The Belgian playmaker announced last week that he would be leaving the Etihad Stadium at the end of the season and his team-mate hopes he can win a 17th and final major honour at the club with the FA Cup.

Dias said: "His legacy is unique and special. I’ve won a lot with him – he’s such an important piece of the puzzle and we’ve become very good and special friends during this time.

"We want to give him the best moment and memories – obviously he has quite a few already – but we want to end it the best way possible, for all of us of course, but especially for him because he deserves it for everything he has done and for the person he is.

"As a player, he will always be held dearly for all of us. He’s a special player and person to all of us in the changing room and it’s about enjoying every second that we have left. There is still a lot to fight for."

City played out a drab 0-0 derby draw with rivals Manchester United in the Premier League at the weekend and Dias was satisfied with the effort that the team put into the game, even though they lacked an attacking threat.

The Portuguese defender said: "It was a game to be strong and to suffer in certain moments. We take the point because it cost us a lot of work and a lot of fight.

"It wasn’t easy to control because of the way they attack so wide and their transitions.

"I must say, though, I love going through it with my team-mates because the way we fought for every ball, every transition, every reaction. I feel like our team was very much alive in that sense.

"Obviously, there was more to be there in terms of being more dangerous in the second half and trying to win the game, but the way we fought until the end is what makes us who we are. We take this point."