TOP DOG PEP LAPS UP THE TITLE STRAIN

‘We’re the favourites.. but I believe in my players’

PEP GUARDIOLA says he has spent nearly a decade living with the pressure of being the title favourite – and he is ready for it again.

The Manchester City boss says that after being top dog at Barcelona and Bayern Munich he can cope with the extra scrutiny.

Rival Jurgen Klopp (right) deflected from his own heavy spending to heap the early expectation on Guardiola, who said: “For nine years I’ve lived with that situation, it’s no problem.

“Since then, we won the Double or Treble every season and we were the favourites. So we are the favourites again. Thank you, Jurgen, you are so kind.”

Guardiola has the relaxed air of a man who knows that, providing his team perform to their capabilities, it doesn’t matter what the other contenders do. And last weekend’s impressive performance in the Community Shield against Chelsea convinced him that his players have the necessary hunger to become the first team to win back-to-back Premier League titles since Manchester United in 2009.

“My players have shown me in the last two seasons we can trust them, that we have a good squad” he said.

“But it’s a big mistake to think about last season’s title. The main thing is to improve individually and collectively.

“To concentrate on the next training session, the next game and then the next one. Then we’ll see the table at the end of the season.”

Asked what his own motivation is, he replied: “My job – and to be with these players. Winning is the best motivation – to try to achieve what we did last season. We were so happy – so why not try it again?” City have only bought one player – £60million record signing Riyad Mahrez – but because of their £420m investment in the previous four transfer windows the squad has been revamped with young, gifted and improving players. Defender Aymeric Laporte, bought in January for £57m, will be better for six months of adjusting to the English game.

Benjamin Mendy will be like a new signing after missing virtually all of last season through injury, while the emergence of home-grown youngster Phil Foden gives City even more exciting, midfield creativity.