MICAH’S MOMENTS: This Man City team don’t have to win the Champions League to be considered great

Speaking to Pep Guardiola on Sunday night, he continued to reiterate that Manchester City must win the Champions League to be named alongside the greats. Maybe he is already starting to mentally prepare his team for the clash with Inter Milan in Istanbul, but I disagree.

Anyone outside the club who says that this City team is not one of the greats is contradicting themselves. Watching the players celebrate their fifth title in six years reminded me of the hurdles they had to overcome to get here.

They stopped a great Liverpool team twice: who’s to say they’ll get back to the level they reached when they got 97 points (2019) and then 93 points (2022)? The Arsenal team that has fallen short in this campaign already has more points (81) than Arsene Wenger’s 1998 double winners (78).

Guardiola said something that really struck me. Imagine starting the job tomorrow and being told to win five titles by 2029 – that task would be nearly impossible to comprehend, much less accomplish.

So no, European success is not essential. These men are already giants.

Guardiola (centre) stressed full-time that his City side must win the Champions League to be considered great

This Manchester City will be considered great whether they win the Champions League or not

A privileged encounter with Paolo Maldini

Never meet your heroes, so the saying goes. Let me tell you the saying couldn’t be further from the truth. I met Paolo Maldini in Milan last week.

I’m a pretty confident guy and can talk to most people, but I was stunned when he came over to say ‘hello’.

The best defender who has ever played football is also an excellent man. What a privilege it was to be in his company.

Meeting Paolo Maldini (right) in Milan last week was a brilliant moment and what an outstanding man he is

We would give this City team a run for their money

There has been much debate lately about comparing Manchester United’s 1999 Treble winners and the City lads trying to emulate them. Who would win if the two teams played against each other? It’s impossible to say, although I know Roy Keane and Peter Schmeichel have strong opinions about it!

As a joke, someone asked me how the title-winning squad I was a part of in 2012 would fare against the class of 2023. Answer? I’m not sure we’d come close to them in terms of how well they function as a team of moving parts.

Our group had brilliance in Sergio Aguero, class with David Silva, leadership with Vincent Kompany and other great attributes.

Micah Richard’s (left) 2012 Manchester City squad featured real stars such as Sergio Agüero (right)

This current crop of City stars would certainly give us a good test if we played against each other

However, if someone was missing, we weren’t so slick. Pep Guardiola, on the other hand, changes his team and nothing changes. We would do our best, but it would be tough!

Leicester’s troubles are long in the making

Leicester worried me for a long time and unfortunately their fate could be all but sealed on Monday if they lose at Newcastle.

I wondered how on earth they could replace their dressing room leader Kasper Schmeichel after selling him to Nice and then letting Youri Tielemans’ contract situation drift.

He was one of eight players whose deal would expire. Not addressing that was a big problem.

By letting Kasper Schmeichel leave in the summer, Leicester lost one of their greatest leaders

Steve Cooper must be in talks with manager of the year

I went to the City Ground earlier in the season to watch a game as a spectator and I couldn’t believe the experience.

I wanted to get a feel for Nottingham Forest and I was blown away by the atmosphere in the stadium. It certainly helped them cross the line.

What a job Steve Cooper has done, another man to talk about in the call for Manager of the Year.

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper should be in line for the Premier League manager of the year award

Cooper (left) has been criticized at times but has led Forest to the Premier League

People were criticizing the way they signed so many players, but he made it happen. The confidence he places in the outstanding Morgan Gibbs-White has been richly rewarded.

Roy is right about his Ferguson verdict

A telling wink from Roy Keane during work on Sunday as news broke that Evan Ferguson had scored again for Brighton. “Of course he’s good, he’s Irish!” Roy said. We certainly agree on this.

I’ve been watching Ferguson since he broke into the team. He plays with a composure far beyond his age. This is an exciting young man.