City have won four Premier Leagues in six seasons under Guardiola, including a remarkable two back-to-back titles – 2017/18 and 2018/19 as well as 2020/21 and 2021/22.
They’ve also held aloft four League Cups and an FA Cup under the boss.
Guardiola knows that adding trophies to the cabinet increases the expectation already circling the Etihad Stadium.
But he firmly stressed that success is never guaranteed and must be earned season after season.
City are currently second in the Premier League and are through to the Round of 16 in the Champions League as Group G winners with a match to spare.
The manager is excited about City’s prospects this term and said the best way to stay in the hunt on all fronts is respecting all opponents in every competition.
He said believing ‘we are good, we are going to qualify, we are going to win’ only ensures success not continuing.
MATCH PREVIEW | LEICESTER v CITY
“That would be [one of] the huge mistakes we can make. The biggest one,” said Guardiola in his pre-match press conference.
“You have to avoid it. You’ve got to be humble, respect our opponents.
“One of the reasons why we are successful in the Champions League is that we respect incredibly – and the players know it – every opponent. All of them.
“We play Carabao Cup, we have three meetings. Three - set-pieces, offensive, defensive. And maybe four. It’s the only way to be there.
“If the club believe I don’t have to do it because I won, it’s the first step to go down.
“To be right now just two points behind the leader is so difficult, it’s so complicated, to still be there one more year close to the top of the league.
“The reality was here at Brighton. I saw the locker room after Brighton, the players were exhausted. They didn’t even take [pick up] the phone. Imagine how tired they were! They didn’t have even the energy to open and see Instagram.
“That’s why I am so happy all of us to be in the next round [of the Champions League] and in the league, these three [games] to be focused to try to go to the break and then after the World Cup to start, together already, to finish the season. This is my view.”
Guardiola says he’s ‘satisfied’ to be second heading into Saturday’s clash with Leicester City, kick-off 12:30 (UK time).
And he believes that the next three top-flight games before the winter break – against Leicester, Fulham and Brentford – are huge in setting up the team to succeed when they restart after the World Cup.
He added: “I am satisfied but there is one team that has been better - today Arsenal would be champions.
“But yes, in general, coming from back-to-back [Premier League titles], expectations about how we react after the previous back-to-back, which was really, really poor at the beginning of the season.
“This run was completely the opposite. In this part of the season, it was completely different – qualifying for the Champions League was the main target.
“Look at how many incredible top teams are out of the Champions League already – with still one game left to decide everything. This is the main, important thing.
“In the league, it is to try to be there because we knew it was not going to be decided before the World Cup. Never. Even with no World Cup, it is never going to be decided.
“But of course, with the break, it is important to finish as high as possible in the table.
“We have three games in our hands – still nine points to play – quite a lot. I have the feeling these three games will say a lot about, not our future, but about what we want to do in the Premier League this season.”
