Despite mauling Premier League leaders Arsenal in another goal fest at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes style improvements are required to get more from his talented squad.
The Chilean tactician, whose side fought back from two goals down to beat Bayern Munich 3-2 away in the Champions League on Tuesday, watched joyfully as his charges cut through a jaded Arsenal with ease in a 6-3 victory on Saturday that left the Londoners' two-point lead at the top looking flimsy.
City's haul took their total to 47 goals in 16 league matches, with 35 of them coming in their eight home games this season.
They had thrashed Norwich City 7-0, Tottenham Hotspur 6-0, arch rivals Manchester United 4-1 before dismantling Arsenal, who had the best defensive record in the league prior to their clash, to move within three points of Arsene Wenger's side.
On Saturday, Yaya Toure and Fernandinho controlled the midfield allowing David Silva and the rejuvenated Samir Nasri to create the chances with some intricate play and bright movement for the deadly duo of Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo. Pablo Zabaleta marauded forward to devastating effect from right back while the swift wing play of substitute Jesus Navas showed the luxuries Pellegrini possesses in his formidable squad.
But the former Real Madrid, Malaga and Villarreal boss, known as "The Engineer", still believes there is a better way to merge the costly City collective. "We have the players and we have to find a style of play which is good for this team," British media quoted him as saying on Monday.
"It's a style of play we are trying to work on every day, to be an attacking team. We are a good attacking team but we are a good defending team also. "In other games we have also played well - maybe not as well as we played (against Arsenal) but we will continue trying to find a style."
City fans might argue that it is an away style that Pellegrini needs to fashion for his side, who have not had the same success on the road this season. Surprise losses have come at Cardiff City, Aston Villa and Sunderland while they also dropped points in away draws at Stoke City and Southampton.
Tuesday's win at the European champions Bayern proved City are more than capable of performing away from the Etihad and Nasri suggested complacency had been a factor in the surprise defeats. "Now we have to do it away from home because we have struggled from the start of the season to perform," the Frenchman said.
"When we play a big game it is easy to get motivation. Big players will always respond when it is a big game but now we know the title race is open. "We've come back to three points behind Arsenal and next week they play Chelsea so we have to keep the pressure on."
With that in mind, Saturday's away trip to struggling Fulham does not look as straightforward as it should be for City, who trail Liverpool and Chelsea by a point. Aguero limped off at the start of the second half after opening the scoring with a brilliant volley against Arsenal and could be missing for the Fulham trip, allowing Edin Dzeko a rare start.
But even with the prospect of their top scorer being out, City look every inch the title favourites that British bookmakers have them as and Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool should be wary of. "I can't say what our rivals will be thinking but I am sure we are improving," Pellegrini said.
"If you asked me before the game if we would score six against Arsenal, seven against Norwich, six against Tottenham, I would say no. It's not normal."
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