Danny Welbeck insists Manchester United's league position is the most important thing after enduring a stop-start personal campaign this term.
The 22-year-old has only been a bit-part player for Sir Alex Ferguson this season following Robin van Persie's arrival at Old Trafford.
Despite just one goal for the Red Devils this term, the England forward refuses to get down-hearted with United sitting seven points clear at the top of the Premier League.
He told the Sunday Mirror: "It's been a bit stop-start. I've not been playing in my favoured-position up front - I've been on the wing in most games - so it's been different to last season, when I played mostly as a striker.
"But we're in a great league position, which is the most important thing."
Despite not being a regular in the team, Welbeck is using his time on the training pitch to his benefit.
He added: "This is the best club in the world and I pick up great experience training with the other strikers."
The Blues bounced back from their defeat at Sunderland on Boxing Day to record a third win in the last four and keep leaders Manchester United within striking distance.
City got off to the best possible start at Carrow Road, with a quickfire brace from recalled Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko which put them 2-0 up inside four minutes.
A deflected free-kick from Anthony Pilkington halved the deficit, before midfielder Samir Nasri was shown a red card for pushing his head into Norwich defender Sebastien Bassong as the pair squared up on the touchline.
City, though, did not buckle and extended their lead at the start of the second half with a well-taken effort from Sergio Aguero and then twice withstood Norwich's threatened comeback to close out the result.
"To remain with 10 players here is not easy, but I was sure we could still score goals, and we had our chances," said Mancini, who confirmed City are likely to appeal Nasri's red card which carries a three-match suspension.
"I am happy because we continued to play and did not just sit deep with our players. We have won two games now when we had only 10 players, also at West Brom, and that should say we are a strong team.
"The season is long, and we still have a chance."
City remain seven points behind United, but Mancini is not reading too much into the gap just yet.
"At this moment, United are better than us, because they are on the top. But for us, it is not important to look at the table now. We need to work, win and maybe in February we will look again," The Italian added.
Mancini had freshened things up after their defeat at the Stadium of Light, opting for Dzeko in place of Carlos Tevez at the spearhead of the attack.
Despite walking off with the matchball, Dzeko was denied a hat-trick after his breakaway effort on 67 minutes has been officially credited as an own-goal after the ball bounced off the post and the back of Norwich keeper Mark Bunn before rolling into the net.
Norwich had turned over both Arsenal and Manchester United during their 10-match unbeaten Premier League run, but have now lost three on the spin.
Despite two close-range efforts from Russell Martin - deputising as captain in place of injured striker Grant Holt who remains touch-and-go for the New Year's Day trip to West Ham - the Canaries could not conjure some late drama.
Nevertheless, manager Chris Hughton remains positive for the challenges ahead as his team look to maintain distance between themselves and the relegation dogfight.
He said: "The real plusses are we have played away at West Brom, who had a wonderful season, the Champions League winners (Chelsea) and now the Premier League winners in consecutive games, and have been in all of them, losing by just one goal, so that is a measure of where we are.
"For clubs like ourselves always look at it as a bonus when you get scalps against the big ones, and we were fortunate to have two of those here.
"But we are not unrealistic of how difficult it is, and the quality these sides have.
"Our season will not be defined on these matches, it will be about making sure we get enough points when we can elsewhere."
According to reports the Magpies have finally reached an agreement with the Ligue 1 side on a six million euros transfer after failing to land the player despite protracted talks during the summer.
The 27-year-old, a former team-mate of midfielder Yohan Cabaye, has made no secret of his desire to head for Tyneside, and a resolution to the long-running saga would come as a huge relief to manager Alan Pardew.
Sources in France have indicated that could now happen with the transfer window due to open on Tuesday, and that would come as a timely boost for Pardew after a difficult festive programme.
The 51-year-old side saw his team score three times at Manchester United on Boxing Day and on a further three occasions at Arsenal on Saturday, yet leave empty-handed having conceded a total of 11 times.
Newcastle's lack of depth has been cruelly exposed by injuries and suspensions in recent weeks and they headed for the Emirates Stadium with only one specialist central defender, skipper Fabricio Coloccini, with Steven Taylor on the long-term casualty list and Mike Williamson suspended.
They have little cover either at full-back, with Danny Simpson, who is out of contract at the end of the season and is yet to agree a new deal, and Davide Santon facing little genuine challenge for their places in the team.
Debuchy's addition to the squad would put a player of international quality at Pardew's disposal.
He appeared in all four of his country's games at the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine last summer and now has 13 senior caps to his name.
Should the Magpies push home their interest in Debuchy, he is unlikely to be their last defensive target and they retain an interest in FC Twente's Douglas, a man they also chased last summer.
Given the Red Devils had 10 shut-outs by the same point last term and are currently only five adrift of the 33 goals they conceded in the entire campaign, it seems an odd thing to say.
Even Evra admits it is bizarre. However, the Frenchman is adamant, and, even though almost all his team-mates, and most importantly his manager, have expressed concern at the manner of United's defending, he has none.
"The confidence of keeping a clean sheet is good," he said.
"I am a defender. I don't like to concede goals. But I am more bothered about winning games and I know when we have a big game the defence will be strong.
"Maybe it sounds bizarre but I feel we were weaker defensively last year even if this season we have conceded more goals.
"I know sometimes it is about concentration and we can do much better but it does seems the opponent scores every time they shoot. I am not worried about the goals."
For all the doubts expressed about their performances at the back, United evidently have enormous strength at the other end of the field.
Even with Wayne Rooney injured and both Javier Hernandez and Robin van Persie rested, United were able to establish a winning position against a West Brom outfit who can name Liverpool, Everton and Chelsea amongst their victims this season.
When Sir Alex Ferguson's men faltered, Van Persie's contribution from the bench was to score his 17th United goal to wrap up yet another win which ensures they enter 2013 seven points clear of Manchester City.
"Robin is impressive," said Evra.
"He reminds me of Ruud van Nistelrooy. He came on and scored that goal. He just has to keep going."
If there is a hidden danger from Saturday's success, it came from a stamina sapping surface, which survived a pitch inspection prior to kick off and, according to Ferguson, left Michael Carrick "running on memory".
It surely means a significant number of changes can be anticipated for Tuesday's visit to Wigan, with the outfield players who have started all United's Festive fixtures so far - Evra, Carrick, Jonny Evans and Antonio Valencia - the most obvious casualties.
"I am lucky to play a lot of games," said Evra, who was starting his 22nd game of the season.
"Until I can't run, I will ask to play. I will rest when I retire. That is the name of my game."
In previous years, an encounter with Wigan would be regarded as a comfortable three points no matter what team Ferguson turned out.
All that changed last April when Shaun Maloney scored the only goal to trigger the collapse that eventually saw City crowned champions.
"Tuesday is important," said Evra.
"When we lost there last year we didn't show anything. It was a really bad performance.
"This year we don't have any excuses. We know what to expect."
As for West Brom, they can approach a meeting with Fulham in positive mood despite the result and in 19-year-old midfielder George Thorne, they have a player of immense promise after being pitched straight in following his impressive loan spell at Peterborough.
"George only came back from Peterborough yesterday and though I had other options, I decided to throw him in," said Baggies boss Steve Clarke.
"He was frustrated because he couldn't get in our team, so we let him go out to get match experience and play competitive games in the Championship.
"We got some great reports on him. I knew he could go in there and play and he did very well."
