Manchester City’s title-winning heroics last year have forced champions elect Manchester United to respect ‘noisy neighbours’ more, according to Pablo Zabaleta.
So long the target of the Red Devils taunts, City turned the tables on their rivals last May when they picked up their first league title in 44 years.
And despite trailing United by 15 league points, Zabaleta thinks the progress made under owner Sheikh Mansour shows the Blues will continue to be a force to be reckoned with.
“They have more respect for Manchester City now,” he told the Daily Express.
“When I arrived at the club in 2008 it was completely different.
“We have different players now and by winning the league championship last season we showed that we are learning and growing as a club and as a team.”
The Argentine defender is strongly positioned to judge the changes that have been made under their extravagant owners.
Signed by Mark Hughes in 2008 a day before the owners bankrolled the club, the 28-year-old is one of just a handful of players left from the pre-takeover era.
But despite the constant turnover of players, Zabaleta believes the City revolution will continue to grow and attract more success.
“Of course it is different because there are more talented players here now and I say that with a lot of respect to the players who have been here before,” he said.
“Since 2008 the club has been changing players every year – there’s only a few players left in the team from 2008 – me, Vincent [Kompany], Joe Hart and Micah [Richards].
“But that is all part of the new era for Manchester City, we expect to continue to do better.”
The defender has profited from the enforced absence of fellow right-back Micah Richards this season to make himself a permanent fixture in Roberto Mancini’s side.
But despite a run of impressive performances, the player still admits to being surprising at his continued success in a City shirt.
He said: “When you sign a for a club you just try and do your best but I admit that I didn’t know whether I would be still be in the squad and winning trophies five years later because it was a different club when I joined.
“I am very pleased to be a part of this club – I’m really happy to be here.
“Obviously as players we need to keep working hard to keep our place in the team because in every position we have two or three players of real quality.”
Image courtesy of MCFCOfficial, via YouTube with thanks
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