Mikel Arteta says he thinks Manchester City have the best players in the world, ahead of their latest bid for Champions League glory, reports Sky Sports.

City begin their Group F campaign against Lyon at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday - and Arteta will be directing affairs from the bench as manager Pep Guardiola serves a touchline ban.

"For me we have the best players in the world and I look at our players as if they are the best," said the Spaniard.

"I wouldn't change my players for any others. They are absolutely fantastic, the hunger in this group is incredible.

"People talk about money to spend but people have to look inside this club, what we have created, it's phenomenal."

Asked about City's favourites tag, Arteta said: "I am surprised, when you have a team who has won it three times in a row.

"But it means we are doing things really well and people are seriously thinking that we are candidates to compete against all the teams in Europe.

"It has to be a motivation, not a pressure. That is the way we take it and hopefully we can improve on what we did in the last two seasons because we came short."