Sunday 1 January 2017 21:09, UK
Jamie Carragher admits he fears Manchester City may not finish in the top four, let alone challenge for the Premier League title.
City's latest defeat came at Anfield against Liverpool on Saturday, their fourth Premier League defeat of the season under new manager Pep Guardiola.
Guardiola took nearly two seasons to lose as many Bundesliga games with Bayern Munich, and with City now 10 points off leaders Chelsea, Carragher fears they may not challenge.
They currently sit fifth in the Premier League, and with city rivals Manchester United just three points behind and on a five-game winning run, City may be fighting for a top four spot come May.
"I think the tip most of us went for at the start of the season was Man City. I think if we were making top four tips now, I probably wouldn't have City in it, towards the end of the season," Carragher said.
"The reason I say that is because I look at the back four. I think the front five or six for City is as good as anything in the league, maybe even the best; Aguero, De Bruyne, Silva. But the back four and 'keeper is not even top four quality for me, it's top eight.
"I look at that back four and it worries me wherever they play. Liverpool never really exposed that too much on Saturday, but you never feel they are going to keep a clean sheet."
City host Burnley next at the Etihad on Monday, before a trip to Everton and a date with Tottenham in Manchester to follow.
"If you put them under pressure you think they'll cave in. And I think for the second half of the season, for the great start they had, teams will look at City and think how can we expose them, looking at the way they play.
"I do fear for them in terms of top four, especially with Manchester United and the way they're playing."
