How will City react to pressure?

IT’S always a dangerous game to make predictions based on November’s performances.

In 1985, for example, Ron Atkinson looked certain to end Manchester United’s long wait for a title. In 1995, Newcastle United looked nailed-on champions. In 2010, Chelsea were the same.

And, in 2011, Manchester City were seemingly going to not just win the title but smash all records along way. By the first week of December, after all, they had only dropped four points from the first 42 available and scored an average of 3.5 goals a game.

But then, at that point, it was all really so much easier. Energised by an exciting summer in which they made some invigorating signings, City also had the benefit of playing a series of teams that weren’t necessarily so negative against them. In short, there were more opportunities to play open football and eventually overwhelm opposition. Sergio Aguero made a scintillating start, Edin Dzeko was in devastating form and David Silva looked the most dynamic attacker in the world after Leo Messi.

Now, by contrast, every single opposition side has had a proper look and, as such, a better chance to prepare. With every game, the space will close up and the pressure will increase. And we’ve already seen some effect as, in the last five games, City have only taken seven points from 15 and scored five goals. Aguero has only scored five in his last 13 compared to eight in his first five, Dzeko is no longer taking opportunities and Silva has been much less effective.

Even if the early-season form was unsustainable, the scale of the recent drop off has been stark.

It also raises a wider question about this team. Can they really win a title at the first time of asking, or do they need to go through the pain of a near-miss in order to learn how to win it? Come February, March and April – after all – pressure will accumulate. Without the collective knowledge of how to navigate the most intense periods of the season, will they really be so productive?

We’ll start to get the answer with how City respond tonight.