City boss Peter Grant wants no more false dawns ahead of the visit of play-off chasing Stoke.Grant is demanding his side build on the midweek victory over table-topping Birmingham after a rollercoaster month of results.

City boss Peter Grant wants no more false dawns ahead of the visit of play-off chasing Stoke.

Grant is demanding his side build on the midweek victory over table-topping Birmingham after a rollercoaster month of results.

“We've been here before - one good game and then the complete opposite the next one,” he said. “That is what I need to try and get away from. I'm absolutely delighted with us at the minute but it's not about two games, it's not about one game - it's about consistency throughout a season. If we did certain things right then we shouldn't need to go back to them.

“It should be, 'right we've done that part, we know what is expected there, now what else can we add to it'. That's what we're trying to do - build on it every time.”

City's first defensive shut out in 15 matches against Steve Bruce's side was one major building block.

“I'm big on clean sheets,” said Grant. “You give yourselves a massive chance of winning games. With people like Hucks, Chrissy Martin, Dion Dublin, and guys like Earnie and Chris Brown when they are fit we have players capable of scoring goals - so we'll not lose too many.

“It's something we work on very much - I want that devilment in both boxes and we're starting to have that. Defenders need to feel like strikers when they score. Not conceding goals should be a great feeling for them, they should celebrate as if we've scored a goal.”

Grant singled out double Premiership champions Chelsea as the template after Jose Mourinho's 'Blue bus' frustrated Man City during midweek.

“I watched them the other night - they go 1-0 up and you can see it on the City faces,” he said. “It was, 'we're not going to win'. I'd love to have that mentality - that if we score teams think they're not going to beat us.

“It starts right up the pitch - putting pressure on the ball and moving the back four up. I felt we gave Birmingham too much space for a spell in the first half the other night but we got better, tightened up.

“Then we couldn't get out when they threw caution to the wind but we stood strong as a group. Apart from one or two good chances everything else was blocked from 20 yards - all credit to the players.”

The City boss insists fostering a competitive edge is key to maintaining the Canaries' upward curve.

“That's what I want - competition every day because you see the benefit of that every day,” he said. “The boys know the standards and I'm trying to get that competitiveness within the team. When you have a small group your hands are tied. People know if they have someone pushing them you tend to get performances.

“When you come in you have to play exceptionally well to try and dislodge players. That's how we become a much more consistent side - by keeping everyone fit and adding quality to it.”