Whoever Mancini purports to be ahead of the game, his side's mask of invincibility shows no signs of slipping particularly at home where it is now 36 games since the Blues have tasted defeat in an EPL contest. Sides have of course won at City's home in knockout competitions, Villa being one of them earlier this season in the Capital One Cup, but no one has left with three points for almost two years. The lifespan of that record was never in doubt from the moment that David Silva scrambled home his first goal of the season three minutes from the interval. It followed a spot of pinball in the Villa box from a corner. It was no less than City deserved after dominating possession though the nearest they had come to opening the scoring was a Carlos Tevez header that brushed the top of the net and another shot from the Argentinian that was shovelled around the post by Brad Guzzan. The keeper also denied Samir Nasri . Perversely it was Villa who fashioned the best chance of the half -- their only one as it happened. Christian Benteke was the man on the end of it directing a powerful header goalwards and affording Joe Hart the chance to show that class is permanent with a fine, spiraling save high to his left. There was clearly some relief for Mancini when the goal went it but the Italian was in good spirits having been boosted before this game by