City are locked in an intense three-way battle for the crown with Liverpool and Arsenal and Dias wants the team to draw on past success as they pursue a historic fourth consecutive title.

The defender told TNTSports: "Hopefully it will make a difference. We've been in situations like this before. It's not easy to keep the consistency, especially in a time like this, with a schedule as busy as ours will be.

"But it's what we want and what's separating us from something very special. We will pursue it as much as we can.

"That's why we want to be here and to do it again, precisely because of how difficult it looks."

Dias admits that City have additional motivation as they look to become the first team in the history of the English game to win four titles on the trot.

He said: "We are definitely very happy, with everything that we've achieved and with the opportunity of doing it again, doing something special that no one has ever done.

"Now it's about staying alive, staying in competitions. Keeping the consistency and then at the end we'll see."

City still have a chance of repeating last season's treble win and Dias is comfortable with the zero-margin-for-error approach that the team will need to take in the coming weeks.

The Portugal international said: "(The margin for error) is as small as it can get. Champions League: you lose, you're out. FA Cup: you lose, you're out. Premier League: you lose, you don't eat.

"There are a lot of games to play, but we know it's a very fine margin. We like it, we love it, we are used to living with it. We know to win, you have to get comfortable with the fine margins. So, let them come."