while the captain's fellow Argentina international Aguero may feature for the first time since his £38million move from Atletico Madrid, Mancini reckons the 23-year-old could contribute only 45 minutes at best.
