Fernandinho Back to His Best as Manchester City Continue Perfect Start

It was perhaps more difficult than many envisaged, but Manchester City defeated Watford on Saturday to set a new club record of 10 straight league victories.

Their 2-0 win over the newly promoted Hornets means City have maintained their 100 per cent start to the season, having won all four of their matches so far, scoring 10 goals without conceding.

It’s been a remarkable few weeks for Manuel Pellegrini’s side, who have already established an eight-point lead over pre-season title favourites Chelsea. The west London side lost at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday and have just four points from their first four games, with defensive deficiencies continuing to undermine their start to the new season.

PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images

It’s way too early for talk of the title, but City could hardly have made a better start. They’ve been immaculate, and the ills that held them back last season look to have been eradicated completely. They’re moving the ball much quicker, and the pace injected into their forward line by Raheem Sterling’s arrival has made them look a far more dangerous proposition going forward.

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PELLEGRINI: (on Sterling) I think he will score a lot of goals. He brings something we did not have last season #mcfc

— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) August 29, 2015"

Watford, though, provided a stern test. In the first half, Quique Sanchez Flores got his tactics spot on, defending in numbers and frustrating City’s more creative player. They didn’t have much of the ball, but they limited City to just a few chances.

With the Blues in need of more guile to unlock the Watford defence, Samir Nasri was brought on at half-time, with Sterling moving into a more advanced role as a second striker. It worked immediately. Sterling scored with an excellent first-time finish from Bacary Sagna’s perfect cross two minutes after the break, and City began to take control. Pellegrini deserves huge credit for a tactical switch that paid dividends. 

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PELLEGRINI: It was important to make a change (at half time). Today we returned to 4-4-2. #mcfc

— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) August 29, 2015"

His players look reinvigorated, particularly Fernandinho, whose form so far this season has been superb. After a difficult 2014/15 in which he looked traumatised by his World Cup experience with Brazil, his drive and energy has returned, and he, once again, looks like a key player in the side.

He scored his 10th Premier League goal for City to make it 2-0—a rasping strike that flew past Heurelho Gomes after a neat one-two with the irrepressible David Silva—and dictated play in the middle of the pitch. His tackling, running and technical ability appeared too much for Watford to handle.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

His quality on the ball is often overlooked, but his range of passing was on show all afternoon against a spirited Hornets side who came into the match unbeaten. He was quite rightly named Man of the Match, and Pellegrini will be delighted to see his big-money signing from 2013 continuing to repay the fee.

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You voted @fernandinho as today's Man of the Match. Thank you for taking part! #mcfc pic.twitter.com/IiPGeoM9f8

— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) August 29, 2015"

Defensively, City will also be very pleased. Four straight clean sheets have been the bedrock of their excellent start, with Eliaquim Mangala and Vincent Kompany looking formidable as a pair. They found it difficult to form a partnership in their first season together, but they’re complementing each other well now, and Nicolas Otamendi, the club's latest signing, may find it difficult to force his way into the side. 

With none of their title rivals having started particularly well, City have stolen a march in the early weeks of the season. They’ve looked by far the best side in the league, with tactical flexibility, solidity, pace in attack and energy setting them apart from the rest.

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FT: City break club record with tenth consecutive league victory! City 2-0 @WatfordFC it ends at the Etihad. #mcfc pic.twitter.com/rX6u3op1ob

— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) August 29, 2015"

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2015/16 season. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.