Manchester City's spectacular season is showing no signs of slowing down as we enter the final stretch of the campaign.

Pep Guardiola's side blitzed Leicester 5-1 at the Etihad to go 16 points clear of Manchester United at the top of the Premier League, with the latter succumbing to a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle yesterday.

They have every chance of completing an unprecedented quadruple, something which they can continue to work towards when they resume their Champions League campaign this week.

City face Basel in the last-16 of the competition, and also have the final of the Carabao Cup to come against a rocking Arsenal side, who are facing another year out of the Europe's premier competition.

There's also an FA Cup fifth round tie with League One leaders Wigan Athletic to come next week, which will be a repeat of the 2013 final when Ben Watson secured a shock win for the Latics in the dying moments.

Guardiola has transformed City this season after a largely disappointing debut campaign in Manchester, where he failed to win a trophy for the first time in his managerial career.

Several players have taken huge strides forward under the former Barcelona man, not least Raheem Sterling, who fired his 20th goal this term against Leicester, as well as Leroy Sane and John Stones.

However, one player has really stood out from the crowd at the Etihad.

Kevin De Bruyne is being widely-tipped to be named the PFA Player of the Year thanks to his stunning performances in sky blue so far.

He added a hat-trick of assists on Saturday, taking his tally for the season to 18 assists and 11 goals in 37 matches in all competitions.

But his influence on City's general play is far greater than those stats show, and he will undoubtedly hold higher ambitions than the PFA award he should receive in a matter of months.

The Belgian must have his eyes on the prestigious Ballon d'Or award, which has been dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the last decade.

And Guardiola believes he can break the Real Madrid and Barcelona stars' monopoly - by helping City to their first ever Champions League success.

"No doubt," Guardiola stated when asked if De Bruyne is capable of breaking Messi and Ronaldo's stranglehold. "But it’s not one game. It’s the whole season, every three days, playing that way. Every three games.

"He knows - and everyone knows - to be there, you have to win titles, and titles and titles. Especially one. The way he plays, it’s difficult to find one [better] in Europe.

"You have to be there in the latter stages. Without getting to the latter stages, you will not be nominated."

City will face an almighty task to win the greatest club competition in the world though, with Barcelona and Bayern Munich looking as strong as ever, while you cannot ever discount Real Madrid.

Paris Saint-Germain are looking just as much a threat as the Citizens too, and have every chance of causing an upset with Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappé on song.

But if Guardiola's side can defy the odds and bring the famous Champions League trophy back to the Etihad, and if De Bruyne can maintain his form, he could very well be the next Ballon d'Or winner.