Alan Shearer names key to Manchester City success this season

Premier League legend Alan Shearer believes Manchester City's key to their success this season was the way the players have risen to the challenges. Manchester City are the only English club to remain in every competition they entered this season. Pep Guardiola's side are topping the Premier League table by five points with a game in hand. Speaking to the BBC, Shearer said that every player is contributing to City's success at the moment. He said: "City have had their own blips this season, right at the start of the campaign, but they have got over them in spectacular fashion. The way they firstly found their form and then maintained it has been hugely impressive "Their defence has clearly played a huge part in their success - Ruben Dias gifted Liverpool their goal when his mistake led to Mohamed Salah's penalty, but that was the only error City made at the back at Anfield and is pretty much the only mistake Dias has made since he joined the club in October. "Not only is Dias an outstanding defender in his own right, he has improved his partner, John Stones, who had another excellent game. Apart from that spot-kick, Liverpool only had one other shot at goal in the second half when they were trying to get back in the game." He continued: "At the other end of the pitch, I've not heard Guardiola moan about the injuries that have sidelined his strikers. Instead, City have just got on with it and their players have risen to the challenge. "Yes, the likes of Foden and Gundogan are having their best seasons in terms of goals, but everyone is chipping in.It meant Guardiola was able to leave Jesus on the bench at Anfield and start without a recognised striker, and obviously he deserves credit too. Yet again he got his tactics spot on - and again he has found a way to make City the team to beat." Source: MEN