Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has said that the failure to defend the Premier League title last year is the driving force behind team to become champions again this season.
City is now playing with the confidence and expression that evaporated under Roberto Mancini last term during the club's title defence, the Daily Star reports.
Manchester United beat their neighbours into second place by 11 points in Sir Alex Ferguson's final season.
City also lost the FA Cup final to relegated Wigan to end the campaign trophy-less before Mancini was sacked, the report added.
City travels to Tottenham on Wednesday to maintain the pressure on leaders Arsenal, and are still in the Champions League and FA Cup along with reaching the Capital One Cup final.