Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva refused to name Manchester United when asked which teams would challenge the Citizens for the Premier League title this season.
City moved to the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night, but second-placed Liverpool are level on points with Pep Guardiola's side.
Chelsea are in third, meanwhile, with Arsenal fourth and Tottenham fifth after 10 matches of the 2018-19 campaign.
Silva has claimed that the current top five will challenge for the league title this term, seemingly ruling out United, who are eighth in the division, some nine points off the summit.
"I think either Chelsea and Liverpool, they are very strong. Arsenal as well, even Tottenham. I think it will be harder because last season nobody was expecting us to win as many games and to reach that level of points so this season the teams they know they have to do better to beat us," Silva told reporters.
"Of course it will be very hard, but we will work every game to get the three points and at the end of it try and celebrate winning one more Premier League."
City will welcome United to the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League on November 11.
Matt Law
