The versatile Frenchman is currently working his way back to fitness after a slight hamstring injury prevented him from making the pre-season tour to Thailand.
Asked to play as a striker on several occasions last season, Antoine rose to the challenge with some excellent performances and some vital goals. It comes as something of a surprise to hear that the 30 year-old had questioned himself, but he now feels that last season’s efforts have truly settled him at the club.
“I am a player who needs to feel that the players around me, the people in the club and the fans have confidence in me.
“Now I can say I have that and I can say, ‘my club is Manchester City’, I really feel that.
“It was not like that in the first season but now I have a chance to have a great season and that is what I want.”
The Frenchman is candid to the point of possibly being harsh on himself in his assessment of his first two seasons at the club, but he’s not likely to try to look for excuses for himself now that is really settled within himself at the club.
“I don’t have an excuse now to say why I didn’t play well or missed this chance or that pass.
“I expect to miss just a couple of games as I can’t play every game of the season.”
