De Jong looks to push on as Ben Arfa calls for tougher punishment

Nigel De Jong believes Sunday’s five-goal romp was the perfect tonic as the Blues enter the home straight of the Premier League season.

Seven games now separate City from Champions League qualification and the Dutchman is sure that the collective spirit will push Roberto Mancini’s men over the finishing line.

“The win sent out an obvious message,” he declared after Sunderland were destroyed by a fluent City attacking unit, “There are seven games to go and anything can happen but Sunday’s win was a great confidence boost. If we perform as a team then we have plenty of quality. As long as we set up the defence correctly then our attacking players can show what they can do.”

“I am there to help the attacking players out,” he smiled. “Win the ball, give it to them and let them play. Our main goal from the start of the season was to qualify for the Champions League and that is still the main target. After Sunday we are closer; it was a helpful three points.”

Teammate Joleon Lescott, a vital part of another clean sheet as Joe Hart closes in on that record, summed up the win over Sunderland in one sentence.

“It was the most complete performance of the season,” he asserted. “We were collectively on point.”

The 5-0 win stretched City’s unbeaten home run to 13 games – 12 of them victories – during which time the Blues have scored 36 goals.

Boring, boring City??

Meanwhile, Newcastle forward Hatem Ben Arfa has called for tougher punishments on dangerous tackles as he continues his recovery from the challenge by Nigel De Jong which almost cost him his leg.

The 24-year-old France international returned to training on Monday with a view to making his comeback before the end of the season after being left with a double leg fracture at the hands of Manchester City midfielder De Jong last October.

Ben Arfa has accepted a texted apology from De Jong – who escaped without a yellow card at the time – but wants stricter measures in order to avoid a repeat.

He told Canal Plus, “I do not really understand English. But in his text, he told me he did not intend to hurt me and he was sorry. I told him it was okay, it was football. Anyway, the problem is that there was not even fault. I think he can get away with anything if there are no sanctions. I do not want to come down on the referees, but we still have to protect players a little more so if he wants to tackle like this again he thinks twice.”

Ben Arfa also revealed he required emergency surgery to save his leg. Quoted in several newspapers, he said, “I needed a second operation because I had an infection. It was a big infection which could have been very dangerous. I was told that I could have had my leg cut off if they didn’t operate on me very quickly.”