Frank Lampard is "still playing like he's 18 years old" and driving Manchester City's Premier League title race with former club Chelsea, according to Pablo Zabaleta.

Full-back Zabaleta hailed Lampard's growing influence as the City hierarchy consider whether to seek an extension to the 36-year-old's Etihad Stadium loan deal.

Former Chelsea and England midfielder Lampard fired his 174th Premier League goal in City's 3-0 victory at Southampton on Sunday.

The ex-West Ham star is scheduled to join New York City FC in January after leaving Chelsea last summer, but Manchester City remain keen to extend his stay in the north west.

Manchester City - the latest match pictures Show all 111 1 /111 Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Manchester City 0 George Boyd shoots to score the opening, and winning, goal for Burnley GETTY IMAGES Manchester City - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Manchester City 0 George Boyd celebrates GETTY IMAGES Manchester City - the latest match pictures Burnley 1 Manchester City 0 Sergio Aguero in action against Burnley GETTY IMAGES Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Leicester 0 Vincent Kompany sits among the subs after being dropped GETTY IMAGES Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Leicester 0 David Silva puts Manchester City in the lead GETTY IMAGES Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Leicester 0 David Silva celebrates his goal Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Leicester 0 Wilfred Bony in action for Manchester City GETTY IMAGES Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 2 Leicester 0 James Milner celebrates his goal GETTY IMAGES Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 5 Newcastle 0 Wilfried Bony came on in the victory over Newcastle to make his Man City debut. Getty Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 5 Newcastle 0 A quick-fire David Silva double put City five goals to the good. Getty Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 5 Newcastle 0 Edin Dzeko tripled Newcastle's misery with a third goal before half-time. Getty Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 5 Newcastle 0 Samir Nasri doubled Manchester City's lead with an emphatic strike. Getty Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 5 Newcastle 0 Sergio Aguero put Manchester City ahead inside two minutes after Vernon Anita gave away an early penalty. Getty Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 1 Hull 1 Samir Nasri celebrates with James Milner after the latter scores the equaliser against Hull Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 1 Hull 1 James Milner curls a free-kick in to the back of the net to salvage a 1-1 draw with Hull Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 1 Hull 1 Sergio Aguero has a close-range shot stopped by Allan McGregor Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 1 Hull 1 David Meylor scores to put Hull into the lead against Manchester City Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 0 Arsenal 2 Olivier Giroud heads Arsenal 2-0 in front GETTY IMAGES Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 0 Arsenal 2 Aaron Ramsey misses the target Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 0 Arsenal 2 Olivier Giroud celebrates with Santi Cazorla Manchester City - 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the latest match pictures Manchester 3 Crystal Palace 0 James McArthur had a headed goal ruled out incorrectly for offside with the score at 2-0 Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester 3 Crystal Palace 0 Dacid Silva strokes home his and City's second goal Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester 3 Crystal Palace 0 Brede Hangeland and Martin Kelly are unable to prevent David Silva's deflected shot going in to break the deadlock Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Leicester 0 Manchester City 1 Joe Hart pulls off a fantastic save from Esteban Cambiasso's free-kick Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Leicester 0 Manchester City 1 Frank Lampard celebrates with Samir Nasri after giving Manchester City the lead Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Leicester 0 Manchester City 1 Frank Lampard taps the ball past goalkeeper Ben Hamer Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Leicester 0 Manchester City 1 Leicester fans remain defiant in their support of Nigel Pearson after his clash with a fan last week Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Roma 0 Manchester City 2 City players celebrate their victory in Rome Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Roma 0 Manchester City 2 Manchester City's Samir Nasri wheels away in celebration Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 1 Everton 0 Pablo Zabaleta checks on Yaya Toure after the midfielder collapses with a leg injury Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 1 Everton 0 Yaya Toure scores from the penalty spot what would turn out to be the match-winning goal Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 1 Everton 0 Phil Jagielka clips his England team-mate James Milner to give away a penalty Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Manchester City 1 Everton 0 Sergio Aguero limps off the field after just two minutes with what appeared to be a serious left knee injury Getty Images Manchester City - the latest match pictures Sunderland 1 Manchester City 4 Zabaleta prepares to celebrate after scoring GETTY IMAGES Manchester City - 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"For me what makes Frank Lampard special is how professional he is in training: this is what I appreciate from him," said Zabaleta.

"You see him at training: he is the first to arrive on the training ground and the last to go home.

"He won everything with Chelsea, he's a legend in football and he's still playing like he's 18 years old."

Lampard coolly slotted City's second and decisive goal at St Mary's on Sunday, helping Manuel Pellegrini's side shrug off a red card for defender Eliaquim Mangala.

City leapfrogged Saints into second place in the Premier League table, closing the gap on leaders Chelsea to six points.

Pellegrini's men face Sunderland on Wearside on Wednesday night, with midfield general Yaya Toure pledging to ignore criticis of his early-season fight for form.

The Ivory Coast star is ready to put a hectic 12 months behind him and lead City's title race against Jose Mourinho's Chelsea.

Toure, who struck City's first goal at Saints on Sunday, has endured the death of his brother, detractors of his form and a spat with club bosses over his birthday.

Now though, the 31-year-old is fully focused on bringing more silverware to the Etihad Stadium.

"For me the most important thing is I try to do my best for the team," said Toure.

"Sometimes people are not thinking we are human beings, people are always trying to criticise you even though you are a human being.

"So I never think about those things, I always try to focus on my team.

"The Premier League is important, and whenever we lose we will get criticised.

"Teams will always step up their game against us, and we know we've got to try to keep place with Chelsea."