Jury still out on impact of Man City's ongoing 'friendly fire'

They're portrayed as the basket cases of the English Premier League: a bunch of unhappy and overpaid spoiled brats whose daily squabbling sessions mean that Eastlands has about as much harmony as the exercise yard at a maximum security prison. And yet Manchester City's unbeaten run since October leaves them just three points off the top of the table.

Captain Carlos Tevez vents his anger at manager Roberto Mancini when substituted and talks almost weekly about quitting the game. England internationals Joleon Lescott and Adam Johnson drop unsubtle ultimatums, demanding regular first-team action. And fights at practice are becoming as common as Lancashire rain.

But is this kind of 'creative tension' actually bringing out the best in Manchester City's squad? And could these all-too-frequent 'bust-ups' actually be having a positive effect?

England striker Kevin Davies says 'no' because City's conduct is 'frustrating and embarrassing'. Davies' Bolton side, who lost 1-0 at the City of Manchester Stadium last weekend, are the antithesis of the Citizens with their ability to make the most of limited resources thanks to their renowned team spirit.

Yet others in the game believe players having a chip on their shoulders at training can be helpful to building intensity for match-day.

Last month, AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani was quick to defend teammates Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Oguchi Onyewu when an altercation became physical.