Manchester City must take "some of the credit" after Liverpool secured the Premier League title on Thursday, believes former Red Jason McAteer.
Pep Guardiola's City side needed a win against Chelsea to prolong Liverpool's wait for a league title but were unable to do so, with Frank Lampard's side sealing a dramatic 2-1 win.
In failing to win, Liverpool were handed their first-ever Premier League title and a first league title in 30 years.
And while Liverpool sit 23 points ahead of City, albeit with seven games remaining, McAteer believes it was last season's battle with City that prepared the Reds for this season.
Despite finishing with a tally of 97 points, it was City who won the Premier League on 98 points. And McAteer compares the relationship between the two clubs to that of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
"Liverpool have won the league this year by a country mile and, in a way, some of the credit for that has to go to Manchester City," McAteer told Racing Post.
"That's not necessarily because their mistakes have allowed Jurgen Klopp's side to establish such a huge lead but rather what went on last year.
"The fact Liverpool pushed City all the way last season has prepared them well for this year. They were always on their tail.
"The Reds won the Champions League and I think the main reason for that was they needed to be absolutely on the ball every week to stay the pace with Pep Guardiola's team in the race for the Premier League.
"You see it with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Great sporting rivals produce great levels of excellence because they have to stay in touch with one another and this is what I can see happening again next season.
"There are lots of complications with City's financial fair play issue and the world situation means we don't know what's going to happen, but they can be inspired just as Liverpool has been this year."
