Despite defeating Newcastle 2-0 on Saturday, Pep Guardiola warned of the threat the Magpies would represent to Manchester City's hold on the Premier League crown in future years.
The reigning champions, absolved at the Etihad by a string of egregious errors from the visitors, scored thanks to goals from Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva.
Sean Longstaff, Callum Wilson, and Joelinton all helped Newcastle's most recent blow to their hopes of finishing in the top four by preventing Ederson from being forced into a save.
Newcastle's highly anticipated first regular season game under Saudi ownership is beginning to lose its sheen.
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This weekend's League Cup final loss to Manchester United prevented Eddie Howe's team from bringing home the club's first major trophy in 54 years.
They have only won once in 8 league games since December 26, and as a result, they have fallen four points behind Tottenham in the competition to advance to the Champions League. for the upcoming season.
However, Guardiola knew how Newcastle always put pressure on his team and drew parallels between City's development following an Abu Dhabi-backed acquisition 15 years ago and Newcastle's.
City won their first championship in the Abu Dhabi era after waiting four years, but they have since won six in the last 11 years.
"This team and this club will be a threat for the title in the next several years," predicted Guardiola. "You can tell that the club is ambitious. Although the takeover only happened last season, it only takes a short while before they arrive. They will be present if they begin to rise and rise and rise".
City needed two inspired moments to recover a crucial three points from a disjointed effort, despite showing flashes of their best play in recent weeks.
Foden struggled with his form and conditioning after. Despite the World Cup, England's international game has recently begun to resemble his pre-World Cup self.
The young man, 22, eluded four Newcastle challenges before beating Nick Pope in 15 minutes with a deflection off Sven Botman to score his fourth goal in three games.
Longstaff ought to have responded almost instantly. Nevertheless, the midfielder was too late to respond, which led Nathan Ake to make a superb last-ditch block.
Wilson's goalless drought is why Newcastle has only scored once in their last eight league games. Moreover, he missed Kieran Trippier's cross.
Howe made a quadruple substitution early in the second half, almost to the point where Newcastle pinned City inside their half.
