Former midfielder Frank Lampard has suggested that Pep Guardiola may have asked too much from his Manchester City players this season.
After his success with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, City were expected to mount a Premier League title challenge but they face a fight to qualify for the Champions League.
However, Lampard says that Guardiola will be better prepared for life in England ahead of his second campaign at the Etihad Stadium.
The 38-year-old told talkSPORT: "I'm sure Pep Guardiola has learned more this year than in any other year of his management.
"At Barcelona, he had a great team – who were already playing the same style – but he enhanced it. [And at] Bayern Munich, he took on the same. Manchester City obviously have great players – and they've added great players – but he demands a lot from his players.
"There's a real intelligence factor. Every player needs to know how to move position, change position, play in different positions – and I think he's asked a lot from them this year, and I think that might be the one thing he'll look at this year: did I ask too much from this group?"
Lampard scored eight times in 38 appearances for City during the 2014-15 season.
Darren Plant
