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Manchester City have won the first trophy on offer in England this season, having retained the League Cup they won last season by defeating Chelsea 4-3 on penalties in a keenly contested final at Wembley.
They are in a great position to qualify for the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal, as well as in the last eight of the FA Cup and back in the EPL title race after a slight wobble in December.
Although their Manchester neighbors became the first English side to win a treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in 1999, no club has had the distinction of winning all four trophies on offer to English sides, with Guardiola's men attempting to rewrite the history books.
They have to be at their very best for the rest of the season to make it happen and they certainly have a world-class squad and coaching staff to aid their ambitions.
In this piece, we shall be taking a look at four facets which could aid City in their quest for a quadruple this season.
#4 Their incredible squad depth
Not only does Manchester City have one of the strongest starting eleven in Europe, but they also have arguably the most quality filled bench in the world.
A team where players like Riyad Mahrez, Ilkay Gundogan, Leroy Sane, Gabriel Jesus, John Stones, and Bernardo Silva are not guaranteed to start matches is a testament to how strong the City is at the moment.
There are at least two top-class players in every position at the club, with the result being that Guardiola has selection headaches almost every time, which is always good for a coach.
There have been massive investments in the squad over the last decade, while the club also boasts one of the best academies in the world.
It is a well-known fact that quality bench help win titles, as the requisite fortitude required to last the distance on all fronts can only be found in squads that have depth as the games come in thick and fast.
#3 The Pep factor
From the time he made his entry into coaching in 2008 as a relative novice in management, Pep Guardiola has always been distinct.
He cemented his place in history as the first ever manager to win a sextuple, while also being the youngest manager ever to win the Champions League and incredibly, he did all these in just his first season of senior management (at the age of 39).
Since then, he has gone on to cement his legacy as not just one of the best coaches in the world, but also one of the most tactically astute managers with numerous records in Spain, Germany and now England.
Till date, the 48-year-old has won 26 trophies, which sets him out as the most successful manager of his generation by far and one of the most successful of all time.
The Catalan has not won the UCL since 2011 and faces pressure to deliver it in the Etihad following their massive investments in the squad over the years.
There are many who believe City do not have what it takes to win the Champions League as they are lacking in requisite experience. However, in Guardiola, they have a tested and trusted tactical genius who has the wherewithal to take them all the way.
#2 They have rediscovered their mojo
City blitzed their way to the Premier League title last season, gazumping all in their path and setting numerous records en route their incredible triumph.
They achieved this by playing swift, intricate football and at many points, they looked invincible. They started off this term where they left off last season, but hit a bit of a snag in mid-December, as the previously solid City army started to show cracks and signs of faltering.
Guardiola's men failed to keep a clean sheet in nine consecutive EPL matches, while also posted surprise defeats to Chelsea, Newcastle United, and Leicester City.
Even during those dark days, it was always believed that it was just a phase and the real City would soon resurface and true to form, they have peaked back in recent weeks.
They made fellow 'big six' sides Arsenal and Chelsea look like lower league oppositions in emphatic 3-1 and 6-0 victories respectively. They also showed wherewithal to come from behind to triumph against Schalke 04 in the UCL despite being a man down.
Trophies are always handed out in the business end of the season, hence City have peaked back into form at the right time and with the League Cup already in the bag, there could be no stopping them with the form they are in at the moment.
#1 Their counterparts in Europe are not totally convincing
With domestic dominance all but a given (although Liverpool might have something to say about that), it is in Europe where City's major obstacles are perceived to lie, as they are considered to be some way off the major teams in Europe.
There is some truth to this, with City being considerably beneath some clubs in terms of heritage as the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Juventus, Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Manchester United have histories that City can only envy at the moment.
However, for all of their illustrious history, no genuine European royalty can claim to be in better form than City at the moment. Barcelona and Bayern continue to flatter to deceive, while Real Madrid have blown hot and cold throughout the season and Juventus are in real danger of being eliminated in the round of 16.
Although Manchester City might be a relatively new side on the European scene, what they lack in terms of experience, they more than makeup for it in various other ways.
