City show steel to shatter Hoop dreams
The beginning of November may be far too early to make such bold predictions, but a pattern is beginning to emerge for City, who maintained their unbeaten start in the league and a five-point lead over rivals United at the top.
The stats are in their favour. City’s hard-fought victory over an enterprising QPR side meant they became only the fifth English team to win at least 10 of their first 11 matches in the top flight.
Of those teams only Manchester United in 1986 and Liverpool in 1991 failed to win the title.
City have now scored 39 goals in 11 league games, and as Mancini’s assistant David Platt said: “We know there are goals in the team. Even if we go a goal down, we feel we will score, as we showed against QPR.”
When Bothroyd put QPR ahead with a thumping header in the 28th minute, it was the first time in a league game this season that City’s players found themselves behind.
Their response showed the mark of winners.
Despite being a notch below their best, which Platt ascribed to a tough trip to Villarreal in midweek, they rode their luck to grind out a victory that was tough on the hosts but showed the best of City’s battling instincts.
It might have been different if Bothroyd had not missed an easier chance 12 minutes after his goal, putting his header wide, and that let-off was followed, as is so often the case, by an equaliser as Edin Dzeko cut in from the left to shoot past Paddy Kenny.
David Silva put City ahead five minutes after the break, Heidar Helguson equalised for QPR in the 68th minute and hit the bar late in the game, but Yaya Toure clinched it with a powerful header in the 74th minute.
City’s display, as Bothroyd admitted, bore the hallmark of champions. “Yes, I definitely believe they will win the title. You just have to look at their bench. They’ve got a world class squad.”
Yet QPR, who had beaten Chelsea at Loftus Road a fortnight earlier, gave City the fright of their lives and deserved something from the game.
“I spoke to some of their staff afterwards and they said that’s the hardest game they’ve had all season,” added Bothroyd, a point emphasised by Dzeko: “I was very surprised at how they played, how good they were, especially in the first half, and then again in the second half as well after we scored the third goal.”
Neil Warnock also believes City are champions elect: “Whoever finishes above them will be champions, and I don’t think there’ll be many above them. But they know they’ve been in a game today and they’ll be relieved to get back with three points.
“We played some good stuff and I don’t think people expected that from us against the champions elect. They were very fortunate to come away with a win but that’s what makes them such a good side. They are probably the best team in the world.”
He may have said the last phrase with a twinkle in his eye, but Warnock knows City have a squad any manager would give his right arm for.
“I think Silva is such a gem. I was hoping he was going to be out today but at least we played against their full team.”
Not quite, with the outstanding Vincent Kompany absent because of suspension, but with Joe Hart in the form that makes him England’s best, City were able to keep QPR at bay.
Bothroyd added: “We’re disappointed we came away with nothing. We played really well, frustrated them in the beginning and kept the ball, and had some good chances. For me Hart is the best keeper in the country at the moment and he showed it today with some amazing saves.”
Platt was only too aware that City were not at their best, suggesting the trip to Spain had drained his players.
“Travelling in Europe takes away that sharpness but that is the price you pay. If you want to be successful, the matches are going to come thick and fast,’’ he said.
“We’ve got to navigate our way through them, and if we’ve got to win in that manner, then we have to win in that manner.
“It’s a good win. We’re not going to play the kind of football we’ve been playing so far the season for 38 games, scoring four, five or six goals each time, so the important thing is that, when we’re not quite at it, we still win football matches.”
And that is the mark of true champions.
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