Samir Nasri finds shooting boots to sink Swansea

Now for the difficult part for Manchester City. Having swatted Swansea City aside to maintain their flawless home record in the Premier League this season, a two-game road trip to West Bromwich Albion and Southampton before a potentially seismic Etihad Stadium encounter with Arsenal in 12 days' time will prove the acid test of their title credentials.

Seven wins out of seven at home is in stark contrast to four defeats and one draw from six away, yet if City discover how to replicate their ruthless home form on their travels there is a danger that the race for the Premier League title will become a procession by the spring. Two second-half goals from a revitalised Samir Nasri following Alvaro Negredo's eighth-minute opener, which extended his recent scoring run to seven consecutive home games, saw City move to within six points of leaders Arsenal.

At times, Swansea made Manuel Pellegrini's players chase the ball as much as Arsenal are likely to do next week, but the visitors failed to make the most of their possession and City ultimately delivered a lesson in finishing which should be heeded in south Wales. However, having stumbled at Cardiff, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Sunderland, City have the -opportunity to face Arsenal with their breath on Arsene Wenger's neck if they can play at the Hawthorns and St Mary's as they do at the Etihad Stadium.

"We have to improve our form away from home and we have two games to do this week," Nasri said. "Six points is not a lot, in terms of the gap before we face Arsenal." Prior to this game, City had scored 25 goals in five home games since losing 3-1 to Bayern Munich in the Champions League at the beginning of October. And with Tottenham Hotspur on the receiving end of a 6-0 hammering last Sunday, Swansea appeared in danger of enduring a similarly emphatic defeat when Negredo opened the scoring on eight minutes.

The 16.4 million pounds summer signing from Sevilla had almost teed up an opener for Sergio Aguero inside the opening minute when his pass to the Argentinian resulted in the forward's effort being saved by goalkeeper -Gerhard Tremmel. Negredo then went close with a 20-yard shot on six minutes which was also saved, but Tremmel was beaten by a curling free-kick two minutes later. Having been fouled by Jose Canas on the edge of the penalty area, Negredo punished the former Real Betis midfielder by sending his left foot effort beyond Tremmel to claim his 12th goal of the campaign and seventh in seven home games.

Negredo and Aguero were a constant menace to Swansea's back four, but the visitors responded well and gained a foothold in midfield, with Jonjo Shelvey proving a driving force for Michael Laudrup's team. Shelvey, deemed surplus to requirements by Liverpool before his pounds 6?million transfer to the Liberty Stadium this summer, was a key factor in Swansea enjoying more than 60 per cent of possession in the first half. He went close with two long-range efforts - both saved by goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon - as Swansea attempted to haul themselves level.

Martin Demichelis headed against the crossbar for the home side before Swansea had claims for a penalty rejected by referee Mark Clattenburg after the Argentinian defender appeared to pull Pablo Hernandez to the ground on 33 minutes. However, Swansea's best chance came on the stroke of half-time, when Jonathan de Guzman beat Demi-chelis on the edge of the penalty area and broke free before side-footing over the crossbar from 12 yards. It appeared easier to score than blaze the ball over the bar, but the Canadian forward managed to do the latter and spurn Swansea's clearest hope of an equaliser.

"We had two great shots from Jonjo and then that great chance from Jonathan," Laudrup said. "You have to take the few chances you get against teams like City, especially when they're at home." Although City were not quite so ruthless as in previous home fixtures, there was always the danger for Swansea that the home side would convert their second-half chances.

And so it proved, with Swansea being brushed aside as Pellegrini's team upped the tempo and secured the winning margin that their performance deserved. Nasri gave City a two-goal cushion on 58 minutes when he scored from inside the penalty area after Yaya Toure's powerful run created space for the Frenchman. And Nasri, who is showing the form that deserted him under former manager Roberto Mancini last season, made it 3-0 19 minutes later with a left-foot strike from 12 yards after Pablo -Zabaleta had pulled the ball back from the byline. In this form, City will certainly pose a stern test of Arsenal's resolve when they head to east Manchester on December14.

But if it is to top the bill as a title decider, City must prove they have overcome their travel sickness before Wenger's team check-in to the torture chamber that is the visitors' dressing room at the Etihad Stadium.