Manyama and Ngoma have been a cut above the rest as the duo have so far managed a combined 30 goals and assists for the Citizens, who lifted the Telkom Knockout trophy last year and who currently sit joint top of the Absa Premiership standings. Often, the former Mpumalanga Black Aces pair are seen working in tandem – one being the provider while the other finishes – but Manyama refuses to credit their success to something “special”. “The whole team has done well but, obviously, the combination between myself and Aubrey has stood out,” said Manyama earlier this week.

“There’s nothing special that we can [attribute it to]. We’re quite close and we’re very good friends from way back when he [Ngoma] was still at Tuks, then we became teammates at [Mpumalanga Black] Aces and now we’ve moved together to Cape Town. “We spend a whole lot of time together, we talk and we watch a lot of football together, but I think it all boils down to one thing: Aubrey and I are running out for each other.” The Absa Premiership Player of the Month for October-November and December says they have gotten to learn one another’s thinking and habits when it comes to their play, which has allowed them to move in sync. “If we weren’t running as much as we do then we would have a problem. I think the movement between us has been very good, and that goes back to last season," he adds.

“There are certain things we learnt about each other, and he’s probably one of the best players when it comes to crossing the ball. “With the quality he has, I know, from last season, the kind of movements that I have to make because I know when he gets to a certain place he’s going to cross the ball in a certain way. “He’s very precise in terms of how he connects with the ball, so it’s a matter of when he gets the ball I just have to move because he knows my movement and my qualities. There’s nothing special.” City will be coming up against Orlando Pirates in their next league clash at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday evening, with Manyama and Ngoma expected to be the main attack on a leaky Bucs defence, judging by their recent run of results.