Guardiola keeping feet on the ground

PEP Guardiola insists there is no danger of complacency at Manchester City because his team have not yet achieved anything.

City's superb start under Guardiola continued as they won their eighth successive game in all competitions ­- an unprecedented feat for the club at the beginning of a season ­- by thrashing Bournemouth 4-0 in the Premier League.

Already they have scored 25 goals in the campaign and the manner of their play is earning widespread plaudits, but Guardiola will not allow his players to believe a game will be too easy.

"That is not going to happen when I am there," the Spaniard said. "And don't say it is too easy. I heard from years ago the Premier League is the toughest league and I am going to accept that.

"We have a lot of work (to do) and we are just in September. We have played absolutely nothing.

"Of course the most important things in our game were much better than in the Sunderland game, but that is what we have to do. Always for the next game we have to try to do it better than the game before."

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager claims he does not pay too much attention to the praise coming his way as he is well aware of the setbacks than can lie ahead.

He said: "I am so happy, but I have to tell you I am going to lose games. We won these five games in the Premier League and the people have very nice words, but we know what happens in our world.

"I have seen what happens when the trainer didn't win, they have been so critical and they didn't deserve that. It is better to stay back and don't read too much.

"I know we are going to lose games and it is important when that happens to be stable."

City, however, certainly made things look straightforward as they outplayed Eddie Howe's Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium, despite being reduced to 10 men late on in the game after Nolito's dismissal.

The magnificent Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring with a clever free-kick and had a hand in three other fine goals which followed for Kelechi Iheanacho, Raheem Sterling and Ilkay Gundogan. City were slick in possession throughout but especially devastating on the counter-attack.

"Kevin is a very intelligent player, a great player," said Iheanacho, who led the line well in the absence of the suspended Sergio Aguero. "Playing with him is a great privilege.

"We really have confidence after the win. We showed good character - we did really well, pressing them high, pressing them very quickly. We didn't allow them to play."

For Bournemouth it was always likely to be a difficult afternoon, but Howe felt his side still should have done better and hopes lessons are learned.