  Manuel Pellegrini's team were unusually lacklustre as victory
slipped away. Perhaps there were signs of weariness, too, after
the exertions of the Manchester derby. All that can be said for
certain is the chance to replace Chelsea at the top of the
league was missed and Mathieu Flamini's equaliser threatens
repercussions now Liverpool are looking at the table in a new
position of strength.   City are in a much stronger position,
two points behind Chelsea with two games in hand, but the gap to
Liverpool will be four if Brendan Rodgers's team beat Spurs on
Sunday today. More than ever, it looks like the pivotal game
will be City's trip to Anfield on 13 April.  Pellegrini could
still declare it a productive period, with four points from two
challenging away games, and will have to hope his team can play
more like they did here in the first half, and less like after
the interval. David Silva controlled the game in the opening 45
minutes, with Chelsea's defeat earlier in the day sharpening
their minds. They expo