Manchester City can build on their FA Cup success and challenge Manchester United as the dominant force in English football, according to City's director of football Brian Marwood. With the FA Cup already won a Champions League place already ensured, Marwood believes next season they will be going head-to-head with their cross town rivals.
He told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme: "In many respects when you look back it has been a missed opportunity not just for Manchester City but other clubs at the top to put a bigger challenge on Manchester United.
"It was a great day for Manchester and congratulations to United. They have shown fantastic consistency in terms of another trophy.
"We believe we can sustain a challenge not just on Manchester United but Arsenal, Liverpool, who will be much stronger next season and Spurs. They have a fantastic squad and will probably make one or two changes.
"I believe it is going to be a very exciting Premier League next season. We feel we are in a good position to compete.
"I look at our squad and I see a lot of players who have come together in a short space of time. It is a team that is evolving.
"It has been an incredible season. The aims and objectives were to get into the top four and really press ahead with that. The bonus has been the FA Cup."
"I don't think there will be major changes, just tinkering with the squad," he added.
"We have put together a group whose average is 24-25. We believe there is a good four years with this group to develop even further. We are really excited about that prospect.
"There is a huge amount of ambition with Manchester City starting with Sheikh Mansour right the way through the club. You have seen that with the players, you have seen that with the manager (Roberto Mancini).
"He is very focused and not afraid to make tough decisions. It has got us into a position where we can hopefully move on.
"But we have still got an awful lot left to achieve. What you cannot afford to do is be complacent."
