Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini pleased with improvement

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini felt his side showed glimpses of their best form as they thumped Aston Villa 5-0 to move top of the Premier League.

City also beat Tottenham last week and Mancini thinks they are improving on their early-season performances.

Mancini said: "We can do better but I hope we are starting to find the form of last season.

"In the last two games I think we changed something. In our mind we found a good spirit, like last year."

The victory took Mancini's side - the only remaining unbeaten team in the top flight - above neighbours United, who went on to lose at Norwich in the later kick-off.

Champions City have conceded only 10 goals in 12 league matches and have the best defensive record in the division, as well as the best goal difference.

Scoring goals has been more problematic of late and Mancini was pleased to see Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez grab two apiece against Villa, after Aguero and Edin Dzeko both netted against Spurs.

"For us it is very important we start to play well and in the last two games we have scored six goals with our strikers," Mancini added. "I think we have been missing their goals."

Villa boss Paul Lambert felt his side were in the game at the Etihad Stadium until City were awarded a controversial penalty for their second goal after 54 minutes.

Linesman Adrian Holmes flagged for a handball by Andreas Weimann as he leapt to meet a corner and referee Jon Moss pointed to the spot.

Lambert said: "That's never a handball. What the linesman saw there I do not know.

"You have got to be 100% sure to give that and he saw something I think 50,000 other people never saw.

"I haven't a clue what he saw. We were well in the game - we had a foothold in it, and that is a big thing coming here. But the penalty was a really shocking decision."