Vincent Kompany has urged Manchester City to drive home their Premier League dominance by keeping their ‘foot on the gas’ – and ensure they do not become one of football’s fall guys.
The Etihad outfit head to Newcastle on the back of a 4-0 success over Bournemouth that stretched their lead to 13 points.
Kompany’s stylish side are expected to extend their record winning run to 18 games on Tyneside, but the skipper won’t take anything for granted – and especially that the championship race is over.
He has not forgotten how City themselves overturned an eight-point deficit to neighbours Manchester United in 2012 to triumph on a dramatic final day.
Newcastle, then led by Kevin Keegan, also infamously threw away a 12-point advantage over United in 1996, having topped the table from August until March.
“Yeah, I do [look at that],” says Kompany when reflecting on the 2012 comeback and the risk of complacency.
“I don’t know if everyone will remember, but it was six games left and we were eight points behind, so that’s why I am always the first guy to come in and say ‘no guys, we can’t really take the foot off the gas’. I really don’t want that.
“We push, we push, we push, and no one has the right to let their performance down, their guard down.
“We have to [keep this up]. It’s the first thing you think about. I was saying when you are on such a run you almost want to put it aside straight away and think about the next one because you know how little it takes to lose that special feeling.
“I think we all have a role to say something and there are a lot of experienced players in the team. We do mention it, but the manager will have mentioned it many times before as well.
“But then ultimately it’s the same for everything. We all have that feeling and we don’t want it to go away.”
City will no doubt come under increasing pressure in the second half of the campaign.
Loving every moment of it. #ManCity #KeepGoing pic.twitter.com/ZXlBZECLJo
— Vincent Kompany (@VincentKompany) December 23, 2017
Not only with many tipping them to go through the season unbeaten, but from a chasing pack led by United, reigning champions Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs.
“It’s the first time we have been ahead like this,” added Kompany, who also led City to success in 2014.
“Honestly I don’t know [how it will be different]. It’s just that thing where you still feel it’s a bit too early to draw any conclusions.
“We are in a position where we can just focus on our football, not anything else and winning the game and having the performance at the same time. It’s a bit different, but you can be in a position where the team, you kind of competing with, wins a game early doors and you have to play in the evening and you have to win it’s a different feeling. But the desire to win is there.”
Having only returned to action against Bournemouth after missing three games with a muscle injury, Kompany will be assessed before being considered to face Newcastle.
Boss Pep Guardiola said: “Every time he comes back we are happy and praying he’s going to stay [fit]”
Eliaquim Mangala is in line to deputise and Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus are also pushing for starts as Guardiola looks to rotate his squad.
