Pep Guardiola stands on the brink of a second successive Premier League title, an unprecedented domestic treble and makes an ominous vow.
“We will be better,” declares the Manchester City manager. “Next season we will be stronger. I am sure. We will be stronger. We will be better.”
If City overcome Brighton on Sunday and finally see off the unrelenting challenge of Liverpool, they will come up two points shy of last season’s centurions on 98 - yet the case to say they are an improvement 12 months on is strong.
The two points dropped have been replaced by a run to the FA Cup final and potentially an extra trophy to add to last season’s double of the title and the EFL Cup, which they have already retained.
Considering Riyad Mahrez’ late penalty miss at Anfield was the difference between one point or three, it is a measure of the fine margins involved in two season’s of never-before-seen excellence.
Add to that the loss of Kevin de Bruyne for the majority of the campaign, the lack of a genuine left back for two years running and injuries to Fernandinho at key periods and it is easy to understand why Guardiola so confidently asserts this is just the beginning for a team that has set new standards in English football.
And that’s before the summer’s planned recruitment drive is taken into account when he intends to finally address the issue of Fernandinho’s long-term replacement and make additions in defence and attack.
The obvious area in which City continue to come up short is the Champions League.
An incredible week of drama in that competition has only emphasised why European rule remains an obsession for Guardiola and his bosses in Abu Dhabi.
City’s remarkable treble pursuit has been completely overshadowed by the feats of Liverpool and Tottenham in Europe.
And while the nature of those two sides’ triumphs over Barcelona and Ajax respectively underlined the volatile and chaotic element of the Champions League, it is impossible to deny Liverpool’s consistency in reaching back-to-back finals - and City’s consistency in coming up well short.
Again, it was fine margins as they fell to Spurs in the quarter-final, with VAR ruling out Raheem Sterling’s injury time winner. But in three years at the Etihad Guardiola has failed to get beyond the last eight, with the unmistakable sense City were architects of their own downfall.
“In the Champions League we were a little bit more vulnerable,” admits Guardiola. “Because of the quality of the opponents and the tension of the desire to do well, but I think that is the process.
“We have done quite similar things to last season, but we repeat it every three days so at the end we do many things better.
“It is difficult to say, but we understand what we want to do quicker.
“We don’t change too much our patterns, our way we want to play so that is why everyone is more comfortable in what we want to do, in how want to defend.
“I think we attack much better. Teams when they face us that have a low, low block, an incredible low block, that means 11 playing in the box so how we attack them, we concede not too many counter-attacks, the set-pieces we defend well. In general, especially in the Premier League, we were so consistent.”
Perhaps the most impressive quality of this City side has been the manner in which they’ve responded to the challenge of Liverpool after the procession of last season.
Win, lose or draw at Brighton, they have already answered every question about their appetite to reach new heights.
“Each of my players know in the locker room the quality of our opponent,” says Guardiola. “We know who we have faced for 11 months - being behind them by seven points - nearly 10 - but being there all the time.
“I am surprised, really surprised, but to take the credit we need to win on Sunday. But, yes, Liverpool are a really incredible team
“It is in our hands now. We have to deserve to win the game.
“The players know it. It is not necessary to tell them.”
