Manchester City legend makes bold trophy admission on Pep Guardiola’s remaining Etihad Stadium tenure | OneFootball

Former Manchester City striker and club hero Paul Dickov has make a bold admission on the club’s future prospects on the trophy-winning front.

Dickov’s comments arrive at a time of renewed optimism around the Etihad Stadium, with City showing signs of rediscovering rhythm following a turbulent previous campaign. Pep Guardiola’s squad endured frustration across all major competitions last season, falling short of the silverware standards they have normalised under the Catalan since 2016.

However, a series of improved performances this year – including a significant showing against Liverpool last time out among other results – has convinced many connected to the club that a resurgence is underway.

Now, the aforementioned former striker – who remains closely aligned to Manchester City through ambassadorial roles and media work – has long credited Pep Guardiola’s relentless standards as the driving force behind the club’s sustained dominance.

Dickov has repeatedly spoken of the unique mentality that runs through the club and his latest assessment suggests last season’s disappointment may simply fuel an even stronger response. He also pointed to the depth of the current squad as a crucial indicator of their readiness to compete on multiple fronts, naming recent signings and returning stars as evidence of City’s evolving strength.

Speaking to Best Betting Bonuses, Paul Dickov has insisted upon his belief that City will not fail to win a major trophy again under Pep Guardiola off the back of last season’s obvious disappointments across competitions.

“I keep saying I don’t want to get too far ahead, I’ll get too carried away with recent performances. But there’s just something within the club and on the pitch that’s near the levels when they were at their best,” admitted Dickov.

He continued, “I know for a fact there’s a hunger, not just from Pep, but from staff, players. They were hurt last season, really hurt and there’s a big drive within to put that right. And they were quite happy going under the radar a little earlier in the season, but the performance against Liverpool has given everybody hope and they can still get better.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if Manchester City are up there winning things at the end of the season again because I think the strength and depth, the quality, it’s up there with the very best.”

Dickov was further pressed for his thoughts on how Manchester City’s fanbase would receive a second consecutive season without a major trophy being won, and the 53-year-old believes that Guardiola would still retain their full support.

“The one thing Pep’s got is a lot of credit in the bank with City fans and one bad season out of all the time he’s been here isn’t bad. I think the fans realise that, and City fans obviously are very passionate, but they’re good football people as well,” said Dickov.

“They understand it’s probably the third rebuild since Pep came, with new signings. They’ll be patient. At times, they’ve lost this season and it hasn’t always looked great, and people were already declaring them out of the title race.”

He continued, “But I think if City can be in and around Arsenal by January, February, that’s their time, they know to really kick on. They’ve still got players like Rodri to come back. I think they’re going to wrap him up in cotton wool for the next few weeks just make sure by the second half, he’s ready to go.

“I looked at the bench against Liverpool, bringing on players like Omar Marmoush and Nathan Ake. John Stones on the bench, Savinho’s coming off the bench. The squad depth and quality City have is as good as anyone in the Premier League. So it wouldn’t surprise me if they went on and won silverware again this year.”

Looking ahead, much of the discussion now centres on Pep Guardiola’s remaining time at the Etihad Stadium and whether he can secure further silverware before the end of his contract in the summer of 2027.

With Manchester City entering what Paul Dickov describes as their “third rebuild” under the Catalan, expectations remain high that the refreshed squad will peak again over the coming seasons.

If Manchester City continue their upward trajectory and key figures such as Phil Foden and Erling Haaland maintain fitness, the club could yet position themselves for a dominant second half of the campaign. And should Dickov’s prediction prove true, Guardiola’s final years in Manchester might reinforce his legacy even further.