Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has poured cold water on Liverpool's Premier League hopes, claiming that every top-flight cub will struggle to dethrone Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.
Jurgen Klopp's side pushed City to the limits in last season's remarkable title charge but fell short by just a single point, leaving the wait for a league title on Merseyside extending to three decades.
Liverpool are backed as contenders again this year, as they look to stop City from sealing a third Premier League crown in a row.
But Neville believes there is little hope for the Reds, or any other club, while Guardiola remains in his post at the Eithad Stadium.
“I played for 20-odd years under Sir Alex Ferguson, I now know what it must have felt like for other clubs at the start of the season thinking that Manchester United were going to win it,” he said on the Gary Neville podcast.
“That’s how it feels now with Manchester City. You look at them and think ‘who can stop that?’ You look at their squad and the quality, last year they did what they did at times without Fernandinho, Gundogan plays there, without De Bruyne for months in the season.
“If any other club loses their best players, they would not be able to cope but Manchester City’s squad is so deep, the addition of Rodri and Joao Cancelo strengthens them again, they’re in that very good position where they just have to add one or two every year.
“The big question for Manchester City, we had a manager who stayed here for 26 years. How long is Pep Guardiola going to stay?
“He’s been outstanding for three seasons, is he going to stay for six, seven, eight years? If he does, then I think the rest are in a bit of trouble, but if he leaves in the next one or two years then City will be weaker.
“He’s so outstanding as a coach and I think that’s what other clubs will have to wait for.”
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