Fernandinho believes Manchester City must get off to a flying start this season if they are to regain the Premier League title.
The Brazilian midfielder is one of four new signings to arrive at the Etihad Stadium this summer, following his £34 million transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk, and he has already impressed in his pre-season appearances for the club.
Fernandinho won six titles in eight years in the Ukraine so knows what it takes to challenge for trophies, and he feels that City must start quickly and not think about rivals Manchester United.
“It is important to start strong,” he told reporters. “We need to get as many points as possible in those first few games.
“It is not a question of thinking about United, we have to think about ourselves.”
City will also be hoping to challenge for the Champions League, having dropped at the group stage in the last two seasons, and Fernandinho believes the team need to amass as many points as possible before the tournament kicks off.
He added: “It is important before the Champions League starts in mid-September to get as many points as possible.
“Because after that we are playing Saturday-midweek all the time and it gets harder.”
The 2011/12 league champions will face Newcastle at home in their opening game on August 19.
