Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou believes it was only natural Manchester City would drop from their "unprecedented standard" but would not be surprised to see them win the Premier League next season.
Spurs host Pep Guardiola's faltering champions on Wednesday with the chance to register a third win against them this season.
A 2-1 victory for Postecoglou’s side in the Carabao Cup back in October was City’s first loss of the campaign, but sent them on a downward spiral where they suffered nine defeats out of 12 matches to slip out of the title race and leave them in a battle to secure Champions League qualification.
City moved quickly in the winter transfer window with the big-money additions of Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez in an effort to rebuild an ageing squad which had won four titles in a row and Postecoglou can foresee a world where they bounce back.
"It looks like they’re going through a rough trot at the moment but that’s because of the unbelievable standards they have set since Pep has been there," Postecoglou reflected.
"I think it’s just a way of elite sport, you know and it just sheds light on how extraordinary they have been.
"The fact that they did win four in a row and the consistency of that four in a row of just the sheer numbers they accumulated in terms of points, in terms of goals, in terms of wins, just competing on all (fronts), it’s just an unbelievable and probably unprecedented standard that they set.
"And it’s only natural that that’s never going to continue forever, I mean that’s just not sustainable.
"But you know what, if they bounce back next year and win it, which I don’t think anyone in this room could discount that’s possible, and you say they’ve won five out of six, you’d be going 'they’re still pretty good’, so more than pretty good.
"Sometimes these things happen, you know, I think injuries, key injuries and some things that are going against them, sometimes just brings you back to the field and that’s elite sport, it’s just fine margins."
Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero remain sidelined and Ben Davies is set to miss out, which means Kevin Danso and Archie Gray – out-of-position – will continue at the heart of defence.
Spurs also missed key personnel when they won 4-0 at the Etihad in November and Postecoglou will relish this latest battle.
He added: "It’s a great challenge. They will have times in the game where they take control and it’s how we deal with that and cope with that. We’ve done that not too bad in the games we’ve played against them and for us that will be the challenging bit.
"When we have our moments, we have to show quality. I know we beat them and the scoreline sounds convincing at their place, but it was the quality of our finishing that was the difference.
"I love coming up against Pep’s teams and looking forward to it."
Erling Haaland remains a fitness doubt for after missing the last two games.
City’s top scorer sat out defeats against Real Madrid and Liverpool after jarring his knee in the 4-0 win over Newcastle on February 15, and his absence has been telling with City struggling to turn their dominance of possession into chances in Sunday’s 2-0 loss to Liverpool.
Pep Guardiola said today he was optimistic the 24-year-old will be available in north London on Wednesday night but no decision has yet been taken.
"Tonight, we will know it after training," Guardiola said. "I hope so but I don’t know yet.
"He feels better but the last two games he could not play. We’ll see tomorrow."
Haaland’s absence has left Marmoush to lead the line, but the Egypt international has been unable to follow up his hat-trick against Newcastle.
However, Guardiola said he had been very happy with the impact made by Marmoush, as well as fellow January signings Khusanov and Gonzalez.
"It has been really good for the short time they are training," Guardiola said.
"Khusanov arrived and played against Chelsea, Orient, Newcastle, Madrid and Liverpool, so a tough and difficult schedule to come into in, with the lack of communication as he still doesn’t speak English fluently, so the impact is really good.
"Omar as well. Nico plays well but the impact is really good, we are satisfied. Of course Victor (Reis), when he has minutes, he will always be in a good level."
"After nine years, it is not the same team we started with nine years ago. We have done it two or three times already" - Pep Guardiola
The four mid-season signings illustrated the scale of the rebuild that City have been forced into this season, following a number of injuries and the dramatic decline of some of the older players in the squad.
Out of the Champions League and with their title defence effectively over, they still face a fight to get into the top four.
But Guardiola denied this rebuild is the biggest challenge of his career.
"No, we have done it already," he said. "After nine years, it is not the same team we started with nine years ago. We have done it two or three times already. It is not the biggest challenge.
"The challenge I had is when I was starting my managerial career with my staff. I proved myself and my staff proved we can do it."
Spurs remain a bogey team for Guardiola and City, particularly away from home, as City have won only two of their eight games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Their October defeat in the Carabao Cup was the first in a five-game losing streak – the first of Guardiola’s managerial career – that also included a 4-0 loss to Spurs at the Etihad Stadium as City’s season went off the rails.
But if City have endured a rocky campaign, things have been even worse for Ange Postecoglu’s side following an injury crisis, and they remain 12th in the Premier League despite winning their last three games.
Guardiola said Spurs are a better team than their results show.
"They’re a fantastic team, with individual quality," Guardiola said. "The rhythm they play and intensity they do, incredible runners in the transitions but I think lately they have a few more extra passes.
"They can do it, especially when James Maddison plays. The results dictate one thing, but the opinion of the team is the opposite."
