What a difference a year makes. When Manchester City last dropped home points in the Premier League, in a 1-1 draw with Fulham 12 months ago today, they sat third in the table with 50 points from 28 matches and a goal difference of +19, 10 points behind Manchester United.
Today they look down on United, with 63 points from 26 games and a goal difference of +48. That is a big step forward – even for a club whose spending makes their success seem inevitable – and it shows why David Platt, City's first-team coach, believes that, with 12 games to go, it will take something special to dislodge Roberto Mancini's side from the summit.
"Statistics will tell you that it is very difficult to [win] 12 or 13 times on the bounce. But there is enough belief in us to realise that we can win enough to make it very difficult for the others to catch us," said Platt, a member of Arsenal's 1998 double-winning side that earned 10 straight league victories in the run-in.
Platt, speaking after Saturday's stroll against Blackburn, noted that tougher tests will lie ahead as he recalled how Arsenal "got absolutely battered" in one game at Bolton yet today's Wanderers side appear unlikely to provide a repeat at the Etihad next Saturday when City have the opportunity to extend their lead over United, 24 hours before their visit to Tottenham.
City have won 18 consecutive home league matches, 13 this season, and striker Edin Dzeko, scorer of the third goal on Saturday, underlined the significance of this sequence to their title push. "When I won the [Bundesliga] with Wolfsburg, we won 16 out of 17 home games, so maybe that's the key."
Whether they can end the campaign with a 100 per cent home record remains to be seen – they have still to host Chelsea and then United in a potential a title decider on 30 April – but whatever follows, the City machine is purring once more. Since defeat at Everton, they have posted five straight wins and Saturday's return of Yaya Toure, for his first league outing since the Africa Cup of Nations, and Mario Balotelli, back from his four-match ban, had a telling impact summed up by their roles in the opening goal.
Toure, winning the ball and supplying David Silva, started the move and Balotelli, with a crisp first-time finish from Aleksandr Kolarov's cross, concluded it. Sergio Aguero and substitute Dzeko's second-half strikes gave the scoreline a more accurate reflection of City's dominance.
Steve Kean, the Blackburn manager, noted the "freshness" of City's performance. "A big factor of that is when they rotate the squad and the standard of players they bring in," he said, citing how Kolarov, creator of two goals, had come in for Gael Clichy. They may have Carlos Tevez to add to the mix, although Platt noted it would not be before the 10 March visit to Swansea at the earliest; moreover, with their frontline strikers now on 52 goals between them, do they really need him?
Blackburn, back in the bottom three, were a shadow of the side who won at Old Trafford on 31 December. That day they had midfielder Steven N'Zonzi, restricted here by illness to a brief late cameo – "when he came on that was the best we kept the ball," Kean lamented – and also Christopher Samba, who joined Russia's Anzhi Makhachkala on Friday. "He wanted to go, he made that quite public. On a positive side, now we know everyone we have in the dressing room wants to be here. We will all be pulling together." With trips to Wolves and Bolton looming in March, that is the least they will need.
Platt added that Gareth Barry, who was not in the squad on Saturday, had not played because of a tight hamstring but that he would be fine for England on Wednesday. The same goes for Micah Richards.
Tevez to make Man City return in reserve fixture against Preston
Carlos Tevez will begin his Manchester City comeback in earnest on Tuesday when he makes his first competitive appearance for the club since his fall-out with Roberto Mancini five months ago.
Sportsmail can reveal that, one week after apologising for his actions, Tevez will play for City in a reserve League Cup tie against Preston that has been specially tailored to his needs.
The game was originally scheduled for Chorley’s Victory Park on Wednesday, but City succeeded in changing the venue and date after identifying it as an ideal opportunity for easing him back into action.
Concerned at the state of Chorley’s pitch, and intense media interest in Tevez’s eagerly-awaited return, City requested the tie be brought forward 24 hours and played behind closed doors at their Carrington training complex.
The 2pm kick off will give Mancini the chance to assess the 28-year-old’s match sharpness and how much more fitness work is needed before he can challenge for a first-team recall.
Tevez, who infuriated the City manager by refusing to warm up against Bayern Munich and subsequently spent three-and-a-half months on unauthorised leave in Argentina, was thought to be on course for a return to the squad against Swansea a week on Saturday.
Coach David Platt warned it could take longer, but such an early outing in a competitive reserves match suggests he could be up for selection at the Liberty Stadium.
City, Arsenal, Chelsea battle for Sturridge
Mancini is an admirer of the 22-year-old attacking talent
Manchester City have jointed the battle with Arsenal to lure England striker Daniel Sturridge away from Stamford Bridge, according to the Daily Star.
Roberto Mancini is bewildered why he was allowed to go to Chelsea in the first place.
Sturridge left City just six months before the Italian arrived.
The 22-year-old attacking talent has been one of the leading scorers for Chelsea but is unhappy that Andres Villas-Boas is using him in a wide role.
Sturridge prefers to play in an orthodox striking position but has been denied the opportunity at Chelsea where Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres are the first choices.
Although Mancini wonders why he was allowed to leave Etihad Stadium in the first place, it may not be the ideal destination for the youngster given that Mancini has the likes of Sergio Aguero, Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko as striking options, all scoring goals.
Then out wide the Italian has quality options like David Silva, Adam Johnson, Samir Nasri and James Milner to call upon.
City are rankled by the fact that he made an out-of-contract move although they were awarded £6.5 million for him by a tribunal as compensation.
Further, his market value has increased to £20 million following a string of sensational display and has two-and-a-half years remaining on his Chelsea contract.
Arsenal would be a better option for Sturridge since the north London club are heavily reliant on skipper Robin van Persie and would seek a back-up.
But Chelsea boss would eventually do everything to retain a player who figures in his future plans.
Barcelona join chase to sign £34m Man City target Martinez
Barcelona have joined the race to sign Manchester City target Javi Martinez who looks set to leave Athletic Bilbao this summer.
The European champions have been impressed with his performances and are hoping to swoop on the midfielder City have been watching this season.
Martinez, 23, has already had an impressive career: He was a member of the squad which won the World Cup in 2010 and captained La Roja's Under 21 side to European Championship glory last summer, too.
Martinez – who signed a new deal at San Mames last summer - is an accomplished box-to-box midfielder, but can also provide cover in defence.
City are thought to be weighing up a £25million offer, but Bilbao will want closer to the £34m release clause which has been written into his contract.
Agent of Manchester City-owned John Guidetti could engineer a move to AC Milan
The Swedish teenager recently appointed renowned agent Mino Railo as his representative, and rumours have emerged that the transfer guru may help the Rossoneri sign the player
Mino Raiola could engineer a transfer to AC Milan for Feyenoord striking sensation John Guidetti, if reports from Calciomercato are to be believed.
The 19-year-old Swede, who is on loan at the Rotterdam outfit from Manchester City, has been the star of Eredivisie so far this season with 18 goals in 16 league appearances, and has caught the eye of a handful of big clubs.
Guidetti recently appointed Italian agent Raiola as his representative, and rumour has it that a move to AC Milan could be in the works for the striker.
The deal, however, is likely to be complicated as Manchester City are reportedly keen on holding on to the talented youngster. Furthermore, the Rossoneri are likely to face stiff competition from Bayern Munich, who confirmed their interest in the player earlier this month.
AC Milan were locked in negotiations with another Manchester City striker, Carlos Tevez, but a deal failed to materialise in January as the clubs could not agree on a transfer fee.
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[/spoiler]OTHER BOLLOX
Aston Villa want to bring in Blackburn defender Scott Dann, 24, at the end of the season to shore up their back-line.
Daily Mirror
In-form French striker Olivier Giroud, 25, wants a move to the Premier League and specifically Arsenal, having scored 16 goals already this campaign for current club Montpellier. the Sun
Arsenal and Tottenham are both in the hunt for Sunderland midfield sensation Stephane Sessegnon. The 27-year-old has been resurgent since Martin O'Neill took over at the Stadium of Light. the Sun
Fulham are set to sign former Real Madrid midfielder Mahamadou Diarra, 30, for the rest of the season. Daily Mail
Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku has been warned by Belgium assistant manager Marc Wilmots that his place in the national team will be under threat if he does not play more games at Stamford Bridge. Inside Futbol
Former England manager Fabio Capello insists he will return to the dugout and not the boardroom. the Sun
Steven Gerrard has admitted he will have to make a decision about whether to retire from the England team and focus on Liverpool after Euro 2012. Metro
David Beckham remains a transfer target of Paris Saint-Germain, the club's sporting director Leonardo has revealed. Daily Mail
Manager Tony Pulis says he could not ask Stoke City to play the Swansea way because Potters fans would not put up with it.
South Wales Echo
Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique has revealed that away from the beautiful game he chooses to spend time playing Scrabble with his glamorous pop star girlfriend Shakira. Metro
