Manchester City midfielder James Milner knows they now have a big target on their back as defending Premier League champs.

Milner anticipates the job facing him and his team-mates this season to far exceed the one they met in sealing the club's maiden Premier League crown, but the 26-year-old England international is feeling good about City's prospects of rising to the challenge.

Asked if he thought staying at the top was harder than getting there, Milner said: "I can't speak from experience because I haven't had that pleasure, but I'm sure it is.

"Everyone says that. You're there to be shot at and teams are going to come for you.

"It's up to us to keep on improving and not rest on our laurels. We are working harder in training, everybody wants to get better and the competition for places is there.

"Being champions is a great feeling but it will be twice as hard to retain.

"Teams will now lift their games even more than they did before so it will be a tough experience, but hopefully we'll keep improving as a team and doing well."