Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson has admitted that winning the Premier League title for a second consecutive season will not be an easy task.
City enjoyed a terrific 2017-18 campaign, breaking the record for the most points in a top-flight season while winning the domestic title and the EFL Cup.
However, they have not had a flawless start to the new season after losing 2-1 to Lyon in their opening Champions League game on Tuesday evening, but Ederson has urged his team to bounce back strongly.
"We have the capacity to overcome this situation, obviously we would have preferred to start the Champions League with a win but it's about keeping our heads up, focus on the next game and display the football we have been playing all along," Ederson told reporters.
"We are aware it's going to be difficult, last season we had almost the perfect season, reached our targets, and breaking records and winning is going to be really tough. How difficult it has been to retain the title for teams shows how competitive this division is and how difficult it is to win, but I think if we can keep the same style, ethic and way of working we will have chances to win the league.
"I think our manager (Pep Guardiola) is a really ambitious manager, he wants to win and play well and that's the message he passes onto us. It's the message I've heard since the beginning, since I arrived, this winning mentality. We absorb it well; obviously we are not going to win and beat records all the time, but if we keep working hard we can get far."
Ederson's side will travel to Cardiff City for their next Premier League game on Saturday afternoon.
Matthew Jones
