Source: Daily_Mail
Bring on Manchester United in the derby, roars Roberto Mancini after seeing City go top
Fighting talk: Roberto Mancini has told City to keep their focus[LNB]Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini believes that one glance at the Premier League table will give his players an important psychological edge going into next Sunday's derby with United.[LNB]And he hopes the club's storming start to the season will earn extra respect from Sir Alex Ferguson. [LNB]This is the first time since 2007 that City have ended a weekend of Premier League games top of the pile. [LNB]But Mancini has laid down the biggest challenge of all to his free-scoring team: 'You're top now stay there.' [LNB]Mancini basked in the glory of the 4-1 thrashing of Aston Villa and said: 'We should be happy to go to Old Trafford on top. But the important thing is to stay there. And to do that we need to keep fighting. We have started well but we need to improve more.'[LNB]On the gradual shift in power in his struggle with Ferguson for city and national supremacy, Mancini was asked if his team's performances were earning extra respect across at Old Trafford.[LNB] 'I hope so,' he said, before adding cautiously: 'Sir Alex is more experienced than me and he has a fantastic team. He respects all the teams he plays against, at home and in the Champions League.'[LNB] Spectacular: Mario Balotelli opens the scoring with an acrobatic effort - his fourth in four games[LNB]The form of Mario Balotelli, scorer of a spectacular opener, has proved that some players though clearly not Carlos Tevez can respond positively to being left for a period on the bench. [LNB]'Yes,' said Mancini, as if seeing the value of the comparison. 'It is hard for any player to stay on the bench and watch while others score goals, but Mario has shown you can do that and then play well. He has trained and played well for 40 or 50 days now.'[LNB]Adam Johnson weighed in with three assists and a goal, but Mancini demanded more. 'Adam was only so-so in the first half, but when he is 100 per cent he is fantastic. I always want him to play better.'[LNB] Laying it on: Adam Johnson (second left) weighed in with three assists - including the cross for Balotelli[LNB]Villa boss Alex McLeish said: 'City have got to be title contenders with the squad they've got. They left out some players but brought in others worth 10, 20, 30 million pounds. [LNB]'But it doesn't matter if you are playing City or an amateur team, if you defend like we did from set pieces you get nothing. It was like something from Comedy Cuts.'[LNB] Man City 4 Aston Villa 1: Mancini's men go clear at the top after four-star displayWe don't need Carlos! Mancini backs City to see off Villa without absent TevezMancini steps back in Tevez fight as he refuses to rule out a return for the strikerPREMIER LEAGUE LIVE: All the action from around the grounds as it happenedAll the latest Manchester City news, featurs and opinion[LNB]
