Ilkay Gundogan has warned champions Chelsea by saying Manchester City are ready to showcase their title credentials when they visit Stamford Bridge this weekend.
Pep Guardiola's side face their biggest test of the season so far when they travel to London on Saturday to take on a Chelsea side that is brimming with confidence after their dramatic 2-1 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.
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Midfielder Gundogan, 26, said: "It's a huge game and it's away, so it's even more difficult, but we feel ready. If you ask the manager there is always something to improve but we know that we are a great team, we have great players and it's just up to us to prove that every fourth day.
"It's also about character, going to Stamford Bridge against the champions to play our game. We're going to prove that we are ready for that and hopefully it will be a great game for us," Gundogan said, as reported by Sky Sports.
City's attackers have grabbed the headlines this season after plundering 21 goals in six league matches but they have also been rock solid at the back, conceding just twice.
Those results have taken City to the top of the Premier League -- albeit only on goal difference from Manchester United -- and confidence is high.
"At the back too we have conceded few, so our defence has also done a great job in the last weeks. It's a combination of both and that's a really good recipe to win games," Gundogan said.
Gundogan recently returned to first-team action after nine months on the sidelines following knee surgery.
He did suffer another injury scare when he took a blow to his other knee against West Brom in the Carabao Cup last week but it did not prove serious.
As reported by ESPN, the Germany international, who came off the bench in Tuesday's Champions League defeat of Shakhtar Donetsk, said: "I'm just happy that I returned that quick after that hard tackle. I tried to train on Friday and I still felt a little bit in my knee. Saturday it was not possible to be in the squad but I trained Sunday and Monday and I felt good, so I'm just happy to return that quickly."
Gundogan only returned to action in the past fortnight after a nine month layoff following knee surgery last December.
