The German midfielder, who helped Sunday’s thrilling Manchester derby victory, hailed the squad’s ‘incredible quality’ and his manager’s talent for coaxing the best out of this players.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday night’s trip to Swansea, Gundogan declared: “Quality wise, we have so many talented, quality players. It’s just incredible.
“We can change one, two, three, four players – it’s just our type of football – and you won’t recognise someone is missing.
“It’s the fact that we also feel every single game now is going to be tougher and tougher for everyone when it feels like our opponents have even more will to beat us.
“It’s going to be very challenging of course but we’re having good moments so our confidence is rising.
“We have the quality – we’ve felt this already – but as we’ve said before, there’s still a long, long way to go until we can put our hands on the trophy.
“We haven’t won anything yet. We are not even halfway through the season. There are a lot more games to play and a lot more points to earn.
“We’re just enjoying it at the moment – enjoying it probably more than 19 other teams in the league. It feels good right now.
“We know that we are in a good way and that up to today, we’ve played a very good season in all competitions – not just the league – so we feel confident for the next weeks, months and the next games. Not more and not less.
“There are a lot more tasks waiting for us, especially I think in December because of all the games. Obviously, it’s the same for every team but it’s tough, it’s hard and it’s challenging so we’ll focus on the next game.”
On Guardiola’s managerial qualities, he added: “First of all, it’s about the team and he cares a lot about the tactics – about our own tactics and the opponent’s tactics.
“He’s preparing us for every single opponent in the right way. We always get a lot of images about our opponent and try to see how they want to attack and defend and obviously that’s the task of our coaching staff.
“Then it’s about our game. Our manager is the boss and he’s telling us how he wants to play and how we should play, what our best chances are to win.
“I think a lot he does is managing attitudes over the last months and every single player is just improving – that’s our feeling.
“Especially Raheem Sterling. Since the start of the season, our scoring is still high.
SWANSEA V CITY: WHERE TO WATCH ON TV
“Generally, our strikers and wingers are scoring a lot at the moment. This is also a great success but it’s about the whole team and we are defending very well as well.
“How we build up, how we have possession, how we save our teammates when we lose the ball and the opponent has the chance for a counter-attack… There are so many different facts of the game that we try to control and obviously Pep is the one who that shows us the direction and we try to follow it.
“I’m quite sure that the most important thing in every single game is that we are reaching our best performances in all tournaments.
“We know what we are able to play. We’ve showed this already in the last games. We know that in some games, we’ve made some mistakes; there’s a few details we can still work on but the results are very good.
“Of course, we want to continue like this but we know it’s not that easy. Every single opponent has their own quality and it’s always about having that mentality to go on the field and just do well to get – in every single game – those three points.
“Especially when we play every third or every fourth day, this makes it much more difficult but we feel ready at the moment.
“We have a deep squad, we have players that we are always able to change and we don’t lose any quality at all. It’s about the team, and as long as we are successful, we’re happy.”
Gundogan also spoke of his joy to be back in action, following his length injury lay-off.
“I’m so happy,” he declared. “Obviously after that long injury again, to come back after every injury feels harder and harder.
“I’m fit now, I’m healthy. I appreciate being on the field right now to help my team get points and win games.
“I will be there if my team needs me. I’m playing in all the games right now, I had the chance when I came back to take small steps and start from zero after my past injury so at the moment, everything is a bit slower but it feels more safe for me and I get more playing time obviously with every single week.
SWANSEA V CITY: TALKING POINTS
“I’m just trying to be a regular again, hopefully very, very soon and every game is just helping myself. After every game, I just feel better and I think at the end I feel in a good way now and hopefully I will continue.”
Previewing Wednesday night’s clash against struggling Swansea, Gundogan warned against complacency and spoke of the threat former Blue Wilfried Bony poses.
“It’s going to be tough,” he predicted. “Swansea away is always going to be tough.
“When we went last season, we scored the first goal but conceded one and it wasn’t easy to be honest.
“At the end, it’s just about ourselves and how they play – their defence, their long balls, their one-on-ones… so we need to be there. We need to be ready, we need to be fully focused and if we are able to do all these things, then we can play dominant again.
“I’ve never seen a striker as strong (as Bony). I’ve only trained with him a few times but it’s really tough to defend against him.
“He’s able to cover the ball and puts his immense body between you and the ball so it’s really tough to get the ball especially when he’s with his back to you.
“He’s also able to turn very quickly and he is good with his feet so it’s going to be tough for our defenders to defend against him.
“We want to defend well as a team and hopefully we’re going to have the ball for a long time of the game.
“We want to create these kind of situations and not give away the ball too much and have the best chance to win the game.
“We can have the ball, have possession, we will create chances and hopefully win the game.”
Asked what he feels it will take for City to achieve success come the end of the season, Gundogan replied: “Of course, a lot of work. We always need to work at every single training and every single game and get the three points.
“Even in the Champions League now, every single opponent will be much more difficult than it maybe was in the group stage so we are expecting a lot of quality players against us – a lot of quality teams against us in the next couple of months.
“It’s going to be very interesting. Of course, we want to continue as we have in the past weeks but sometimes you also need a little bit of luck and specific situations during the game.
“It was a real challenge to go to Old Trafford – one of the biggest stages of European or world football – to play against Manchester United, who are one of the biggest teams in history.
“We wanted to show everyone – first of all ourselves and then everyone else – that we are able to go there and play our type of football there: dominant, with a lot of possession, creating chances, accepting the challenge. We went there and got the three points.
“The players who are scoring need to stay healthy and you have to focus on what you have to do. Every single player for himself and also as a team.
“We just try to grow with every single game more and more, as a team. Just enjoy the moment now and take the momentum and try to continue like this. “
