Mancini plays it cool as City show heart to cage Canaries

Norwich 3 Manchester City 4

As it stands, Manchester United are still seven points clear of their local rivals at the pivotal point of the New Year and remain favourites to win back the trophy they lost so agonisingly last season.

For a tactician like Mancini, the table could be used as a motivational tool to inspire his faltering champions; but it certainly won’t be pasted on the wall at Carrington this morning.

“In this moment, United are better than us because they are top, but for us it is not important to look at the table now,” he insisted.

“We need to work, to win and maybe in February we will look again.”

At Carrow Road, City remained vulnerable but, after the defeat at Sunderland, they showed the fighting spirit needed to close the gap on United, winning despite spending half the game with 10 men following a red card for Samir Nasri.

The evening certainly began well for Mancini, who deployed Edin Dzeko in attack alongside Sergio Aguero, and saw his decision vindicated in style.

The Bosnian grabbed two goals in five minutes before Nasri was dismissed for a scuffle with Sebastien Bassong and the game opened up.

It ended 4-3, Aguero and a Bunn own goal completing the tally for City with Martin (two) and Pilkington replying for Norwich; but this was not really the time to analyse defensive weaknesses and Mancini was more intent on concentrating on the positives.

“I’m happy because we continued to play and we didn’t stay deep with only 10 players,” he said.

“I think we have won games with Carlos and Aguero, then Dzeko and Aguero and then Dzeko and Carlos so I think all three players, if they work like they did today, then they can score important goals for this club this season.”

The devastating partnership of Aguero and Dzeko savaged Chris Hughton’s side early on. Aguero peeled off down the right wing and chipped a cross into David Silva who set up Dzeko to finish past Mark Bunn after only two minutes.

Soon after Aguero was set free down the right, he held up play this time and pulled the ball back in to Dzeko’s path; once again, the finish was ruthless.

Norwich pulled one back after 15 minutes, through an Anthony Pilkington free-kick that hit Gael Clichy and bounced past Joe Hart; but it was the red card for Nasri before half-time that really gave the Canaries encouragement.

Bassong hit Nasri with a strong but fair challenge and Nasri proceeded to aim his head in the Norwich centre-back’s direction. Was it a head-butt or posturing? The lines were blurred but the end result saw the Frenchman dismissed by Mike Jones.

Perhaps if Aguero had not restored calm five minutes after the break with another deft finish then the decision could have been more costly. But as it was City showed enough passion and determination to win the game anyway.

Russell Martin scored twice for Norwich, either side of another Dzeko strike that struck keeper Bunn on the head as it rebounded off a post to end up in the net, but few inside Carrow Road would argue that overall, City did not deserve the three points.

Analysing their performance is more difficult given the sending-off, however. The start was stunning but the remainder was far from flawless. Still, Mancini refused to show concern.

“If we play like we did against Sunderland and Norwich and have the same attitude then I think the season could be very important to us. It will be difficult, yes. But last year we recovered five points in two games. It is no problem.”

NORWICH: Bunn 6, Martin 8, Turner 6, Bassong 7, Garrido 6, Snodgrass 6, Tettey 6 (Howson 57 7), Johnson 7, Pilkington 7, Hoolahan 7, Morison 7 (Kane 46, 7).

MAN CITY: Hart 6, Zabaleta 7, Kompany 8, Nastasic 6, Clichy 7, Toure 7, Barry 7, Aguero 8 (Garcia 90 5), Silva 8 (Milner 57, 7), Nasri 4, Dzeko 9 (Lescott 81, 5).