Manchester City's newest goalkeeper Ederson has admitted that City's opening clash is going to be a "difficult game", ahead of Pep Guardiola's Saturday evening clash with the newly-promoted Brighton & Hove Albion.
Important to start well
City head to the coast as many people's favourites to lift the Premier League trophy come May 2018, and the pressure is expected to be on from the word go as Guardiola looks to eradicate the disappointment of his first season at the Etihad Stadium.
The Citizens have spent nearly in the excess of £200million so far in the summer transfer window with the young goalkeeper one of the five major signings brought in at Eastlands, with City breaking the world record fee for a goalkeeper by paying in excess of €40 million to Benfica for his services.
Ederson is expected to make his competitive debut on Saturday tea-time, and the 23-year-old stated that the clash with The Seagulls will not be a walk in the park.
“I think it's going to be a difficult game," Ederson admitted to mancity.com. "As they have been promoted to the Premier League this season and I'm sure they are going to be very motivated.”
“I think the Premier League is an unpredictable championship," the Brazilian stated. "Any team can win it."
"We have the recent example of Leicester City, that surprised everyone as nobody expected them to win," the former Benfica stopper said. "But we must focus on ourselves."
"It's important to start well and start winning," Ederson added. "If we win we are going to be at the top of the table or close to it as we begin our fight for the Premier League trophy."
Going to excel a lot
It isn't a surprise that many have touted City as their title favourites with the quality in their squad which has only been boosted in the window, especially up top with Gabriel Jesus expected to have a stellar campaign in his first full season in the North West of England.
Jesus burst on the scene in January after completing his move scoring seven goals in ten appearances in the last half of the campaign, the 20-year-old missed a big chunk of that with a metatarsal injury but has returned to full fitness in pre-season but his compatriot stated that he expects the forward to "excel a lot".
"I think Gabriel Jesus can score a lot of goals this season,” he said on his compatriot. "That's what we expect from him."
"I think it's going to be a good championship for him," Ederson concluded "And he is going to excel a lot.”