Pep Guardiola says Manchester City are a better team than last season – and has highlighted the moment he knew the Premier League title was won in 2017/18.
City hit the 100-point mark as they won the league in record-breaking fashion last season.
They are involved in a tight title race with Liverpool this season, but Guardiola thinks his side have improved from a year ago.
“In little details we are better than last season, which is normal because we have more time together,” he told Sky Sports.
Asked how City have improved, Guardiola added: “Our process, our build-ups, our high pressing we can use different movements, we have more alternatives to defend into attack and we are more solid when we defend deeper.”
City were confirmed as champions on April 15 after Manchester United’s shock 1-0 home defeat to West Brom.
They had missed the chance to win the title a week earlier after blowing a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 at home to United – a result that was sandwiched between their two-legged Champions League quarter-final loss to Liverpool.
While Guardiola acknowledged the United defeat was “disappointing”, he said the way his side responded, winning 3-1 at Tottenham, showed him that they would win the title.
“Even in games when you are winning 2-0 or 3-0 with 20 minutes left to play I am still not comfortable in saying it’s already done,” he explained.
“But in that game, the way we reacted after a tough week with a Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool in the middle and then United, the way we played the first 10-15 minutes in that game, said to me that we are going to win the Premier League.”