Manchester City Should Walk Away with the Premier League Title in May

It’s difficult to argue that Manchester City are the best team in the Premier League given they’ve lost four games already and find themselves six points off Arsenal, who currently lead the division. Four defeats in the opening 12 games is hardly the record of champions-elect, and in the recent defeat to Sunderland they were abject and disjointed.

However, no other English side has reached the level City have this season. The 4-0 opening weekend win over Newcastle; the 4-1 defeat of champions Manchester United; the 7-0 demolition of Norwich and now the latest example of their excellence, a 6-0 thrashing of Tottenham, a side widely seen as title contenders, were all brilliant, comprehensive wins.

In those matches, City have played football their Premier League rivals could only dream of. Only Arsenal have come close, with their brand of slick, passing football wonderful to watch, but even they haven’t demonstrated the same ruthlessness City have.

All of which makes their away form even more baffling. Four defeats, one draw and a single win. Four points from a possible 18. Cardiff, Aston Villa and Sunderland, mid-table sides at best, have taken maximum points from City.

It really is difficult to comprehend given City have a strike partnership that is arguably functioning better than any other in Europe. The understanding, the ingenuity and, most importantly, the goals being scored by Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo is remarkable. City have scored 34 league goals already, with Aguero and Negredo responsible for 15 of them. Liverpool and Arsenal are next on the list with 24.

Despite Negredo’s superb start, which has seen him hailed as one of the finest strikers in the league already, it’s Fernandinho who is proving to be City’s best summer recruit. The Brazilian midfielder, who inexplicably has yet to nail down a place in his country’s first XI, has given City pace and energy—exactly what the fading Gareth Barry wasn’t capable of offering them with consistency during the final weeks of last season.

After his dazzling debut at home to Newcastle, Fernandinho went quiet for two or three games, and with his price tag dominating the debate about his usefulness, he was written off by more than a few supporters before September was underway. The advent of social media has made an already impatient game now so knee-jerk in its reactions it’s almost unbearable to observe.

With Yaya Toure also in fine form, Samir Nasri playing his best football since signing for the club and Jesus Navas coming into his own, City have players who are performing well all over the pitch. The scary thing about the Tottenham result was it was achieved without Vincent Kompany and David Silva, arguably City's two best players.

It's clear that despite City’s failings—such as a lack of depth at centre-back and left-back, and a troubling goalkeeper situation—they have by far the best squad in the league. Luckily for them, the lack of quality in England’s top flight means they are still just six points adrift of the leaders despite their dreadful away form.

All it will take is an upturn in fortunes on the road, and no side will be able to stop City walking away with the title in May. The steely determination in Pellegrini's eyes at Sunday's press conference at the Etihad suggests he isn't prepared to accept anymore poor results away from home. The rest of the league should fear City curing their travel sickness.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2013-14 season. Follow him on Twitter here @TypicalCity.