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Platt hails Nasri after five star display

Samir Nasri is enjoying life at Manchester City

David Platt hailed Samir Nasri’s display in the 5-1 win over Norwich City and then warned Blues fans not to expect a goals avalanche every week.

Five strikes from a quintet of different players took the home side’s tally for this Premier League season to 48 well on the way to a record.

But the Manchester City first team coach urged caution in the goal stakes after the seventh home win in domestic competition this season.

“Can we get 100 goals?” he mused in answer to a question from the post-match press conference. “The answer is that it is irrelevant. It is the points that we need.

“We just need to keep winning and if it is by scoring one and not conceding any then we will take it. It is three points just the same. People think that we can keep scoring four, five and six per game but football isn’t like that.

As for Nasri, the coach felt that the Frenchman was on top of his game.

“Samir looked very bright, the goalkeeper will probably not be happy with it but it was a great ball in and we got runner across the face of goal,” said Platt.

“When Samir plays with that zest and looks as though he wants to hurt teams he is a real force to be reckoned with. We have not been disappointed with him this season at all.”

And the final word was about, almost inevitably, Mario Balotelli.

“A goal from a foot counts for the same as one from 30-yards,” he declared. “That goal was a simple finish in the end but the build-up was wellcrafted.

“David Silva, Gael Clichy, Yaya and Adam Johnson all played a big part in it.”

Manchester United kept on the coat tails of their neighbours with a 1-0 win at Aston Villa.

Chelsea returned to winning ways putting three past Newcastle without reply.

Didier Drogba, who opened the scoring in their win, said Chelsea must stick together to overcome their problems.

“You have to remember it’s the manager’s first season in the Premier League, it’s not easy for him and it isn’t easy for the players or the club,” said Drogba. “But everything is coming together for the manager. He can deal with any pressure. You don’t rise to his level in coaching if you are not strong.

“Yes we’ve been in a difficult moment but you have to stick together and make sure that, when we are on the pitch, we are all pulling in the same direction. That’s what we are doing right now and it’s great to see. Against Newcastle we looked more like the Chelsea of old, doing the simple things well. You create your own luck sometimes but that only comes from the whole team being in a really positive state of mind. We’ll have more bad moments but, if we stay together, good things will come along.”

Tottenham put three past Bolton, Blackburn beat Swansea 4-2, Arsenal put four past Wigan and QPR were held 1-1 at West Brom.

On Sunday, Sunderland’s new manager Martin O’Neill watched from the stands as his side lost 2-1 against Wolves. Everton were beaten 1-0 at home to Stoke City.

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