Manchester City Need Long Unbeaten Run to Test Chelsea After Finding Best Form

Manchester City will look to extend their winning run to five games when they take on Everton on Saturday evening, with a feeling they have turned the corner after some stuttering early-season form now evident among their squad.

The wins over Southampton and Sunderland, in particular, are seen as a return to something close to their best, with high-tempo passing and a desire to score goals the most marked difference from the side who were struggling prior to the recent international break.

One win in six saw them fall off the pace in the Premier League and stare a group-stage exit from the Champions League in the face, but their recent wins have lifted some of the gloom that had descended.

They will be hoping this season takes a similar pattern to last. They won the Premier League title in May, overhauling Liverpool in the final weeks, but they struggled somewhat initially, only to go on a 20-game unbeaten run, including 18 wins, between the end of November and the end of January. It was that run which provided the platform for their league success.

Some feel they need a repeat of that if they are to move above Chelsea, a side unbeaten in the league so far this season and with quality running through their squad.

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

Speaking ahead of the game with Everton, City manager Manuel Pellegrini said his side were returning to their best: “I think it is similar in the way we played last season, not the complete season, but especially from November until the end of the season we played in a high level.”   

“At the beginning also, but we had some moments especially playing away when we did not do it well. But I think we are returning to our normal performance, that is very important so that is very important for the team.”

One of the major plus points for City in the last two games has been the return to form of their midfield pairing. Yaya Toure and Fernandinho have been below par for much of the season, but they have played somewhere close to their very best in the last two matches. It makes a huge difference to City when their formidable central-midfielders are recovering possession and using the ball as well as they did at St Mary’s and the Stadium of Light.

Toure missed training on Friday as a precaution but is available for the match with Everton. Aleksandar Kolarov and Edin Dzeko are both back after injury layoffs, but David Silva and Vincent Kompany remain sidelined.

The big injury blow for City, though, is Stevan Jovetic who, after some wonderful performances in recent games, will miss the Everton match.

“Yaya didn’t work today but it is just a precaution. He doesn’t have any problems for tomorrow. He is in the squad list,” said Pellegrini.

“Aleks Kolarov and Edin Dzeko are in the squad list also. David Silva and Stevan Jovetic are out.”

“Vincent is not in the squad list tomorrow. He is working. Maybe we have a last test with him on Monday or Tuesday to decide.”

City travel to Rome after this weekend’s game with Everton with a chance to progress to the last 16 of the Champions League. It’s remarkable, really, that after no wins in their first four Group E matches, they now go into Matchday 6 with a real chance of progression.

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

CSKA Moscow need to drop points against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena if City are to stand any chance of going through, but given Bayern’s quality that’s a distinct possibility.

It’s a huge game for City at the Stadio Olimpico which a few weeks ago may have looked like a daunting task, but if they beat Everton and travel to Italy on a five-game winning run, they’ll fancy their chances of winning in Rome.

The nervousness and negativity which was threatening to engulf City’s squad and ruin their season appears to have gone. They now need a long run of good form, starting with two huge games this week, to show everyone they are capable of retaining their title and making progress in the Champions League.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2014-15 season. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.