Pep Guardiola has insisted his Manchester City players have already done their jobs this season -- regardless of whether they succeed in becoming the first team in a decade to retain the Premier League title.
The closest race for an English top-flight crown in recent memory is heading into its closing stages with City or Liverpool doomed to be disappointed at its outcome.
But Guardiola firmly believes his City team is playing better now than it did 12 months ago, when it was on the brink of compiling a record 100 Premier League points.
And given the impressive nature of their title defence, Guardiola has already told his players that the job "is done", even though the outcome of their bid to win the league and FA Cup, in addition to the League Cup they lifted in February, hangs in the balance.
- 'Why should I judge?' -
=========================
"But I will not judge them. I will not tell them because of many circumstances -- because maybe Burnley is better than us in that game. Maybe we play horrible in one of these three games. It's happened. You have to try to avoid it, but it can happen." -
'City will improve' -
=======================
"Still there are things we can do quicker, understand what we have to do in a better way. We are going to improve individually and collectively. So I don't have doubts about that."
He added: "The moment you are tired of them, they are tired of you, that is not going to leave space to move forward and then the manager has to go -- 'Thank you guys!' -- and another one comes."