Guard of honour
“In general to be at this moment of the season, with the desire to run and run, it was the same last season.
“First game of the season, away at Arsenal with a new manager after 20 years? No-one can deny it is complicated, so to win the way we won is more than pleasing.”
City look as hungry as ever despite their record-breaking success last season, when they won the title with a record 100 points and also lifted the League Cup.
Installed as heavy favourites to finish top again – which would make them the first team to defend the title since Manchester United in 2008-09 – City’s ruthless performance was ominous for their rivals.
And Guardiola twisted the knife by insisting City are still some way from their peak.
Asked how much motivation his players have, Guardiola said: “It is not a question that needs an answer. I can say to the players ‘are you hungry?’ and they say yes boss but I don’t know. They show me on the green stuff (the pitch).
“We are not going to judge what is going to happen after one game but we try to respond, we try to be ourselves.
“The way we won is so important for us, for our confidence, now we move forward. Of course our average level is high, but I have a feeling still we can improve.
“The winter time is coming. Lots of things happen. The best way to defend it is to be calm.
“We spoke about this before the game. they know they can do it. We are a strong team, after that we will see.”
One difference for City this season is the presence of Benjamin Mendy at left-back.
The France international missed most of last season with an injury and Guardiola admitted his return is still a work in progress.
“Mendy is Mendy. Sometime you want to kill him and sometimes you say ‘wow what a player we have’,” he said.
“He has a lot of things to improve. Hopefully we can convince him to be calm and forget the social media!” – AFP