fans as their team stroll to title after title, but there is never a dull moment on the blue side of town where Manchester City continue to put their fans through the mill.

Saturday's 1-0 home win over West Ham United just about summed up City -- a deflected goal by Bermudian striker Shaun Goater, half an hour of dominance and then desperate backs-to-the wall defiance.

With new goalkeeper Carlo Nash in inspired form, three off-the-line clearances and a shocking injury-time miss by West Ham's Bulgarian striker Svetoslav Todorov, they emerged with their first home win since December 9.

They also have an outside chance of Premier League survival. City have edged above Coventry to 34 points but still trail Derby County and Middlesbrough by four points.

A win and a draw would be enough to overhaul Derby if Jim Smith's team lost their remaining games against Ipswich Town and Manchester United. But Middlesbrough's far-superior goal difference means City would need all six points to get above them should they lose to Bradford and West Ham, who are not safe themselves on 39.

City have to visit Ipswich next week and end the season at home to Chelsea on May 19. Joe Royle, who famously won his last three games with Oldham to complete a shock escape eight years ago, believes it could happen again.

"If you don't believe in it, don't hope it can happen, it won't,'' said Royle, the former City, Everton and England centre forward.

Royle has already experienced some extraordinary times since taking over the club in February 1998 when they were about to suffer relegation to the Second Division.

The following year they won promotion in the most dramatic of fashions, scoring twice in injury-time before beating Gillingham on penalties in a play-off final at Wembley.

Last season they finished second in Division One to return to the top flight and spark waves of expectation among their long-suffering fans. But the season has been one long struggle, with the dire home form that has produced 11 defeats at Maine Road the fundamental problem.

"We were exceptional in the first half and should have been out of sight but for a change today we had a bit of luck,'' Royle said. "West Ham got stronger and stronger but they kept missing chances and Carlo made some world-class saves and I thought it must be our day.

"But it's taken a while coming, believe me, because we've lost a lot of games here unfortunately -- so it's nice to win 1-0 when you've had a bit of luck.'' Asked how he was dealing with the tension Royle shrugged and said: "It was the usual City, you get used to it.

"It's never been easy, I've been here just over three years and it's never been any different.

"We had players out there with injuries and overall in our position you can only admire them.

"The pressure these lads have been under since Christmas, to turn in a win like that was outstanding. And the fans were brilliant, as they have been all year.'' Crunch time: Manchester City's Danny Tiatto (right) is challenged by West Ham's Christian Dailly.