Sven expects City to sink

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City head to Fulham tonight knowing a win would see them end the weekend in second spot almost a fifth of the way through the campaign.

Upward looking but realistic: Sven says City will struggle to maintain their position

For a club who spent the latter half of last term terrified of tumbling into the Championship, it is a startling about-turn in fortune, particularly as Eriksson was forced to make a rapid entry into the transfer market, bringing in eight new players within three weeks of being installed as Stuart Pearce's successor.

But, faced with the might of Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea, all immediately below the Blues, Eriksson does not believe City can maintain their present position until next May.

"I would be fantastic to keep this position until the end of the season but it is not very realistic," he said.

"If you ask any football expert, none of them would say we will be second in the league.

"I am happy with where we are but if I am being honest I am also surprised.

"We will try to stay here but, while we are good, I don't think we are that good."

Even if City do fall away, Eriksson has certainly laid down a marker for what he expects to follow over the course of his three-year contract.

A one-time target for Manchester United and Chelsea, Eriksson claims he has every intention of seeing out his present contract and feels City's fortunes will improve even further once he gets an opportunity to attack the transfer market in a more measured manner.

While talk of a £150million January transfer kitty have been laughed off, Eriksson has been promised more funds by new owner Thaksin Shinawatra.

And he is promising the money he is given will be spent wisely.

"I have always said to Dr Thaksin the players we are going to buy will be an investment," he said.

"If you buy someone at 32, you will never get your money back. But if you buy someone in their early 20s, even if it is not going well, you will. That is the difference.

"But, I have to say, the next time I buy and sell players, I want more time."