The French midfielder looked in great shape during his second-half cameo against Sunderland where he dominated the final half-hour with a typically commanding performance.
“When I first arrived at City I knew it would take a little time to get back to match fitness,” said Vieira.
The three-game suspension obviously didn’t help things, but I enjoyed the 30 minutes or so I had at Sunderland and I’m looking forward to the remaining games.
...Patrick Vieira
Vieira believes Sunday’s clash with Fulham will be another difficult hurdle as the Blues continue their bid for Champions League football.
“I’ve watched Fulham a few times this season, particularly when they’ve played in the Europa Cup and I think they are a very good side,” he said.
“Since Roy Hodgson took over they have been really well-organised and difficult to break down. They work very hard for each other and they are very difficult to beat on their own ground.
“Craven Cottage is a traditional English ground, too and never an easy place to go. It’s quite a tight stadium with the fans right on top of you and I don’t think anyone relishes going there.”
Vieira reckons there is one player in particular the Blues need to keep a close eye on if they are to leave with all three points. He said: “Bobby Zamora is having a great season and he seems a much more complete player these days.
“He’s very strong and excellent at holding the ball up and he’s also been scoring and making goals, too, so he will be a threat.
“We know things aren’t going to get any easier on the run-in. When you get to the final ten games of the season, every match is tough whether you are playing teams at the top or the bottom.
“The teams in the top half are either vying for the title or the Champions League and the clubs in the bottom half are battling to avoid relegation.
“We want to finish fourth as badly as anyone, but I think we’ve shown we can battle as well as play good football.
“We proved against Chelsea and Sunderland that we react well to going behind in games and have a great spirit within our team.
“What we need to do is make sure we score first and then push on. If we can do that at Fulham, I think we can go on and take all three points.”
