Mills praises 'improved' City

Pep Guardiola's side broke a plethora of records on their way to achieving 100 points in an almost faultless campaign last season, though Danny Mills believes the side have gone up another level. 

He remarked: "I think they have learned and developed. Last season it was 'we are going to play this way no matter what'. All-out attack, pass, pass, pass, and they came unstuck against Liverpool.

"We've already seen this season that Pep has just changed it slightly against some of those big teams and been a little bit more guarded at times."

"Mendy's come in at left-back which I think has added to them defensively. Kyle Walker doesn't have to go as far forward down the right-hand side, he can tuck in and be a bit more defensive.

"Laporte is looking very, very good defensively so I think they've developed slightly. In those bigger games they now have the nous and knowhow of how to win a game and grind it out at times which is what they will have to do."

Questioned on if he believes the 'Citizens' could surpass their 100-point haul of last season, Mills answered: "Possibly. The big three, four, five, six teams seem to be very, very dominant at the moment and seem to be taking an awful lot more points off the clubs lower down.

"I think that would back up what some people have said in that this could be the lowest points total ever that teams will stay up with.

"It will be how they get on against each other, of course, but at the moment you've got three, four teams in very good form, all playing well and hopefully that goes right down to May next year."