Liverpool’s lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table is only going to get bigger, according to former Republic of Ireland striker Tony Cascarino.
Liverpool are currently eight points clear of back-to-back champions City, eight games into the season.
Pep Guardiola’s City side are without star centre-back Aymeric Laporte until early 2020 at least due to injury, meaning midfielder Fernandinho has had to fill in at the back in recent weeks.
Midfield maestro Kevin de Bruyne has also been on the sidelines due to a groin problem.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have won every game so far this term and Cascarino cannot see Manchester City’s problems getting any easier.
“City are going to have to hang on to the coat-tails of Liverpool in the next few months because they’ve got certain players out injured that are a big loss to them,” Cascarino told talkSPORT.
“Obviously De Bruyne and Laporte are just as important.
“They have to keep that gap at eight points because I can only see Liverpool extending it in the months to come, I don’t see City getting closer.
“It’s not like last season. Last season happened because City were a much better team.
“They’re not as good a side this year, whether it’s injury-based.”
Cascarino has also questioned the team selection from Guardiola this season.
“I think Pep has done something I’ve not really seen him do too often as a manager – he changed that side and made it weaker last week [against Watford],” he added.
“He played [Joao] Cancelo and [Kyle] Walker in the same team. I know Walker came off after 45 minutes but that was for other reasons than performance.
“But he’s generally changing a lot of positions in the team.
“Why was Bernardo Silva sub last week against Wolves? Why? He was phenomenal last year.
“I know [Riyad] Mahrez has come in and done okay but he hasn’t earned the right to take Bernardo Silva’s place in the team.”