Pep Guardiola insisted a 5-0 demolition of Norwich City will ‘scare’ Premier League rivals.

Gabriel Jesus inspired a commanding home performance from the champions, with £100m signing Jack Grealish getting off the mark in an early barrage against the Canaries.

“One week ago, we are not contenders to win the Premier League. Now we are scary," said Guardiola. "Listen, we are same team except for Sergio (Aguero), who went to Barcelona, and Jack coming in. We are the same guys and the same team we were last season - and last season was exceptional.

"Still we are not at our top, still we have many things to do. It was really good, happy for that and our first three points and hopefully it will not be the last."

Jesus tormented Dimi Giannoulis and later schooled Bali Mumba, after a summer when the Brazilian international had been tipped for a transfer exit.

"If I should answer all the rumours in the media, we need five press conferences," said Guardiola. "The moment I tell you I don't like Gabriel, then we can talk about it.

"He has so much importance for me. It's not just when he makes an exceptional performance like this one, it's every day. He deserves to continue playing, when a guy plays in this way he deserves to play again.

"He is a player who likes to play more wide than central positions. One of the reasons why I am a manager in the best moments of my career, apart from the titles and trophies, is because you can work with people, humans like Gabriel.

"He never complains. He never disrespects his team-mates. If he plays five minutes, he plays the best five minutes he can do. Play right he is happy, play central he is happy, play left he is happy.

"The combination with Kyle (Walker) was exceptional. I am very pleased with the performance he has made, an incredibly important player for us, he is so young. Big congrats because he deserves in life the best because he is so generous. I am incredibly satisfied."

Guardiola was without injured duo Kevin de Bruyne and Phil Foden and also had the luxury of leaving Raheem Sterling on the bench, before he notched in a second half cameo.

“Raheem, when I arrived here five years ago, didn’t have the goal in his mind. That changed,” he said. “In this game you see Raheem scored a goal because he arrived in the central position like a number nine.

"He is a machine there. He changed his mind and decided he is going to score, score, score.”

NCFC Extra: Paddy's Pointers after Norwich City's 5-0 defeat