There is speculation aplenty in today's media as to just how high this City team can fly this season.

And why not? It's all positive stuff, speculative though it may be.

The one most Blues will enjoy is the unattributed ‘Graphic of the Day’  in The Guardian suggesting how many goals Roberto Mancini’s side may score this season.

The accompanying text reads: “Manchester City have scored 33 goals in their nine league games so far this season. If they continue this rate, they will eclipse all previous records in the 38-game Premier League era.

“Only one team have scored more than 100 goals in a Premier League season – Chelsea in 2009/10 – but, if Manchester City continue in their current prolific vein, they will score closer to 150 goals by May.”

That’s a prediction and a half, but one that we could all live with!

Meanwhile, in the Daily Mirror, David Anderson does some comparisons of his own – with Barcelona. Though likening City with the best team on the planet for the past few years won’t be welcomed by Mancini, it’s going to happen more and more if the Blues continue to dismantle teams in such breath-taking manner.

Anderson writes:  “Roberto Mancini dismisses comparisons between his Manchester City side and Barcelona as deftly as David Silva shrugs off an opponent.

“But the City manager is going to find it harder to play down such talk if Silva and Co continue to dazzle like this.

“Roberto Martinez first made the comparison last month after his Wigan side had been blown away by Sergio Aguero at the Etihad Stadium.

“He likened them to the Barca of 2008-2009, when Pep Guardiola was on his way to winning his first Champions League.”

There is also a fascinating head-to-head with the Catalonian giants at the foot of the blog, including passed made, goals scored, shots and short passes made.

In fact, it’s only the latter stat that is a notable difference in the comparisons displayed and Anderson adds the views of former City skipper and boss Tony Book who reckons David Silva is the best player he’s seen in England since George Best.

“’George had everything. He could run at you, he could pass it short or long and he could score goals,’ Skip is quoted.

This lad is right up there with him. I would put him in that category

...Tony Book

He’s top drawer, it’s as simple as that. I don’t say that lightly and for me he is pure quality.

“He has the same all-round game as George and you can see that every time he’s on the ball. He makes it all look so easy and he has that ability to pick people out with those slide-rule passes.

“People wondered if he would be able handle the speed and physical nature of the Premier League and it was the same with George. He maybe needed a month or two to get used to it, but no-one has been able to stop him.’”

All in all, I think we can all get used to people purring about our boys!