RUBEN Dias says City are ready to disappoint their doubters again as they push for another historic season.
City became just the second English team to win the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League in a single campaign last year and as silverware season approaches again they are well placed in all three competitions.
Two points off the top of the league with a game in hand, they face Luton and Copenhagen this month for a spot in the quarterfinals of their two knockout tournaments. Pep Guardiola's fears that winning the Treble would prove difficult to keep motivation going appears to have been misplaced, although it is a run of nine straight wins that started with the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia that has rejuvenated City's season. Before they jetted off to win their fifth trophy of 2023, they had won just one of their last six Premier League games that left them facing questions about whether they could defend their crown.
City's manager hit out at what he saw as extreme reactions to that run of form, pointing out the quality of opposition they had faced and their positive performances despite the results. That feeling found its way into the dressing room, and chimed with the longstanding feeling that City's achievements have been underrated - Guardiola has said it is 'unfair' that 'only' City are expected to win the league and will be deemed failures if they do not.
Ruben Dias is discussing a season that has seen him and his fellow defenders criticised by Guardiola for a year in which they have only kept one clean sheet in the last 12 when he refers to City being in a good position 'whatever people might say!
If that seems curious given there has been little coverage disparaging their season, it is evident that the Blues are using any criticism or perceived slights as motivation to keep their eyes on more prizes.
Esta historia es de la edición February 08, 2024 de Manchester Evening News.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición February 08, 2024 de Manchester Evening News.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Ten Hag wants a £200k 'privacy wall' at Carrington
ERIK ten Hag has reportedly requested a privacy wall to be built at United's training ground, costing the club £200,000.
"There is no reason to expect any sort of statement after Sir Jim's meeting'
UNITED are yet to clarify Erik ten Hag's future following their executive meeting in London on Tuesday.
ETH says Ugarte needs time but it's hard to develop if he's not playing...
ERIK ten Hag's decision to drop the two central defenders he had worked with previously and pushed to be reunited with at Old Trafford attracted plenty of attention this week, but it wasn't his only surprising selection call.
BEV'S LOOKING TO GO CRAZY!
BEVAN French admits it will be 'a crazy feeling' if he can light up Saturday's Grand Final with another of his freakish tries.
HAALAND ON 'GABGATE' 'What happens on the pitch stays on the pitch'
STRIKER HAS ‘NO REGRETS' OVER THROWING BALL AT GAB
Root: Plenty of runs still to get
JOE Root insists there are 'many more runs left to get' overhauling Sir Alastair Cook to become England's record Test run-scorer.
'Local Retail Champions make our communities better places to live'
LOTTERY OPERATOR ‘EXCITED' TO RECOGNISE RETAILERS, SAYS ALLWYN CEO ANDRIA VIDLER
Badenoch or Jenrick to lead Conservatives
ROBERT Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch will go head-to-head in the final heat of the Conservative Party leadership contest, after James Cleverly was knocked out in the latest round of voting.
Letby told colleague of 'distress'
CHILD serial killer nurse Lucy Letby told a colleague more than a year before her arrest she was worried she had \"maybe done something wrong\" to babies, an inquiry has heard.
Idris acts to give youth a chance
IDRIS Elba has partnered with The Prince's Trust to launch a new project that aims to give a 'chance' to the young people of Manchester.
