Manchester City is on the cusp of breaking record for quickest EPL side to 100 season goals

WITH Manchester City set to break 100 season goals in record time, could Alvaro Negredo be the key to its title dreams?

WHEN Manchester City takes on Cardiff this weekend, it is almost certain the side will rack up its 100th goal of the season (across all competitions) after just 33 games. The quickest to 100 across all competitions in the EPL era is Chelsea from 2012-2013 - taking 42 games!

City has scored five goals or more seven times at home already this season; talk about Manuel Pellegrini being true to his word. City's style is attack-minded, exhillirating, and when his team is motivated, you're likely to miss a hatful of goals if you get up to top up your drink.

On Thursday (EDT), it was Blackburn's turn to be exposed by City's relentless strike force.

Alvaro Negredo bagged a brace to take his tally to 21, Edin Dzeko knocked home his 15th, while most ominously, Sergio Aguero notched his 20th goal of the season just 49 seconds after returning to the field from an injury lay-off.

"It's an important amount of goals," Pellegrini said as his side reached 99 goals.

"I repeat when I arrived here it was important to try and win a trophy but in the way this team must play and it's important for the fans to come here and know that we are going to try and score the most amount of goals we can."

News_Image_File: Manchester City's Sergio Aguero with Edin Dzeko.

News_Rich_Media: Manchester City have hammered Blackburn Rovers 5-0 in their FA Cup third round replay at Etihad Stadium.

He added: "This is a good moment of the season. I do not know if it is the best - we have another three months and how we end it is very important. And the best way to do it is to try to play every game like a final."

It brings City's recent form to 14 wins from its last 16 encounters. But while a blanket can be thrown over the title contenders at the moment, with Jose Mourinho's stingy Chelsea on a five game streak having conceded just one goal, City has one undisputable advantage over all its rivals: unrivalled firepower upfront.

City has been exposed at times defensively - but if you're going to think "we'll just score more than you" - they've got the artillery to do it.

Aguero was the striker on everyone's lips before Luis Suarez's return from suspension. But any doubts about City's firepower without him have been alleviated by Negredo banging six in his last three outings, with Dzeko, supposedly wanting away from the Etihad, netting five in the same period.

City's attacking riches cannot be compared. They're not as reliant as, say, Manchester United on its strike force - David Moyes's strikers have scored a league high 71 per cent of its goals.

The likes of David Silva, Yaya Toure and Fernadinho have kept the prolific Negredo, Dzeko and Aguero to 46 per cent of Cit's total goals.

News_Image_File: There are other methods to win matches - Chelsea's defence is holding firm.

It helps when you have quality service from midfield - and we know Pellegrini has an embarrassment of riches at his disposal - the club has eight players in the Premier League's top 40 players ranked on assists. And Pellegrini is spoiled for choice when it comes to picking his preferred pair to cash in on those riches in his 4-4-2 formation.

"For me, that is not a problem. It is a problem when you don't have players to choose," he said.

"I think that Alvaro and Edin are in a very good moment. It is very important for the team that Sergio came back and scored."

We all know Aguero's big game qualities - especially Manchester United fans - but could the powerful Negredo be the joker in the pack in the Premier League title race?

News_Image_File: Manchester City's Chilean manager Manuel Pellegrini has a pleasant headache.

News_Rich_Media: The top five goals from round 21 of the EPL.

Having already eased the burden of Aguero's absence, "the Beast" is showing all the hallmarks to be the Premier League's signing of the season, after joining City from Sevilla.

A physical presence with a furious appetite for work, Negredo links well and has scored a full variety of goals in recent weeks - prompting Alan Pardew to dub him the "new Alan Shearer" befor City's clash with Newcastle last week.

And in the Champions League, his goals per minute ratio is better than anyone who has played a full game, while his shot conversion rate is only bettered by Lionel Messi.

Ironically, Pellegrini was Real Madrid boss when Negredo, now 28, left the club without game time on loan to Almeria, before four prolific seasons at Sevilla.

After his hat-trick in the FA Cup against West Ham, Pellegrini assessed: "On more than one occasion he ran back to win the ball.

"He recovered balls, he scored three goals, he was the link with the midfielders - it was a complete game.

"I always thought he was the player this team needed. I knew him very well from the nine years I was in Spain, so when he arrived here I was absolutely sure he was the striker we needed."

Talk about spending smart money. They paid $7m less for Negredo than Spurs did for Roberto Soldado. Tottenham has scored 33 less goals in the EPL.

News_Image_File: Manchester City has the depth - could Liverpool thrive without these two?

Negredo, the FTBpro PFA Fans' Player of the Month in December, rounds out City's options.

There are no guarantees that this emphasis on attack will win City the Premier League.

What if Chelsea's defence remains as miserly? What if Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge continue on cloud nine and maintain Liverpool's fight? Arsenal still hasn't dropped off, and with January re-enforcement and plenty of options in midfield, Arsene Wenger's side are worthy league leaders.

But if any of the top four managers needs a crucial goal at a crucial time, no one will be more confident of nabbing one than Pellegrini.

We'll get a good guide in two weeks, when City host Chelsea in the ultimate contrast in styles. News_Image_File: Manchester City has no shortage of striking options.