I thought the three points the City lads got against Queens Park Rangers were massive and, in my opinion, it was one of the most important wins the club has had in the past few years as it brought to an end a run of four games without a win.

The victory has further lifted the club to 10th in the Premier League and opened the gap between themselves and Bolton, who are third from bottom, to seven points.

December is one of, if not, the biggest month in the football calendar with games coming thick and fast. The Christmas period can go a very long way to deciding whether it’s going to be a relegation battle from the new year until the beginning of May.

Norwich have six games this month with the first tomorrow away to the league leaders Manchester City. Roberto Mancini’s men haven’t lost in 13 league games this season, winning their six home games at the Etihad Stadium, scoring 19 goals and conceding only three in the process.

It’s going to take one mighty effort for anyone to stop Manchester City this season after all the money that’s been invested on the playing staff there.

Mancini has assembled one of the best squads of players in Premier League history.

In fact, he could probably pick two sides and they both would finish in the top half of the league, that’s the strength in depth he has at his disposal.

I scored a few times against them in my career, a couple of them coming while wearing the great yellow and green.

The one that sticks out is a headed goal past Nicky Weaver at Maine Road a good few years ago. It was a goal that brought us level but sadly we went on to lose that day by 3-1.

We might not be able to compare the two clubs financially, but what we can look towards is the character and togetherness of the squad, something which the boys have in abundance.

Let’s hope that with these qualities the lads can come away with a positive result tomorrow afternoon.

• FOOTBALL’S LOST A TRUE HERO AND LEGEND OF THE GAME

I was left stunned, shocked, and devastated last Sunday morning when I heard the tragic news that Gary Speed had taken his own life at the young age of 42.

I had known Gary for 22 years since we both were named in Terry Yorath’s Wales squad to face Holland in a World Cup qualifying game in October 1989.

Over the next few years I was fortunate to be in many Welsh squads alongside Gary and he was such a pleasure to be around.

He was a fantastic servant for Wales, first as a player and then as captain, and in the past 12 months he had begun to turn the fortune of Welsh football around as manager.

He was such a down to earth bloke who always had a smile on his face, always had time to stop and talk to anyone and was always only too ready to sign autographs for whoever asked.

He was a true gentleman of the game and I was so lucky to have played with Gary, to have had him as a captain and most of all to have had him as a good friend.

On Sunday the footballing world lost a true hero, a legend to the game and one that I and many others will never forget.