Barcelona, Sep 7: FC Barcelona's midfield talisman Andres Iniesta has backed the Catalan football club's former coach and current Manchester City chief tactician Pep Guardiola to be a success in the English Premier League (EPL) ahead of his first Manchester derby on Saturday. [La Liga: Schedule of Game week 3]

No one knows better than Iniesta how Guardiola will be striving to improve at City. Now 32, Iniesta was part of the Barcelona side which started with a loss and a draw when Guardiola took over at the Catalan outfit in 2008. [EPL: Schedule of Game week 4]

"Pep knows how to adapt and he'll adapt to the Premier League. He has made sure to get people on his staff who are going to help him do that. Mikel Arteta is only going to speed up that process," Iniesta was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail on Tuesday.

"And they have strengthened the squad very well over the summer. City are competitive in all departments," the 2010 World Cup winner added.

"I know Nolito very well because he was with me at Barcelona and he's a teammate with Spain. He's made a great start. I hope that everything goes well for him and that he continues to play as well as he has so far."

City have won their first three matches of the EPL and now face cross-town rival United, who are coached by Mourinho -- a fierce adversary of Guardiola from his times in Spain.

United have also won their first three matches of the EPL season under Mourinho, who replaced sacked Louis van Gaal.

IANS