Frank Lampard believes Manchester City cannot yet be considered among the greatest teams in Premier League history but will absolutely deserve that mantle if they sustain their blistering start to the season.
City have swept aside almost everyone in their path so far, winning 10 of 11 top-flight matches to sit eight points clear of Manchester United and Tottenham at the summit.
Their total of 38 league goals is 15 more than closest challengers United, and City are overwhelming favourites to claim the first league title of Pep Guardiola's reign.
But Lampard - who spent the 2014-15 season at the Etihad Stadium - has urged caution when it comes to heaping praise on England's form side, stressing the need for City to perform at a consistently high level over the course of the full season to ultimately rank as one of the best teams the Premier League has ever seen.
"I think it's too early to say. If they carry on throughout the season the way they're playing, then of course they're going to put themselves in that bracket," Lampard told Omnisport, speaking thanks to Chelsea FC club partners Yokohama Tyres.
"They've won 10 games and drawn one in the league. If they sustain that, that's incredible.
"There's potential now. It's still early in the season.
"I think there have been many great teams in Premier League history, not just Chelsea under Mourinho or Manchester United with Alex Ferguson.
"[City] have to prove more to be regarded as good as those teams."
City travel to Leicester City after the international break.
