Manchester City assistant manager David Platt hailed the professionalism of his side during their 2-1 win over West Ham on Saturday.
Last season's champions are all-but certain to secure second place in the
Premier League, while West Ham are comfortably mid-table, but Platt said he
always felt that his players would approach the game in the right manner.
Andy Carroll scored in injury time as his shot squirmed through Joe Hart's legs, but it was not enough to overturn the hosts' two-goal deficit secured by goals from Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure.
Roberto Mancini's right-hand man was keen to stress that City must continue performing at their best, despite their attempts to regain their title having ended in failure.
"We came into this one today and we didn't expect
anything different from the group of boys that we've got. The intensity has
been there in training this week and the focus has been there, it felt like a
normal game," Platt said
"This football club has got to a point where it's
obligated to win football matches regardless of whether there is anything on
the game. We want to secure second place as soon as we possibly can."
Platt also confirmed that goalkeeper Hart suffered
from a spasm in his back which he felt may have hindered his ability to save Carroll's goal in the last minute.
"There was nothing visible that happened in terms of
being involved in something, as he kicked a ball his back just spasmed,"
he explained.
