MANCHESTER -- Manchester City have the quality to challenge in every competition if they can avoid picking up too many injuries, according to Kevin De Bruyne.
Pep Guardiola's side moved 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 victory over rock-bottom West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday while they are in the final of the Carabao Cup and last 16 of both the Champions League and FA Cup.
The City boss had wanted to strengthen his forward line in the January transfer window but the club decided to pull out of moves for Alexis Sanchez and Riyad Mahrez, and De Bruyne believes even trying to win all four competitions is a big ask.
"I think quality-wise [we can compete], obviously," the Belgium international told reporters. "It's always hard to compete on four fronts whatever your team is and how many players you have.
"In a season you can have suspensions, injuries like we have at the moment. Quality-wise we can compete but let's see."
City's hopes haven't been helped by an ankle injury to winger Leroy Sane, which is set to rule him out for up to seven weeks.
The German was injured in a dreadful tackle in the FA Cup victory over Cardiff City, which was just one of a number of bad challenges that City players have suffered recently with Guardiola calling for more protection from referees.
De Bruyne has escaped injury despite horror challenges from Tottenham's Dele Alli and Jason Puncheon, of Crystal Palace, and just managed to avoid another reckless lunge from James McClean in the win over West Brom.
"I didn't know the tackle was like that, i've just seen it. Let's just say the ball was not in the neighbourhood," De Bruyne said.
"The referee told me he didn't touch me good enough to get the red card but obviously I told him: 'I saw the guy, I was jumping.'
"I don't know what they are thinking -- you can also pull a shirt, that's more effective than a tackle.
"Sometimes it gets frustrating for us. A lot of teams are making a lot of fouls against us. We make a foul, we get a yellow card, I don't know how it's possible sometimes. I know sometimes there are tactical fouls but it's just the way it is."
De Bruyne has featured in all of City's last 11 matches since Dec. 23 and is ready for a midweek without a game after Saturday's trip to Burnley.
"I'm a little bit tired but this part of the season there is not a player who says they feel 100 percent," he added.
"I think you feel 100 percent maybe five to 10 games in a season of 60 or 70.
"I think we have to cope with it, we have a lot of injuries so we just need to do it. If the manager gets a chance he will give me some rest but now we have a game at lunchtime on Saturday and then a week of rest."