Form is strong at Manchester City right now. In fact, the Etihad side have won 17 of their last 19 matches in all competitions.
Pep Guardiola has built a juggernaut on the pitch. His team is considered as the best in the world by many, including Thomas Frank, who was the opposing coach in charge of Brentford on Wednesday night.
After the match against the Bees, Guardiola was asked about Frank's comments, and he denied the truth behind them. "The best team is Chelsea," he said. "They won the Champions League."
It remains to be seen as to whether the Spaniard truly believes his words, but his recent comments on defensive strength capture why City have a legitimate claim as the best around.
During his pre-match press conference earlier this week, Guardiola was asked whether he's a defensive coach due to his team's impressive record of not conceding goals.
"We defend with the ball," he said. "We believe that as much as you have the ball, this is the best way to defend. To concede a goal, the opponent has to have the ball. The less they have it, the more chance we have of making a clean sheet."
Guardiola's words are nothing new. He has elaborated on his dominance through possession of the ball numerous times throughout his career, but his City side might be the best example of his work yet.
The Etihad outfit complete at least 101 passes more than any other team in the Premier League per match, and their hold over the ball restricts opponents from getting up the field.
City typically allow their opponents to accumulate just 13.3 touches in their penalty box per match, ahead of Liverpool's average of 17.5 touches in second place and Chelsea's 19.8 touches in third.
As a consequence, Guardiola's men tend to face just 6.7 shots per match, which is quite incredible once compared to the rest of the teams from Europe's top five leagues.
Atletico Madrid are the next-best side on 7.6 shots faced per match, followed by Liverpool, Rennes and Bayern Munich. Chelsea, who are the world's best according to the City boss, place seventh.
The defensive strength of City is remarkable and it could stem from the perks of fielding a team of midfielders without a traditional striker lurking up top. All of Guardiola's players contribute to how the team establish control.
In attack, their controlling nature does not hinder their ability to generate opportunities to find the net. City place third for shots per match, behind only Liverpool and Bayern. Chelsea, for perspective, place 16th.
The question of which team is the best in the world remains up for debate, but the case for City as the answer is strong. Despite that, it seems Guardiola won't admit it until his players secure their first Champions League trophy.
