Manchester City boss Mark Hughes has again spoken of how impressed he's been by the club's youngsters.

"I'm impressed with the youth of the squad and the ability of the squad," Hughes told City's website. "I always knew I had good players here, but until you work with them on a day-to-day basis, you don't really know the technical ability that they have.

"I've been impressed with that and I think the way we retain possession and circular the ball is good. That will help us this season given the way I want to play.

"We need to keep creating chances and that will come because it's still early in our preparations."

So after being impressed with what he's seen from his squad so far, does he think the youth will continue to compete for first team chances?

"Well there's comfort here in the fact that there's good, young players, who are itching to get involved.

"You're always trying to push the kids through and give them an opportunity, we'll always do that, because that's what we've done wherever we've been.

"The lads that went away to Germany did their chances no harm whatsoever and we were impressed."

The Manager did though sound a note of caution, saying: "It's a high standard, the Premier League and where we want to go, so it's going to be more and more difficult for younger players to break through.

"But if they are good enough it doesn't matter what age they are."