The determined youngster knows he must maintain his recent form if he is to cement his place in the City line-up but, in fact, Barton believes he can get better still.
"The manager putting me straight back into the side was a major boost for my confidence," he told the official City website.
"People have sad nice things about my last couple of performances but I have to do that for 30 or 40 games a season not just 1 or 2. I feel I have improved as a player but I don't think I am anywhere near my peak yet."
Barton has shown that - even if he is yet to hit his peak - he has the ability to scrap with the best, but now he is hoping to demonstrate another facet of his game.
"When I first came into the side I was regarded as a bit of a destroyer, someone who broke play up but not necessarily a good passer or very creative," he added.
"I was very young then and didn't know how to impose myself and we also had Ali Benarbia and Eyal Berkovic doing the clever stuff.
"That doesn't mean I'm not capable of being more creative and inventive and I think fans will see more of that over the coming months; it is something on which I've been working hard."