Mancini's expensively-assembled side, after ending a 35-year trophy drought by winning the FA Cup last season as well as qualifying for the Champions League, now top the Barclays Premier League.

City have been in outstanding form this term, dropping only two points and scoring 33 goals in just nine games to open up a five-point lead over the rest.

The progress since Sheikh Mansour's Abu Dhabi United Group bought the club three years ago has been considerable and, even given their willingness to continue spending lavishly, Mancini thinks it is going better than planned.

The Italian, who spoke to chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak this week, said: "I think they should be very happy because in football it is very difficult to get to the top in a short time like us.

"But now it is important to stay there for a long time.

"After the FA Cup I thought this year we could do another step, fight with (Manchester) United and Chelsea for the top of the league.

"But at the moment I think we started very well."

When asked whether he thought success was coming quicker than expected, he added: "Probably, yes."

City underlined their title credentials with a stunning 6-1 derby win over champions Manchester United at Old Trafford last week.

It was the club's biggest derby win since 1926 but while fans are continuing to revel in the outcome, Mancini has consigned it to history.

He believes the speed with which his players move on will indicate their maturity. Mancini made 11 changes for the midweek Carling Cup win over Wolves, but most of the victorious derby players are likely to return for tomorrow's league clash against the same side at the Etihad Stadium.

He said: "You can be happy after the game but the day after that you should think about the next game.

"It doesn't change because we beat United, it is in the past.

"This is one way we can improve. If we continue to win it is important for the confidence."

Mancini's continuing success has strengthened his position at the Etihad Stadium massively.

He is now a firm favourite with City fans and, since the derby, he has found United fans stopping him in the street too.

He said: "I get stopped by Manchester United fans.

"They say, `I am a United fan, I am red, but congratulations for the victory'."

Yet when asked whether that was really true, Mancini, speaking at his Wolves pre-match press conference, said: "No, actually sometimes they say '**** off'.

"After the game two or three United fans said, '**** off'.

Mancini was on the end of some criticism last week from his predecessor Mark Hughes, who suggested the Italian's management style was autocratic.

Mancini, however, did not want to be drawn into a war of words.

"I don't know Mark Hughes and he doesn't know me," he said.

"But I am happy every game that he talks if we win 6-1!

"I respect every opinion, I don't have any problem. I have met him only two or three times."

The likes of Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany, Joleon Lescott, Yaya Toure, David Silva, Mario Balotelli and Sergio Aguero had a night off as City won 5-2 at Molineux on Wednesday.

While they are likely to come back in, Wolves are also set to revert to a more familiar line-up after making nine changes themselves.

Mancini said: "Every time we play against Wolves we have a problem.

"Last year we lost away and here they were down 4-3 and in the last few minutes had a good chance to go 4-4.

"The problem will be if we think we can play not at 100% like (against) United, that we think we can play 50% against Wolves.

"If we don't play serious we can have a problem.

"I think if you don't always play very strong against every team you can take a risk.

"We made 11 changes because we needed to change the players for the game in the Carling Cup.

"Tomorrow will be different and three days after we have a Champions League game, so I am sure we will do seven or eight changes."