City must avoid post-Christmas collapse

After a glut of goals in the opening four months of the season, Manchester City enters the packed Christmas fixture program as the top team in England for the first time since 1929.Back then, City failed to stay the course, taking until 1937 to win the title and 1968 to repeat the feat.This time, another slip-up would be unacceptable for Citys owners after an expensive overhaul of the squad over three years.But City has displayed resilience since exiting the Champions League and losing for the first time this season at Chelsea, bouncing back with successive Premier League wins to establish a two-point lead over Manchester United.Ahead of Mondays match at West Bromwich Albion, City has already scored 53 goals in 17 league matches-more than twice the haul at this stage a year earlier.Last season we got a lot of uncalled-for negative publicity because the goals werent flowing freely, City defender Joleon Lescott said. But this year we have the belief and the confidence to score more goals.We did need to change and there is an air of confidence about us now. But it is controlled, you dont want it to be too arrogant. The main thing is to keep progressing and keep our feet on the ground.It is two years since Roberto Mancini replaced Mark Hughes as City manager. Having already ended the clubs 35-year trophy drought by lifting the FA Cup in May, the focus is firmly on delivering the clubs first league crown since 1968.We need to win away games, Mancini said. We have only one point from our last two.
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