Man City's holiday challenge is keeping Chelsea close, Frank Lampard closer

The future of Manchester City's season could hinge on the next 10 days. Of course, the most crucial part of the Christmas period for the Blues to keep the pressure on Chelsea is picking up maximum points from fixtures with West Brom, Burnley and Sunderland -- but there are some other key issues to sort out, too. And this combination could mean success or failure in 2014-15 for Manuel Pellegrini.

The 3-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday proved that, at least in the short term, the champions can cope without a senior striker. The visitors battled hard and made it tough for the home side, but ultimately City's movement and clinical finishing (three goals from three shots on target) was what won out.

Manchester City

Crystal Palace

3

0

FT

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That the defence is keeping clean sheets is an added bonus: City can get away with only scoring one or two in a game if the back four is keeping the opposition out.

However, with just over a week of December left, whether or not Frank Lampard remains at the Etihad could be a key part of how well the Blues' title defence goes. So far, he's proved many people -- myself included -- horribly wrong with how involved he's been in first-team matters. It seemed like a mutually beneficial agreement: Lampard would get to train with Premier League players ahead of his move to New York City FC and MLS, while City would get an experienced midfielder should there be a crisis. But, in all honesty, he wasn't expected to play much.

Who'd have thought when he signed he'd make enough appearances to win another Premier League medal, should Pellegrini and company successfully defend the title?

Now, after having wiped the egg from our faces, the doubters are wondering about whether the midfielder will stay in Manchester after his loan deal expires at the start of January. With the role he's played so far, it could be fatal to the club's chances if an agreement can't be reached and he moves to the USA.

He's not just been cover. He's been a ship-steadier coming on from the bench in the final minutes. He's been a goal threat, gliding into the box like in his heyday. He's been an expert passer, able to control and dictate play and get City moving forward. He's been, arguably, the best signing of the summer and an important cog in the machine in the first half of the season.

So it's little surprise that the Manchester City charm offensive quickly began in earnest. It started in late November, with the manager commenting that they'd look for a solution that worked for both club and player. That message quickly became one of trying to thrash out a deal to extend the loan, before many of the players started mentioning how much of a nice guy and a good influence Lampard is during their post-match interviews.

It finished with Pellegrini explaining how he'd spoken to the midfielder and he'd told the boss that he wanted to stay. So, surely now, it's just a matter of signing on the dotted line?

For City fans, the answer is sadly not.

When the deal was done, it was originally criticised by Arsene Wenger. The Arsenal boss deemed it an easy way around Financial Fair Play Regulations because Manchester City's owners have a stake in New York City, but that's not really an argument to be had. Aside from there being a paper trail and written agreements, Lampard was a free agent -- why go to the effort of loaning him from a sister club when they could just get him for nothing anyway?

The very fact that Lampard is with New York is something of a problem for City. For him to stay in England past the start of the MLS season would be something of an underhand trick to pull; he's one of the club's marquee first signings and one that their brand has been built on. Just because he's discovered he's got more time in him in than perhaps he thought in the Premier League doesn't give him license to go back on that.

New York will feel the same, not really wanting to delay the arrival of one of their biggest assets.

There will, of course, be some negotiating and the most likely outcome is that the midfielder continues with the English side until the American season begins in March. It would be ideal for the Blues to at least secure his services while the African Cup of Nations takes place, as that immediately rules out Yaya Toure for as long as Ivory Coast are competing. Throw in an injury or two and a packed fixture list -- which might yet include FA Cup replays -- and the midfield could be stretched even if Lampard were to stay.