If proof was needed that it's Champions League or bust for Roberto Mancini and City this year, fans of the club were given all the evidence that was required this week with a pitiful team selection against West Brom in the Carling Cup followed by an enthralling victory over Chelsea at Eastlands.

Six games gone; early days in the Premier League and yet City sit fourth comfortably. Potential challengers Everton, Spurs and Liverpool have all got off to various degrees of a slow start. Fair enough.

I must admit to hating the decision to put out such a weak team against West Brom. There's an old saying that you need to walk before you can run. Qualifying for the Champions League is important, even more so with the UEFA maintain the status quo rules, cunningly described as financial fair play. It means that City need to be in the Champions League sooner rather than later.

And yet, what would your rather see? Champions League qualification or City hoisting some silverware for the first time in 34 years. Mancini has a cup pedigree; it seems an awful waste not to take advantage of that.

The argument was and is that the Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup are more important. With Chelsea the visitors on Saturday the decision was made to marginalize the Carling Cup and focus on playing the Champions.

It's not as if the game needed any more significance added to it. City had swept Chelsea last year, and looked very good doing it. A loss to the league leaders would see City fall 10 points behind at this very early stage.

The current injury crisis, especially at left back, has left City thin at the back. I had wondered if Gareth Barry would end up in the position as the former Aston Villa man has played there before. However Mancini went with Pablo Zabaleta at left back and Dedryck Boyata was drafted in to play out of position at right back. I say out of position but in fact Boyata impressed greatly.

Let me digress for a moment. Chelsea have always seemed a bit of a bully team. Not a bully in the sense of picking on people, but rather they are so big and strong that they essentially over power the opposition with their physical nature. In particular this is true of Didier Drogba, a wonderful talent. Now one of the things that sometimes happens with bullies is that they are so used to having their own way that when someone stands up to them it comes as a shock. Which brings us back to Boyata.

Twice early in the first half the young Belgian absolutely mugged Drogba. Either could and should have been called a foul and the second was in the penalty area. Neither drew a whistle and Drogba was pretty much silent from that point on ultimately being substituted towards the end of the game. Whether by design or just good fortune City found the way to keep Drogba in check. Occasionally Boyata would get up field a little too far and out of position, but when such instances occurred, Kolo Toure covered well.

Toure in fact might have played his best game for City. As always he looked vulnerable on crosses however in every other aspect of the game the former club captain was quite exceptional. Which makes Vincent Kompany's performance even more noteworthy as Toure's partner was the best player on the field. Kompany was incredible and at only 24 has room to improve!. The club still needs a towering presence at the back, especially for set pieces where Toure flaps around, but this is a stingy defense.

Part of the reason for this, and City have only let in two goals in the league so far, is the midfield threesome of Nigel de Jong, Barry and Small Berries. The constant media harping about three holding midfielders shows a complete lack of knowledge as to the way they play and Mancini's tactics.

de Jong is a holding midfielder certainly and at this point may well be the best at the role in the Premier League. Barry and Yaya Toure on the other hand are there to win the ball and dominate possession. Currently we are not seeing the Mancini Inter diamond formation, I suspect because Jerome Boateng and Aleksandar Kolarov have both been out and you need full backs with wing back tendencies to make it work.

Instead City are playing a pseudo Christmas tree formation of 4-3-2-1 with David Silva and James Milner out on the flanks and Carlos Tevez up front. At least this is the case when City defend. When the team move into attack then Toure moves into more of a forward central midfield role, Silva is given a free roaming brief while Milner sticks to his left hand side duties. It's confusing I admit, and probably so for the opposition as well.

It is a series of formations designed to deny the opponents opportunities, maintain possession and break quickly as needed. Not the prettiest football in the world, but very Italian and very effective.

In particular these are formations that take advantage of other clubs that wish to attack City. It will be, and is, less effective against teams that come and park the bus. Then you need the pace and trickery of Adam Johnson at the very least. Ironically this game could have used Craig Bellamy in place of Milner, even though the England midfielder played well. Mancini used a Mark Hughes style counter attacking strategy against Chelsea with a 4-2-3-1 and won 4-2 in February while this time the Italian used a more cautious 4-3-2-1 and won 1-0. Bottom line is each time City won, although I preferred the sheer pace of Bellamy and Johnson.

I think it's important to stress that Mancini has been nowhere near his optimum team and formation yet given the injuries that the club has suffered. I see pundits judging the team and the tactics all over the place. Part of that is today's instant analysis culture, but also a significant part is the media not taking the time to understand what Mancini is about and how he sets up his teams.

One game does not a season make. However a useful win and shows that even in second gear City can now play with the top of the league. If the club can remove the nagging tendency to perform down to the level of their competition then indeed a Champions League place is a distinct possibility.