Danny Mills' Manchester City verdict

Does the former City defender still think they are the Premier League's top dogs?

Transcript

00:00You can look at injuries, and you can say City still have the strongest squad in the world.

00:15You know, Roderick makes Manchester City tick.

00:26The relationship between the centre-halves and the whole of the midfielders.

00:30Is one of the most crucial relationships in football.

00:33You know, defensively it makes you very, very solid.

00:36But it also starts your attacks.

00:37It also builds your momentum.

00:39You know, you still have Matthew Kovacic in there.

00:43You've still got Phil Foden that can drop into those places.

00:45Bernardo Silva.

00:47We've seen Gundogan has been in there as well.

00:49This is not like you're looking at kids coming out of the reserves.

00:53You know, and having to play.

00:54Or kids under 21s having to play in that position.

00:58You've got international players that have won the Champions League.

01:00That have won multiple Premier Leagues.

01:02So, yes, it's a disappointment.

01:05But it's not a huge drop-off.

01:07Or it shouldn't be that big a drop-off.

01:15Patsy Forme for Erling Haaland is way better than most other players form.

01:19You know, it's better than 95% of Premier League strikers.

01:27He's just different.

01:28I think it's very, very difficult to leave him out.

01:30Because he offers so much.

01:32He is so big, strong, powerful.

01:36Scores all types of weird and interesting goals at times.

01:41He occupies three or four defenders at times.

01:43Because they're all worried about his pacing behind.

01:45Or his aerial ability.

01:46Or what he's doing.

01:47So, to leave him out would be a big, big call.

01:50It's not like he's going through a drought.

01:52It's not like he's going through a drought.

01:55It's not like he's going through a drought.

01:57You know, an Erling Haaland drought is he hasn't scored for two games.

02:05Manchester City are probably the favourites.

02:17I know Liverpool are at the top at the moment.

02:19But City have been there, seen it, done it several times.

02:22With a manager that's done it as well.

02:24I know the Liverpool players have done it.

02:26But the manager hasn't been in this situation.

02:29And Liverpool will go through a tricky spell.

02:32How they deal with that is sort of yet unknown.