Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak has issued a stark warning to Liverpool, asserting that his team are determined to reclaim the Premier League crown the Reds won.
After a disappointing season which saw Pep Guardiola's squad finish a significant 13 points adrift of champions Arne Slot's side and without any silverware for the first time in eight years, Al-Mubarak is convinced that the trials faced have only served to fortify the team's resolve. He's adamant that City are on a quest to re-establish themselves as the preeminent force in English football at the earliest opportunity.
Al-Mubarak stated: "We will be back. This season is a season that's now behind us. Today is a new day. We start working and preparing for next season. And by the way, we've been doing that since January.
"And we will take all the good things and the not so good things from this season, and learn from it, improve from it and get better.
"I can assure you, this club will do everything possible to come back to the standards that we know we all can achieve - and that we know we will achieve.
"Because really, if there's one thing I'd like right now, it's to turn that page from last season and just immediately start focusing on next season.
Liverpool
Liverpool won the Premier League with ease this season (Image: PA)
"All the players, they're excited about coming back. Nobody feels good about how we finished the season.
"They want to come back, and they want to come back hungry. And I can see the hunger.
"Normally these players are off and they're starting to think about vacation time etc. Honestly, every player I spoke to was telling me, 'we're coming back'.
"That's the attitude you want - and that's exactly why you see me so positive. We're going to come back strong, with a lot of positivity."