Riyad Mahrez says Manchester City's mentality means they will not rest on their laurels this season, particularly after their final day scare in the Premier League title race last term. Pep Guardiola's Citizens edged Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool in yet another tightly contested title race last term.
But they were made to sweat with their closing game of the season, after they were forced to fight back from a two-goal deficit against Aston Villa to get their all-important win.
Mahrez admits the desire to claim more honours remains, and illustrated how their remarkable rise from the canvas against Steven Gerrard's side is an accurate testament to their mental quality and fortitude.
What has Mahrez said about City's prospects and their final day antics?
"We really, really want to win again," Mahrez was quoted by the Daily Mail. "When the season starts, we want to go again. That’s the big motivation. We never ever think, “oh, it’s going to be easy this year,” or we can go a bit easy.
"No, we go 100 per cent from the beginning, because we want to win and we are built with this mentality. On the last day, against Aston Villa, I was just thinking, 'F***ing hell, what are we doing here?' We’re playing at home and we’re losing 2-0 against Villa.
Next Match
"Sometimes you don’t feel good in a game, I didn’t that day, and some other people came in and helped us to win – that’s what our team is about."
Can Man City repeat dominance this term?
It will be something of a refreshed Citizens side that takes to the field on the opening weekend of the new season, with Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Fernandinho all having departed the Etihad Stadium over the past few months.
But with astute purchases made in the shake of Erling Haaland and Kalvin Phillips, plus with the chance for Jack Grealish to enjoy a more prominent role this term, Mahrez certainly feels they will be in the mix once more, particularly when it comes to dealing with their perennial European heartbreak.
"I think what we’ve done in the last four [or] five years is already amazing," he added. "It would be very good to keep going and to try to break any records. The Champions League is very... details, you know? Last year, we deserved to go in the final and we didn’t. But I think we will be there again this season."