Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini famously made a hash of his sums earlier this season though in midfield dynamo Yaya Toure he has a handy sidekick.
Toure has scored 16 goals in the current league campaign and says a flawless 33 points from the last 11 games are needed if the Blues are to repeat the success of 2012 when they last won the league.
What better way to start a potentially memorable title charge, beating leaders Chelsea and second-placed Liverpool to the crown, than by upstaging cross-town rivals Manchester United this evening.
“We have to beat United and just keep going – we showed against Fulham that we are focused and ready for the challenge ahead and know our focus is on the derby,” the Ivorian told the club website.
“Football is very strange and United, like any club, can play really well in one game and not so good the next so we can’t worry too much about their current position or form.
“We have to play our game and perform the best we can and try and take three points from the game. We want to win this title and we know we don’t have any room for any mistakes.”
Three goals against Fulham pushed the former Barcelona man past 50 goals for the Blues and takes his tally for the season to 20 across all competitions.
Toure scored against United last time out in the 4-1 Etihad hammering and the powerful midfielder will no doubt be hoping to get on the score sheet at Old Trafford.
“Of course, the Manchester derby is a very important match for us,” he said.
“I do enjoy these games and I have scored a few goals against United, but while it’s fantastic when you’ve win, I don’t enjoy it so much when we’ve been beaten.”
Meanwhile Pellegrini would not be drawn into discussion about David Moyes’ rocky tenure so far at United during his press conference, insisting it was not his job to “analyse” the former Everton boss.
Instead, the Chilean preferred to focus on the job at hand.
“We have 11 vital games to play with Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton still to come and a lot of teams who are fighting relegation and they are all dangerous,” he said.
“We need to be at our best in every game we play until the end of the season.”
Main image courtesy of Carl Recine/Action Images, with thanks.
