Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has warned Manchester City that they must avoid defeat against Liverpool this weekend if they want to keep their Premier League title bid alive.
Jurgen Klopp's Reds and Pep Guardiola's reigning champions go head-to-head in a mouthwatering top-of-the-table clash at Anfield on Sunday.
Unbeaten Liverpool are currently six points clear of their chief title rivals, having won 10 of their opening 11 games of the season, and remain on track for a first league title since 1990.
Meanwhile City, who have won back-to-back titles, have endured somewhat of a stuttering start to the season and Merson believes there will be no way back for the visitors if they lose.
"Liverpool and Manchester City were both on the floor against Aston Villa and Southampton but yet again they found the answer," he told Sky Sports . "Both clubs are relentless in their pursuit of the title but I don't see a way back for City if Liverpool win on Super Sunday.
"Liverpool will move nine points clear with a win at Anfield and, as we saw at Villa Park, they simply don't know how to lose, so I just don't where they would lose three matches to let City back in.
"It's a massive football match. It's one where Liverpool would be happy with a draw, that would leave them six points clear having played against City. When you look at the way Liverpool are playing at the moment, scoring freely, I'd find it hard to look past them for the title if they won.
"People say it's early in the season but that argument winds me up. The league starts in August, every game is of vital importance and if Liverpool move nine points clear it would probably be in City's best interest to turn their attention to winning the Champions League."
And Merson went on to claim that Guardiola faces a tactical headache going into this showdown.
He added" "Pep Guardiola is undoubtedly a great manager, but these are the kind of games where we really see what he's made of.
"Opening up the game could be fatal, as Liverpool have proved in the past, so he may have to alter his principles slightly, sit back, contain Liverpool.
"City don't have to win the match, it will be game on in the title race if they remain six points behind, but they cannot afford to lose."
