QPR join big guns on agents' fees list

City were the biggest spenders on 10,537,982 - up from 9,663,700 - with Liverpool second having shelled out 8,600,444 - an increase from 7,000,242.99.

But it was Rangers, who brought in a number of high-profile signings over the summer including Julio Cesar, Park Ji sung, Jose Bosingwa and Esteban Granero, whose payments stood out, with their figure having almost trebled from 2,499,214 in 2010/11.

Tottenham (6,595,905) were fourth on the list, followed by Champions League winners Chelsea (6,490,382), Arsenal (5,580,873) and West Ham (4,436,992), while Manchester United's figure dropped to 3,681,580 from 4,457,103.

Promoted Southampton had the lowest figure (646,106), with Swansea - last year's lowest spenders - second-bottom of the list despite their payments having risen from 248,633 to 1,100,845.

The overall amount spent by the 20 top-flight clubs was 77,003,130 (806 transactions), compared to 71,868,749.94 (765 transactions) for the pre vious 12 months.

Payments made by each Premier League club to agents in the period October 1, 2011 to September 30, 2012 (amounts shown include payments made by clubs on behalf of players):

Arsenal 5,580,873

Aston Villa 2,730,539

Chelsea 6,490,382

Everton 3,092,891

Fulham 2,581,208

Liverpool 8,600,444

Manchester City 10,537,982

Manchester United 3,681,580

Newcastle 3,485,503

Norwich 1,248,725

QPR 6,818,688

Reading 2,167,833

Southampton 646,106

Stoke 1,717,266

Sunderland 2,173,762

Swansea 1,100,845

Tottenham 6,595,905

West Brom 1,341,301

West Ham 4,436,992

Wigan 1,974,305

Total: 77,003,130

Payments made by each Premier League club to agents in the period October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011:

Arsenal 4,648,532.17

Aston Villa 3,163,320

Blackburn 4,227,056.93

Bolton 1,941,896.08

Chelse a 6,457,747.37

Everton 2,931,127.10

Fulham 951,245.50

Liverpool 7,000,242.99

Manchester City 9,663,700

Manchester United 4,457,103

Newcastle 6,380,488

Norwich 710,251.75

QPR 2,499,214

Stoke 2,207,698.11

Sunderland 3,735,384.29

Swansea 248,633

Tottenham 7,571,815.27

West Brom 1,305,576.38

Wigan 659,800

Wolves 1,107,918

Total: 71,868,749.94

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says title race is not down to two clubs

Leaders United have a one-point advantage over reigning champions and neighbours City, with Chelsea and West Brom breathing down their necks six points further adrift.

Many critics are already ruling out the title credentials of a spluttering Chelsea side guided by new interim boss Rafa Benitez.

But Ferguson said: "It's early-season. It's only the end of November, so I don't think you can be certain by saying it's a two-horse race at this time.

"Over the years, we've always hoped the top five, or top six, are all capable of winning the league but eventually it ends up being a two-horse race.

"Year after year it's been like that, when you look at the space between the top two teams and the rest last year, the gap between ourselves and City.

"The important thing is you look at yourself. You need to stay up there all the time and this is not an easy league to do that."

City boss Mancini echoed similar sentiments, adding: "I think Chelsea could win. In this moment I think it's a three-horse race but it's difficult to say.

"It's difficult to say this because the season is long and I think in February when the Champions League starts then everything can change."

Mancini pleased for Balotelli

The Italian hit his first goal in the Premier League since March to turn an evenly-fought clash at the DW Stadium in City's favour after 69 minutes.

City went on to win 2-0 after substitute James Milner struck a superb second goal three minutes later before leaving the field injured.

Balotelli had been making his first start in his six games and his first since being dropped by Mancini for his attitude in training ahead of the clash with Tottenham earlier this month.

Since then the Italian has been troubled by a back injury and he endured a largely frustrating night on a cold night in Wigan, including missing a simple headed chance, before his decisive goal.

Ali Al Habsi was unable to hold a low shot from Gareth Barry and Balotelli reacted quickly to smash in the rebound at the second attempt.

Mancini said of Balotelli: "I am very happy for him because he scored his first goal this year. He scored an important goal.

"I hope h e can improve in the next week and the next game."

Mancini had considered taking Balotelli off in order to change a game in which Wigan more than held their own, but instead opted to remove his strike partner Sergio Aguero.

Mancini said: "We thought Mario or Sergio but Mario in this moment is maybe more fresh than Sergio.

"Sergio has played all the games and for this reason we changed. Also Mario moved well.

"He didn't play like he knows but in this position Mario was better in this moment."

Milner spent just 21 minutes on the field before leaving with a hamstring injury and will be assessed in the coming days.

City should have had a third when Maicon shot wide but Wigan's confident play had troubled City throughout the first hour and they had several good chances to go ahead.

One of them came shortly before Balotelli struck as an unmarked Arouna Kone diverted a header wide.

Kone, Jean Beausejour and Jordi Gomez had all gone close in the first half.

Latics boss Roberto Martinez said: "From our point of view, I think we edged the game for 60 minutes.

"The disappointment is we couldn't get the first goal in that period.

"But I loved the attitude, effort and personality that we showed. We kept showing that desire.

"It was a very pleasing performance from many aspects but we are still disappointed.

"I don't want to be a Wigan Athletic representative saying we are happy to lose with a good performance against the champions. That is not accepted any more.

"It is not good enough for us. We are disappointed we couldn't get a positive result."

Nastasic enjoying life at City

The 19-year-old, who joined City from Serie A side Fiorentina this summer, impressed in the 2-0 Premier League win over Wigan at the DW Stadium on Wednesday night.

Mario Balotelli, who made his first start in six matches, gave City the lead in the 69th minute before substitute James Milner hit a stunning second three minutes later to seal the win.

While Balotelli was busy writing headlines with his first Premier League goal of the season, Nastasic continued to quietly forge a solid defensive partnership with Vincent Kompany at the other end of the pitch, even though Joleon Lescott was available for selection after returning from injury.

The composed teenager has been in good form and has become a key part of a City defence that has kept five clean sheets in their last six league games.

However, while the Serbian says he is enjoying the English game, he is still learning alongside one of the best defenders in the business in the form of Kom pany.

"It's going very well. I'm very happy. The road is the right one and I think I'm going the right way," Nastasic said.

"I've been here for the last two or three months and, yes, I am playing with Vinnie (Kompany) but the other guys are good - Joleon, Kolo (Toure) - and they can also play well but I'm feeling good.

"We (Vincent and I) talk every day on the pitch and on the training ground, and it makes me happy to play alongside such an excellent captain and in such a good team.

"I do like the way the English game is because it is quite quick. In Italy it is a little bit slower but I do like it and I prefer to pay in a quick game.

"Whatever I am learning, I am learning along with Vinnie."

City boss Mancini was satisfied with Wednesday night's result in what was an evenly fought match, although it was not all good news for the Italian as Milner picked up a hamstring injury.

Milner spent just 21 minutes on the field before b eing forced off and will be assessed in the coming days.

"Against Wigan is is always a difficult game like last year but in the end we deserved to win," Mancini said.

"Maybe we didn't play like we did against Chelsea but we played good football.

"James scored a good goal and played very well. We are disappointed with his hamstring but hope he recovers quickly."

It was a game of contrasting fortunes for Wigan boss Roberto Martinez, who saw his side come away empty-handed despite creating clear-cut chances.

Arouna Kone wasted their best chance when he put a header wide before City broke and took the lead when Balotelli snaffled a rebound.

"I thought we were really strong and well-organised, especially in the first half, not allowing Man City to find any rhythm," Martinez said.

"We then found ourselves in probably the best situations in the game to take the lead but couldn't find that final ball to take advantage and when you're playing well in those periods you need to score the first goal.

"Their first goal was a real setback and then moments later we conceded a goal which is an outstanding strike from outside the box, but in terms of the work ethic and the way in which we stopped the opposition for long periods, I was very pleased.

"Sometimes when you perform well against these sides and end up on the losing side it can be too easy to accept the outcome, but the dressing room is very disappointed to have not taken a result and we need to learn now how to take advantage of those situations before the opposition does."

Latics look to end City run

Roberto Mancini's men have not tasted defeat in their last 19 league games, a sequence which includes the final six matches of last season's successful title run-in.

They extended what is a club record run in the competition with a goalless draw at Chelsea on Sunday, although it was not enough to see them regain top spot.

Naturally it is something they want to maintain but, speaking ahead of the Wigan clash, Mancini's number two David Platt played down its significance.

The first-team coach said: "The unbeaten run is there, it becomes a thing people talk about, but it counts for nothing if you are drawing games and drawing games and drawing games.

"We see that after 13 games, we are still a point behind (Manchester) United, who have lost three games but have also got 10 victories.

"We will try to protect the unbeaten run, but not to the point where we are going to stop trying to win games.

"It gives you a confidence that you are difficult to beat but that is all it does."

Platt landed himself in trouble last week when he was sent to the stands during City's Champions League clash with Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium.

He is now banned from the touchline for next week's final Group D game at Borussia Dortmund, a match from which the best City can do is secure a consolation place in the Europa League.

Platt said: "It's a mistake of mine. I grumbled about the referee to the fourth official.

"Letter of the law says you can't do that, and I accept the responsibility and the decision."

Platt, speaking at a press conference to preview the Wigan game, had words of support for winger Scott Sinclair, who is still to make an impact since his August move to City.

The 23-year-old Great Britain Olympic player, signed for a reported 6.2million, has made just five appearances.

Platt said: "Every player wants to feature more, and Scott is doing fine.

"He h as done well when he has come on, and when he has started games as well, but we have a big squad and everyone is aware of that."

City are still without left-back Gael Clichy due to an ankle injury while right-back Micah Richards remains sidelined following knee surgery last month.

There remains uncertainty over when he will return with the player having feared a lay-off of up to four months, but Mancini delivering a far more optimistic assessment.

Platt said: "Micah is progressing. Our immediate concern is always for players who are on the horizon to come back and Micah is not quite there yet.

"In terms of getting back to playing, without knowing, even if he gets back on the training pitch in two or three weeks, it is probably going to be a three-month thing."

Platt hails 'exceptional' Nastasic

Earlier this month Mancini walked into one of his press conferences wearing a Platt mask, a jovial reference to his recent habit of asking his number two to speak on his behalf.

And it was Platt again who addressed reporters as City previewed their midweek Premier League trip to Wigan.

The former England midfielder claimed it had nothing to do with the fact it was the Italian's birthday, but said there was work to do with the game coming just three days after the last.

Platt said: "It's not just his birthday, the games are coming thick and fast and his words are in the system."

Platt went on to speak positively about the champions' defence, with Sunday's goalless draw at Chelsea bringing a fifth clean sheet in seven Premier League games.

Among their key performers has been 19-year-old defender Nastasic, who is now blocking the return of fit-again England centre-back Joleon Lescott to the team.

The Serbian, signed from Fiorent ina on deadline day in August, has started the last seven matches in all competitions.

Lescott missed part of that sequence with a back injury but has been back in contention for the last three games.

Platt said: "That is testament to him (Nastasic). He has stepped in. The first couple of games he has had to get used to English football but he has done that very quickly.

"The really, really good performance - he has had several good ones - but the real one where it might have been a bit alien to him was when we went down to West Ham.

"You knew the ball was coming in, they were hitting the diagonal balls towards Andy Carroll and I thought he acquitted himself exceptionally well.

"You get that a lot in the Premier League that you don't get in Serie A and it shows there is an old head on young shoulders to adapt to that."

Lescott did not even make the bench at Stamford Bridge with Kolo Toure preferred as back-up central defender, but Pl att does not think much should read into that.

He said: "Joleon is fine. He will be available for selection like he was available for selection at the weekend.

"He has been available for selection for a few games, but we can only put 11 on the pitch."

City also have no worries about the fitness of key defender and captain Vincent Kompany.

There were suggestions the Belgian could be rested after defying the knee injury suffered in last week's Champions League clash against Real Madrid to play 90 minutes at Chelsea.

But the 26-year-old, who was outstanding at Stamford Bridge, has not suffered any reaction that would prevent him playing again.

Platt said: "It's not a case of it being too much at all. Vinnie would have still been feeling the effects of the injury that he picked up last Wednesday in the game but he got through the game and got through it very well.

"We don't really have any concerns for him tomorrow night."

While City were solid at the weekend, they were also frustrated at their failure to convert any chances.

They have not reproduced the brilliance of the early part of their last campaign, when by this stage, 13 games, they had scored 43 goals, 11 more than their current tally.

Platt said: "You can't draw comparisons to last season. I don't know how many goals we are down from last season, but we were setting records left, right and centre last season so that was a false thing.

"We would like to have a few more of course because it would have got those extra victories, but 13 games gone, one point off the top, still unbeaten; there's enough in there to be pleased about."

Platt is taking little notice of the league table ahead of the clash at the DW Stadium.

Wigan have won just four games and remain in the lower reaches of the table, but Platt feels they have produced some eye-catching play.

"They are all tricky games," he said. "Wigan have a great deal of belief in themselves and have even when they haven't got results.

"Roberto Martinez puts that into his teams. He wants them to play, they make the field very big when in possession and because of that they can cause you problems."

Milner: City lacked cutting edge

City were unable to reclaim top spot in the Premier League on Sunday as they endured a frustrating time in front of goal against their title rivals at Stamford Bridge.

While some may see that as further proof City are still lacking the dynamism of last season, they remain unbeaten and Milner views it as a good sign that they are disappointed with such a result.

The 26-year-old told City TV: "Any time you come away from a ground like this, against the European champions, and end up being disappointed not to get a win is a positive thing.

"We were the better side, we had the better chances and restricted them to not too many.

"I thought we played a good game and didn't quite get the three points.

"We have got things to work on. We need to take our chances - we had a number of corners and chances that didn't go our way.

"When we are on top in games and have territory and chances we are not quite putting teams to bed like we shou ld be.

"Hopefully we can improve on that during the season.

"There are positives and negatives to take out of the game."

Milner, who made his first Premier League start since being sent off at West Brom a month ago, did not feel there was anything wrong with City's approach to the game.

Roberto Mancini's men now trail rivals Manchester United by a point at the summit ahead of a midweek round of fixtures which sees the champions travel to Wigan.

Milner said: "It shows mental strength because sometimes, when you have those days, it is easy to think it's not our day and sit back and let the other team into the game and have chances themselves.

"I don't think we did that. We were pretty solid and moved the ball around pretty well.

"The pitch wasn't the greatest but we tried to be positive and it just didn't happen for us at the business end."

The game was short on entertainment with Chelsea managing just one shot on target and City five. Most of the headlines were made by the home fans' negative reaction to the arrival of their new manager Rafael Benitez.

The visitors' best opportunity came when Sergio Aguero headed at Petr Cech late in the first half.

Another area City shaded was the corner count, having 11 to their hosts' six.

Milner said: "When you are on top of teams you are going to have set-pieces.

"We have got quality delivery with 'Kolar' (Aleksandar Kolarov) and David (Silva) and people like that.

"We need to maybe come up with a few new things and make sure we attack that ball. I'm sure the goals will come."