After Manchester City fire on all cylinders at the Etihad with a powerhouse Fernandinho showing, have we seen the next Premier League champions in action?

By Jamie Redknapp for the Daily Mail

Published: 17:54 EDT, 15 December 2013 | Updated: 22:09 EDT, 15 December 2013

Arsene Wenger said that Manchester City are no better than Southampton or Everton, but that strikes me as a strange thing to say, especially when they have scored 16 goals and conceded only four against Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham.

They were on fire against Arsenal on Saturday in another display of their attacking power. That’s 35 goals for and five against  in eight home league games.

Wenger’s team have a break of nine days between games before they play Chelsea — and they need this rest. Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil look short of energy and the medical team will be working overtime with Laurent Koscielny.

Champions elect? Manchester City, with David Silva (left) and Yaya Toure, put leaders Arsenal to the sword

Clicked into place: Summers signing Fernandinho has become a powerhouse in midfield for City

If you had to pick a champion based on Saturday, it would be the boys in blue; City are purring and the only thing that can stop them is their away form, which has been awful, with four defeats in eight games.

They have a lot of the top teams to play away in the second half of the season which might be the saving grace for all the contenders, unless City can repeat a fraction of their home form on the road.

The growing presence of Fernandinho, who has taken a while to settle, is giving them more midfield power.

Rollercoaster ride: Manuel Pellegrini (right) was by far the happier of the two managers at the Etihad

Welcome back Theo

It was a bad day for Arsenal but there was a sight to lift the spirits of every Englishman: the return of Theo Walcott. Two goals and a threat to Manchester City on the break with pace.

I hope he is fit for the World Cup in Brazil, when counter-attacking could be a weapon. England teams have not always had pace but Walcott and Andros Townsend change that.

For club and country: Theo Walcott returned to Arsenal action with a bang by netting twice

Anfield Artists

Liverpool’s football made Spurs look like weightlifters trying to catch pigeons.

Every Liverpool player looked comfortable. It’s remarkable that they lost their last away game 3-1 at Hull. 

Having no European football has helped, because they look fresh.

Hitting the headlines: Jordan Henderson was the standout player in their 5-0 demolition over hapless Spurs

The stand-out player was Jordan Henderson. He looked surplus to requirements but he has knuckled down and proved his value.

Against Spurs he ran a marathon and his dynamic third-man runs, off the ball, were too much for the Spurs midfield. The teams were evenly matched before kick-off, but Liverpool’s gameplan and their pace was too much for a Spurs team who laboured.

Brendan Rodgers has tricky clashes at Manchester City and Chelsea to come that will tell us how serious his side’s title ambitions are. But with Suarez and after this 5-0 rout, they have nothing to fear.

Talisman: Luis Suarez was in typically breathtaking form as Brendan Rodgers' men ran riot

Unfair just to Hammer them

West Ham are playing with fear. Upton Park is not an easy place for any player to be having a bad time because the crowd is unforgiving.

West Bromwich Albion have panicked by sacking their manager but West Ham should not do the same. Sam Allardyce will know his way around a relegation struggle, although one thing is for sure — they won’t be playing pretty football to get out of it. Stand by for plenty of launching.

Under fire: But Sam Allardyce hould be given more time in charge of struggling West Ham

Right now, the players need to show some character and the home crowd ought to recognise they have a role to play, too. They need to stay with the team, especially during these difficult times.

I’m fed up with hearing, ‘It will be OK when Andy Carroll is back’. We’ve all said it, but it’s time for the players who are fit to step up.

Sam is without his three best players: Carroll, Winston Reid and Stewart Downing, as well as captain Kevin Nolan, but others have to deliver for him.

Fighting fit? The Hammers cannot rely on Andy Carroll returning from long-term injury

Where is Benteke?

What has happened to Christian Benteke? He is a lion playing like a pussycat.

When I last spoke to Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert he was raving about his talisman and said that he trained like a demon and deserved his goals.

So why since he signed his big new contract has Benteke’s form dropped alarmingly? He is too easily marked by defenders. Where is his fire?

Loss of form: Christian Benteke (right), challenging Antonio Valencia, has seen his goals dry up severely

Harsh on Clarke

Football never ceases to amaze me. Steve Clarke being sacked by West Bromwich Albion is a big call. The chairman, Jeremy Peace, needs to have an ace up his sleeve. It was only weeks ago that Morgan Amalfitano was running through the Manchester United defence to help record a remarkable victory.

They have suffered a run of four defeats, but they are not being badly beaten and Clarke has not lost the players.

As a club, it seems to me they have unrealistic ambitions. What do they expect?

Down and out: Steve Clarke was ousted as West Brom manager after a run of four defeats

The turning point seems to have been giving away a two-goal lead against Aston Villa. A poor derby result can have an effect on a group of players, because there is no escaping it and everyone keeps reminding you.

Clarke has done a good job.

The next man has to take on an ageing squad. It’s not an easy role.

Clarke will get another job and he should remember the last manager to be sacked by Mr Peace, Roberto Di Matteo, then went and won the Champions League. Another left to become the England manager.

It’s not game over when you lose your job at The Hawthorns.

On to bigger things: Roberto Di Matteo won the Champions League after being sacked by West Brom