Manchester City's current form is a "frightening" prospect for Liverpool and their other Premier League rivals, says Gary Lineker.
City thrashed West Bromwich Albion 5-0 at the Hawthorns on Tuesday night to go top of the table for the first time this season.
Ilkay Gundogan scored twice while Joao Cancelo, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling were also on the scoresheet for the visitors.
Pep Guardiola's men have now won 11 matches in a row in all competitions - and are unbeaten in 18, since losing at Tottenham in November.
They have moved one point clear of Manchester United, who face rock bottom Sheffield United at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
Third-placed Leicester take on Everton at Goodison Park later, while West Ham United have gone above Liverpool into fourth following their 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace.
Jurgen Klopp's men are now fifth ahead of their match with sixth-placed Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday.
The Reds are without a win in five league outings and now seven points off top spot.
After watching Man City sweep aside Sam Alladryce's Baggies, Match of the Day presenter and former Everton striker Lineker took to social media to issue an ominous warning.
"A @ManCity side playing their best football again, with a strong defence, is a frightening thought for the rest of the league...and Europe," he posted on Twitter.
Reflecting on his side's victory, City boss Pep Guardiola said: “Yes, congratulations to the team for the performance.
"Except for the first two or three minutes when we couldn't leave our box, the rest of the game was good.
“What we want is movement in the right moment and what we want is to move the ball more than our movements. But it is true the players' movements up front was so good.”
City's much-improved defence recorded yet another clean sheet and Guardiola added: “Yeah from the beginning of the season, apart from the game against Leicester, we concede so few.
“Now our defenders concentrate for 90 minutes. Ruben and John, Aymeric, they are so focused.
“The midfielders and the strikers now we are there and covered and in the right moment we will score.
“It is impossible to be at the latter stages of any competition without being solid at the back.”
