Manchester City midfielder Nigel De Jong has admitted that the club are "grinding out results" as they approach the latter stages of the season.
The 27-year-old also claimed that while City are no longer playing "beautiful football", they are happy with their current form.
"We have had a difficult time in the last few weeks, but the important thing is that we are still at the top," De Jong told The People.
"There will be times when you aren't playing well and that is when you have to show that you have good character.
"Earlier in the season, we weren't just winning games, we were playing some beautiful football. Other teams have learnt from that and now they know they have to stop us playing.
"In the last few games we have proved that we now have another way of winning, by grinding out results. If we win 1-0 until the end of the season we'll finish top."
De Jong joined City from Hamburg in 2009.
Matt Law
