Mancini demands consistency from City

(GSM) – Roberto Mancini says that Manchester City must be more consistent if they are to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League this season.

City’s breathtaking start at Turf Moor last week swept aside the Premier League strugglers as the Sky Blues surged to a remarkable 5-0 half-time lead on the way to an eventual 6-1 victory.

It meant that a Carlos Tevez-inspired City attack had walloped nine goals in two games – but manager Mancini was just as pleased with the defensive side of his prolific front men.

He said, “Can we keep up that standard? We hope so, but I don’t know if that will be possible! The first half on Saturday, we played very, very well.”

Mancini explained how to reach top: “And if we want to be up at the top of the table, we must play with the same concentration, with the same attitude that we showed at Burnley.”

Tevez has hit seven goals in six games on his way to a season’s-best haul of 26, but the non-stop harrying of the opposition by Carlos and Craig Bellamy are also key to success.

Mancini added: “We have a good attack but it is important for us that our strikers, when we’ve lost the ball, work for their team-mates and defend like midfielders. It is important for the team’s balance.”

“Of course, scoring goals is the main thing, but one striker must work for the other team-mates, play short with the midfield. Carlos has a good technique, he’ll come back to get the ball and it is very difficult to mark him well,” he hailed Tevez.