Joe Cole delivers brutally blunt title warning to Pep ahead of Liverpool clash

Joe Cole reckons Manchester City's hopes of retaining the title will be OVER if they lose to Liverpool on Sunday.

Rarely could you imagine Pep Guardiola’s star-studded side being out of contention on the first day of December. But things have gotten so bad that ex-Liverpool and England midfielder Cole believes there will be no way back if they fail to win for a seventh successive match.

Leaders Liverpool are already eight points clear and know that gap would extend to 11 if they can inflict a fourth league defeat of the season on City.

Guardiola’s side, who have won the Premier League in each of the last four seasons, are still in second spot but could drop out of the top-four altogether with another loss.

And Cole told TNT Sports: "I think if they lose at the weekend, the title is over for them. Eleven points? I think it will be too much.

"Because they’ve lost games, and the invincibility has gone, now a few nerves have crept in and you can play with your minds. I certainly saw that late on in the Feyenoord game, the lack of composure."

Shambolic City, thinking they were back to winning ways, let a 3-0 lead slip in the final 15 minutes of their Champions League game with the Dutch champions. Fans, having already witnessed them slump to five successive defeats, were left stunned as the match finished 3-3.

And Cole now reckons Arsenal could be the biggest challengers to Liverpool despite being a point adrift of City.

The Gunners have had their own issues this term but recorded a stunning 5-1 win over Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League in midweek to underline that their previous problems may be behind them.

He said: “Arsenal are in a stronger position than Manchester City, in my opinion. They've had their wobble. [Martin] Odegaard's back fit. They are a younger squad, younger team. I think they will kick on."