Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has insisted that it is too soon to assess his team's season, reiterating that there is still a long way to go before trophies are handed out.
The current Premier League champions trail leaders Chelsea by eight points having won six of their opening 11 games.
City have also been knocked out of the League Cup, while their Champions League hopes hang by a thread heading into matchday five next week.
However, Pellegrini remains upbeat about his side's chances of retaining the league crown come the end of the season.
"Now is not the moment to analyse what has happened in the season," the 61-year-old told Sky Sports News. "There are a lot of games to play in the Premier League and Champions League.
"We have 27 more games to play and there are a lot of points [to be contested], so we will see at the end who will be the best team this year."
The Citizens return to league action this weekend following the two-week international break, with Swansea City visiting the Etihad Stadium.
Daniel Lewis
