Gary Neville believes Liverpool will fail to retain the Premier League title this season in a result that he says could well pave the way for Tottenham to become champions.
The Manchester United legend was asked to give his verdict on the title race for Sky Sports ahead of this weekend's action as he offered his insight on Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and league leaders Spurs.
Jose Mourinho's side will be looking to keep hold of the top spot when they face Crystal Palace on Sunday.
And there is no doubting that they are now, finally, in a title race with their sights set on becoming the eighth club to lift the famous trophy.
Neville believes Jurgen Klopp's side will fail to follow up the success of 2020 and with Manchester City currently six points adrift Spurs are in the driving seat to battle Chelsea for glory, he says.
"The players are buying into it, Jose Mourinho has given them belief, they can now handle and play in big matches, they look experienced, wise, cute, a little bit nasty," he said.
"We have seen them against United, City, Chelsea and Arsenal and they have picked up 10 points out of 12. He has some really top players and he now feels he can compete with Pep and Klopp.
"I think he has got a chance as there is no doubt City and Liverpool are not where they were."
Speaking about Manchester City and Liverpool's title fights, Neville continued: "Pep will be enthused they are not out of sight, with the start to the season they've had.
"If Liverpool had been at the levels they were in the last couple of seasons, then they would have been a lot of points behind.
"You knew at some point they would motor along and get it right - they are still not perfect or anywhere near the levels they were in the past few years, because the levels they've set have been out of this world."
He continued: "I've said before that I think Liverpool win this league at a canter if Virgil van Dijk was fit, no one can get near them.
"I still think they win this league, but there are just some little things that are going against them that have not gone against them in the last couple of years.
"And the same with City and that makes it interesting and there are just a couple of teams, Chelsea at the moment, Tottenham that are just looking at them and thinking: 'They are not right and we are OK here, we are just starting to hit form and spirit and we are getting closer to them.'
"And the fact they are getting closer to them and they are not right is giving confidence to them, even to Man Utd. I think the Man Utd players will be sitting there thinking if we could start playing like we could, then even we may have a chance daftly enough as that sounds.
"I do not think they will win the league, but that is what this season is doing to us because the top two have set a bar that I've never seen before, none of us have ever seen before in the last couple of seasons, and now we are seeing something that is more normal."
Spurs' London rivals Chelsea are another side challenging for the title this season.
Frank Lampard's side spent big in the summer and were considered outsiders before the season began, with the Blues' new signings expected to take time to adjust to the league.
Neville said: "They are impressing me and for me, they have got a real chance. I think Chelsea have got more of a chance to win the league than Spurs because they have got N'Golo Kante, Thiago Silva, and players who could navigate them to it.
"The club always wins trophies under Roman Abramovich, there is something there. They have got good, talented players and they also do the ugly side of the game as well, so they are a real threat."
