"The pressure is always there" - Kevin De Bruyne delivers honest verdict on expectations surrounding Manchester City

Kevin De Bruyne has lifted the lid on the pressures that surround wearing the Manchester City shirt ahead of this weekend's clash with Tottenham.

One of the primary reasons why one can crown Manchester City as arguably the greatest side in Premier League history is the pressure on Pep Guardiola's men to deliver on all fronts.

Winning four Premier League titles, four Carabao Cups and an FA Cup since Guardiola's arrival in 2016, the Blues have set unassailable standards in English football under the Catalan's stewardship.

After all, a number of fans and pundits alike deemed the Sky Blues’ 2021/22 term as a failure due to their inability to lift the Champions League trophy.

Despite City retaining the Premier League title after finishing with an impressive 93-point tally, this bunch still received tons of stick from many.

With the constant scrutiny on the Sky Blues for failing to replicate their domestic success in the Champions League, the question marks over whether they can finally break their curse in the tournament have already begun this season.

With the arrival of Erling Haaland, who has set the world alight right from the off, many have stated that the club are compelled to win the Champions League after watching him make a mockery of defences in the Premier League six games into the league campaign.

Kevin De Bruyne, who has been at the front and centre of the heat felt by Manchester City from the entire footballing fraternity during his time at the club, has provided an insight into the pressures felt by those within the squad year-in, year-out.

“The pressure is always there (to win)," the Belgium international said in an interview with Fred Caldeira after City's Champions League group-stage triumph in Seville on Tuesday.

“Whatever game Manchester City play, we are 99% favourites to win, there is always the pressure to win every game we play.

"If we don't win one game, it's almost a disaster. It's been like this for the eight years that I've been here (at City)."

De Bruyne joined City from Wolfsburg in 2015 and has been arguably the club's best and most consistent performer over the course of Guardiola's reign.

The 31-year-old added: "A lot of times, we've done really good things and sometimes in football you lose, so you take it as it is and you try to do your job as good as possible.

"No (it's not different in the Champions League), same as (the) League Cup, FA Cup, Premier League - we want to win.”

The playmaker maintained his fine start to the season in midweek as he set up Erling Haaland to open proceedings at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium in Manchester City's 4-0 win over Sevilla.

De Bruyne could again be key to unlock the opposition defence when Tottenham visit the Etihad Stadium on Saturday in a mouth-watering battle at the top of the Premier League.