Pep Guardiola says his priority is Manchester City’s development rather than the pursuit of trophies as his side prepare for the first leg of their League Cup semi-final away to Newcastle on Tuesday.

City finished last season without a major honour for the first time in eight years, although they did begin the current campaign by winning the Community Shield on penalties against Manchester United.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Monday, Guardiola dismissed the suggestion that missing out on major silverware last season had increased the pressure on him, insisting success is not measured purely by trophies.

“It’s not about winning or not winning trophies, it’s about how the team grows, how the team becomes better,” the City manager said.

“Last season we didn’t deserve to win more than one trophy because we didn’t play well. You can win trophies without playing well — in knockout competitions you can sometimes be lucky.

“But it’s not about that. Believe me, it’s not about that. We are here to make the team play better. The real satisfaction is putting in good performances for ourselves and for our fans.”

Guardiola has overseen a period of transition over the past year following the departure of several key players, and stressed that steady improvement remains his primary objective.

“That has always been the target,” he explained. “When you are in that process and you are fighting for titles, then you can win them.

“But after you win a title, you get big compliments. The next day there are fewer, and a few days later it’s forgotten. Something else comes along. So it’s about the journey and how you improve — that’s how you survive in this profession.”

City won the League Cup in four consecutive seasons from 2018, using the competition as a springboard for a decade of domestic dominance under Guardiola.

They were dethroned as Premier League champions by Liverpool last season and currently sit six points behind leaders Arsenal in the ongoing campaign.

Chelsea host Arsenal in the first leg of the other League Cup semi-final on Wednesday.