Liverpool are too safe and have run to the end, claims Gary Neville

Liverpool are physically and mentally drained and look like they ran to the end, claims Gary Neville.

Jürgen Klopp’s champions fell 10 points behind leaders Manchester City after Pep Guardiola’s men won 4-1 in Anfield on Sunday.

After a spate of injury problems and four losses in seven, Liverpool have gone up in smoke on their title defense efforts and Neville has called their run of form an “alarming slump”.

Liverpool’s players react during their 4-1 home defeat to Manchester City on Sunday

Gary Neville believes Jürgen Klopp’s champions are mentally and physically drained

On the Gary Neville podcast, he said: ‘Liverpool are nowhere near the team that has been absolutely exceptional for three years.

“I had little to do with Manchester City last year when they had this year off after three exceptional years of performance and I’m going to be keeping up with Liverpool this year because you can’t go every year for four years. It is unimaginable.

“At some point there will be a break-in and we see the break-in, it’s an alarming break-in, and he’s here at this point.”

Liverpool were given a lifeline when Ilkay Gundogan shot a penalty in the head in the first half, but City were ruthless in the second half and accepted some generous gifts from goalkeeper Alisson.

Neville believes there was no shortage of desire in Liverpool in the second half but believes they are struggling to keep up with their previously supreme physicality.

“I’ve been to teams that haven’t won titles in previous seasons where your thoughts were there to see,” actually we can do this, we can catch this, “but then your body goes out of there and it doesn’t come with you.

Neville has criticized Liverpool for playing too slowly and too confidently for much of this season

Neville believes Liverpool’s physicality cannot match their desire to win on the pitch

‘Liverpool’s physicality right now doesn’t allow them to go back to where they need to be. They’re still the same players, they still have the same desire. I don’t think it’s a wish problem, I don’t see a group of players here who have switched off and have had enough, who have climbed the mountain and won’t go again.

“They just look drained, absolutely drained mentally and physically, as if they ran to the end.”

After 68 games without a home defeat in almost four years, Liverpool have now lost their last three games at Anfield in the Premier League.

And Neville believes the loss of her home form is due to Klopp’s side playing too confidently and not supporting her previously aggressive and direct style.

“This is a place where they have been invincible for so long. You never see Liverpool as anything but positive here.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson was responsible for two City goals after two terrible mistakes