Manchester City are showing Pep Guardiola more fight than during their historic Treble campaign as the Premier League title race hots up.

Guardiola watched as Ederson sprung to the defence of Rico Lewis during the 3-1 victory over Burnley, barging Connor Roberts away from the young full back in a late skirmish.

The incident came just over a year since the City manager harangued his players for failing to protect Lewis in a match against Tottenham, when the teenager was targeted with heavy treatment.

‘We’ve improved,’ he said. ‘A better team. It makes us feel alive. Last season was flat in that period so this is better. We have to defend ourselves because nobody is going to defend us.’

Pep Guardiola’s side find themselves five points off the top of the Premier League table

Despite this, Guardiola has insisted that City have become a ‘better team’ in recent months

Guardiola had branded his squad ‘a happy flowers team’, unwilling to do the dirty work, after that Spurs match last year – an outburst that reignited their campaign and saw them hold off Arsenal’s challenge at the top of the division.

Mikel Arteta’s side are level on points with City, having played a game more, with both five points behind leaders Liverpool. City’s next six matches are all against teams outside the top eight – starting at Brentford on Monday – before they travel to Liverpool in early March.

‘It’s not just three,’ Guardiola added. ‘Tottenham and Aston Villa are still there. My feeling when I see Arsenal playing is they control many aspects of the game.

‘When you see Liverpool, every game they are better than the opponent. You can lose games but they are better. I know how strong they are but still we are there.

‘I would say our mentality is there. I don’t have any doubts about it but if we lose a game maybe people say we don’t have the right mentality, like I heard this season.

Guardiola’s side will travel to Brentford on Monday night for their next league encounter

‘It’s not that. We’re going to try but against Brentford we didn’t win one point last season, the results have always been so tight.

‘Brentford are my concern now. We have two days to prepare and focus and after we will see. My feeling is that we are there and this is really nice after where we come from.’