Mario Balotelli will get all the headlines, but James Milner played one of his best games for Manchester City to help the club to beat Spurs 3-2.

I made the point before City played United that regardless of the outcome it was only three points. That was true whether City lost or in that case won 6-1. It's still true and yet today's game against Spurs feels like more.

It's that time of year again, the silly season when the January transfer window opens and clubs wait until the last five minutes of the final hour before deciding that they need to sign a crucial player who is either stuck somewhere on the M1 or reportedly just landed at a regional airport.

I know, I know, on the surface it seems an odd question. Richards isn't City's best player, that would be David Silva, or the most influential, no guesses for Nigel de Jong, but a recent reader question got me thinking about City's tactics in breaking down defenses.

You have to laugh at the gutter press. Defeat to Chelsea and City have failed their big test and will now struggle to win the Premier League.

Here's the thing... If at the start of the season you'd said to the average City fan that the club would take four points combined from their trips to United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal I suspect most would have taken it quite happily.

I get asked quite often why I haven't commented about the Carlos Tevez situation. Really it boils down to my one word reaction to the whole debacle... "And?" However, with the recent comments of former City manager Mark Hughes and the revelation that Tevez may sue Roberto Mancini over the whole incident it is unfortunately obvious that this story will have legs.

A dozen hours after the game I am still stunned at the result. But my pre-match point is still as valid now as it was when I made it. You still only get three points for a win whether against United or Stoke. But still...

Nigel de Jong starts on the bench as City have gone with Yaya Toure, Gareth Barry and the in-form James Milner in the middle. It's a gutsy move by Mancini as the control of the midfield has always been the key to the Manchester derby the past few years.

Really it is. Beat United or Stoke and the same three points are awarded. At the end of the season there isn't some asterisk that gets posted on the point total that improves the league position because a club beat United. And City need to approach it as such.