Manchester City have achieved so much more than becoming the first club in a decade to retain the Premier League title.

Pep Guardiola’s men took maximum points from their last 14 matches to hold off Liverpool by a single point on the final day of the campaign.

They were ten points behind the Reds on 29 December, making their run to a fourth crown in eight attempts all the more exceptional.

For Guardiola personally, the triumph marks his eighth title in ten years.

But after winning three championships with Barcelona, three with Bayern Munich and now two with City, the Spaniard thinks Sunday was the conclusion of his most brutal challenge yet.

“After 100 points [last season], after a World Cup, we were worried,” Guardiola said, per the Telegraph.

“But they pushed themselves, the staff pushed, and that is the only way we could be winning the Community Shield, Carabao Cup, Premier League, in the FA Cup final and in the latter stages of the Champions League.

“It is the toughest league we have won. We have won in Spain and Germany, but that was the toughest with the rivalry we have faced all season. That was the most difficult title, for the quality of Liverpool. We made 100 points and had to make 98 this season.”

Looking back at Guardiola’s career, the graft has certainly paid off.

Since making his managerial bow in 2008, the 48-year-old has never finished outside the top three and racked up a stunning amount of league points in the process.

Guardiola’s tally stands at 906 points - 82 per cent of the 1,104 on offer.

Last season was his best return as City claimed 100 points from a possible 114.

That’s only 22 points more than his first campaign at the Etihad, which is also his worst as a manager.

Check out the season-by-season breakdown of Guardiola’s career below…

No wonder Guardiola is still widely considered the best manager in world football and perhaps even the best ever.

That said, there are no guarantees his success will continue, especially if his predictions for the next Premier League season come to fruition.

“Liverpool will maintain it, and the others will be better. United must come back, Chelsea under [Maurizio] Sarri will be better, Tottenham are in the Champions League final and Arsenal will be better as well. We accept the challenge and next season we will be back stronger, I promise you.”