Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini is confident his title-winning team is better now that it was 12 months ago.

The defending champions launched their Barclays Premier League campaign with a hard-fought 2-0 win at Newcastle.

Pellegrini was delighted with a victory which came despite many of his World Cup stars having gone into the game short of match fitness, but, while he knows there will be stiff competition once again this season, he is certain City have grown during his time at the club.

He said: "It's very difficult to compare each year. Maybe last year a lot of people doubted we could win the title because it was my first season here in the Premier League.

"Today, we have one year more working with the players and I think we have also a strong squad.

"But always in England in the Premier League, you have five or six teams that can win the title, so we need to have the same attitude as we had today, the hunger with which we have started the season, the same humility with which we played today in every game.

"I am sure this squad can fight, and we will see at the end of the season which titles we will win."

City got their noses in front when David Silva expertly converted Edin Dzeko's clever 38th- minute back-heeled pass, but they had to wait until stoppage time at the end of the game at St James' Park to wrap up victory.

Sergio Aguero secured the points with a close-range finish after goalkeeper Tim Krul had blocked his initial effort, although only a remarkable block by Fernando had denied Newcastle a late equaliser minutes earlier.

Meanwhile former striker Luis Suarez may have gone but he has not forgotten Liverpool and he sent manager Brendan Rodgers a good luck message before their opening victory over Southampton at Anfield.

The controversial Uruguay international, who joined Barcelona in the summer for £75million in the wake of another biting furore and four-month ban, sent his well wishes to manager Rodgers and his former team-mates.

His old partner Daniel Sturridge did his best to ensure Suarez will not be missed with the winner 10 minutes from time after Nathaniel Clyne had cancelled out Raheem Sterling's first-half opener - although Rodgers is still in the market for a striker.

"We do still want another striker but that will depend on the availability. Today was about winning and we got there," he said.