Liverpool has been told that it won’t have a better chance to win the Premier League than this season amid Manchester City’s unconvincing start to the campaign.

Ironically, the reigning champion top the standings after nine games of the new campaign, sitting one point and one place ahead of the Reds as the only remaining unbeaten side in the whole division.

But despite dropping points in just two of its games, City is yet to really make it out of first gear. Last-minute goals to secure a point against Arsenal and a victory away to bottom-club Wolves have suggested Pep Guardiola’s side has lacked its usual killer instinct.

And despite smashing in 10 goals in his first five games of the campaign, Erling Haaland has managed just one in his last four, receiving criticism for his role within the side due to his lack of pressing and willingness to track back.

With this in mind, former Premier League striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has urged Liverpool to take advantage of City’s apparent decline and has even gone as far as saying the Etihad outfit has gotten “worse”.

Speaking to Lucky Block, he said: “I think if Arsenal or Liverpool want to win the Premier League title, this is the year to do it. I’m looking at this Manchester City team and I don’t think they’re as good as some of the City teams we’ve seen in previous seasons.

“I was actually quite shocked when they played Fulham at home (when they won 3-2), Fulham played a really, really good game and had the ball for long periods of time. If you remember when Man City was on top and destroying teams, when they lost the ball, they used to get it back really quickly and you couldn’t keep the ball against them.

“Their press used to be so good. I don’t know if teams have become better, or they have become worse. I think it’s the latter, because they’ve got Haaland, and Haaland doesn’t press as much – even though they are top of the league and on this long unbeaten run, I don’t think they’re as good as they used to be.”

While it might sound ridiculous to be criticizing a team that is unbeaten at the top of the Premier League, it’s not without reason. Arguably the biggest reason for City’s suggested decline is the absence of star midfielder Rodri, although Hasselbaink believes it is a change in its pressing style of play.

And following narrow victories over Brentford (2-1), Fulham (3-2), Wolves (2-1) and Southampton (1-0), the former Chelsea striker fears for Guardiola’s outfit against the better sides.

Hasselbaink said: “They also have some difficult games coming up. They haven’t played Liverpool yet. They haven’t played Tottenham. They haven’t played Villa, and they haven’t played Manchester United yet. City have some tough games to come. If you’re competing against them, you need to be ready to take advantage of any slip ups.”