Friday 26 December 2014 14:05, UK
Manchester City's players have rediscovered the same high level of performance they exhibited in their run to the title last season, according to manager Manuel Pellegrini.
A win against West Bromwich Albion in the Boxing Day match at The Hawthorns would equal the club record of nine consecutive victories.
City have found momentum in the past month with eight straight wins carrying them into the Champions League's last 16 and putting them in contention at the top of the Premier League, just three points behind Chelsea.
"We are playing now with the intensity and in style of play we always do. Again we have players in high level of performance and good moments,” Pellegrini said.
"We are trusting in what we do so, in the same way maybe we played in a poor way two months ago, we are doing very well."
Victory at West Brom will see City match a feat of winning nine in succession that they have only achieved twice before.
The last time City won nine in a row was during their hot streak of autumn 2011, in what became their first Premier League title-winning season, most memorably included their 6-1 destruction of Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The first time was in the old Division Two between December 1909 and February 1910.
Last season, they did win 18 out of 20 games across December and January but the most they won in succession was seven.
Their latest strong run was sparked in part by the performances of Sergio Aguero, who is still likely to be out for another month. While Pellegrini is confident his team can maintain their momentum in the Argentinean’s absence, he acknowledges they need Aguero back soon.
"It is enough for me for us just to continue (playing) in the same way - I don't know if better things will come,” Pellegrini said.
"In this moment, we are playing in a high level but we always need to return, as soon as we can, Aguero and all the other players that are injured."
Those other injured players include senior strikers Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic.
