Everton veteran Gareth Barry says that Manchester City "are just another team that needs to be beaten" ahead of their Capital One Cup semifinal first leg tie at Goodison Park on Wednesday night.
The former City midfielder says that Everton can take a big step in front of their own fans towards the final on Feb. 28, despite their recent poor home record.
The Toffees have won just three times in 11 matches at Goodison Park this season, and lost 2-0 to Manuel Pellegrini's side in the Premier League in August.
"Manchester City are just another team that needs to be beaten and standing in our way of achieving the ambition of lifting a trophy for Everton," he told the Guardian.
"The last two years of my career at Everton, I want to win a trophy. I managed to do it at City, being part of a group that ended a long wait for a trophy, and to do it here would be fantastic."
Barry spent five years at Manchester City, winning the 2012 Premier League title in addition to the 2011 FA Cup. But, despite earning praise for his performances in the Everton engine room, the 34-year-old hasn't enjoyed much success against his former employers.
"I've played against Manchester City three times since I left and have lost them all," he said.
"People have been on their backs, saying they wait until they need to turn it on, but the quality is obviously there. When it comes to the business end they will produce and, for me, they are the favourites to win the league."
But Barry, who is third on the all-time Premier League appearances' list behind Ryan Giggs and Frank Lampard with 582 matches, says that the Goodison Park faithful can lift his team.
"For me, Goodison is the toughest away ground to come to ... I have experienced it," he said.
"At the minute we are not using that to our advantage for some reason. That is what we need to set up on Wednesday. Under the lights here, the atmosphere is that much stronger. We need to use that to our advantage."
Everton, who have never won the League Cup, are chasing their first major silverware since 1995.