PEP NOT FEELING PREMIER HEAT AT BLUES

PEP Guardiola insists he has put together a City team that will challenge at the top for the next six years.

Ahead of the Premier League kick-off, the Catalan claimed he was building for the future after spending £220m on new recruits this summer.

And he dismissed the pressure on his shoulders after failing to deliver silverware in his first campaign at the Etihad.

Guardiola could take his spending to £300m as he continues to pursue Alexis Sanchez and a new centreback.

But he is adamant he is under no more pressure than when he arrived at the club – and insists the tag of title favourites means nothing.

“Last season we were favourites, too, and we finished 15 points behind,” he said ahead of today’s clash with Brighton.

“In my first press conference we were the favourites, so nothing has changed. I was confident last season too.

“It’s the same pressure. We are here to win the games and titles.”

Guardiola has overhauled his squad with the signings of Ederson Moraes, Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy, Danilo and Bernardo Silva.

He added: “We had one of the oldest teams in the Premier League so we decided to bring in energy with the new players and signed them for the next four, five, six years.”

City special: Pages 45-47