Manchester City defender Kyle Walker thinks it could take a run of 14 straight victories if Pep Guardiola's outfit are to usurp Liverpool to the Premier League title.
City dropped two points after a 2-2 draw was played out against Newcastle United in the early kick-off on Saturday.
Former Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey scored the Magpies' equaliser, with the Reds taking advantage of Guardiola's squad's late lapse in confidence to climb 11 points clear with a 2-1 victory over Brighton at Anfield.
In response to the St. James' Park stalemate, Walker suggested the reigning champions are 'being worked out' by rival teams and that Jurgen Klopp's men deserve to be top.
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The right-back said: "The opposition are probably working us out a bit. Or the opposition are getting better.
"We are still the same squad. We have changed very little. We are still adapting a professional mentality around the place. We have to take our hats off to Liverpool.
"They have been fantastic and credit where it is due. They deserve to be top, but it is not over until it is over.
"We have the ability in the dressing room to go and catch anyone on our day. We have to take it game by game and keep chalking them off, getting three points, and moving on to the next one."
Last season, City won 14 games in a row to reclaim their Premier League title, and the England full-back thinks it will require the same effort this term with Liverpool already sitting pretty at the top of the table.
"Will it take a run of 14 straight wins again? That is what it will take. That’s a fact," Walker added.
"The points gap is getting bigger. We know we have the ability in the squad to go and do what we have done two seasons running. It is a good test for us. In my first season here it was personally good to finally lift the title having played in the league so long.
"The second season, last season, was a lot sweeter because we had to work for it. It showed the character and belief we have. Not just the players, but the coaching staff as well."
Walker also revealed what he told his team-mates in the dressing room after the game.
The 29-year-old continued: "I have just said in there, 'I look at you guys, you are my family'. I see the lads more than I see my own kids.
"We are going to experience ups and downs throughout our playing careers together here. Fortunately, up to now, it has been plain sailing.
"We are only human. We don’t go on to the pitch expecting to draw or lose, but there are going to be mistakes in games.
"Now I feel we have got to pull together as a squad and get the belief going again and make sure we do go on a run to put some pressure on the people above us."
