Former Liverpool defender Phil Babb believes The Reds can still go toe-to-toe with Manchester City despite suggesting Pep Guardiola's team is blazing the same trail Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United did during his playing days. 

In an exclusive interview, the former Irish international highlighted that Man City's potential is limitless. And with Erling Haaland as their talisman, they are more than worthy of attaining European silverware to rubberstamp their reputation in the same bracket as their city rivals.

Nevertheless, he remained optimistic that Liverpool, along with Chelsea and the rest of the chasing pack, can stop the Champions from becoming unbeatable. 

  • '90s Man Utd vs modern Man City

While Babb was acquiring a livelihood at the beginning of Liverpool's 30-year hiatus from winning the league title, the Red Devils, only 30 miles east, picked up four of the six Premier League trophies the defender contested on Merseyside. 

In 1999, Ferguson's Red Devils would embellish their position as England's powerhouse football club with a European Cup. Infamously, ten years later, the Scottish head coach claimed Man City would never be favourites heading into a Manchester Derby.

Now, in 2022, the blue half of Manchester are favourites every year.

There are question marks from both fanbases over where this City side ranks among the best Premier League teams of all time, but when asked for his opinion, Babb was full of praise for the United team he encountered in the 90s. 

"Well, it was an exceptional team that's for sure and playing against them was always difficult," he said. "They had some supreme players and Sir Alex Ferguson had a well-oiled machine going on for virtually two decades.

"This Manchester City team is also exceptional and it's very difficult to compare until they get into double figures of Premier League titles and until they secure that European silverware.

"On paper, and as long as they keep Pep Guardiola, then you would say that the sky is the limit for this Manchester City team."

Man City have won four of the last five Premier League titles, and it's a trend that threatens to continue as the Cityzens look to retain their championship for a third successive season, something only achieved on two other occasions, both by the Red Devils. 

Despite this dominance, Babb feels that there are teams in the chasing pack that can stop Man City from running away with domestic silverware. 

"But football is cyclical isn't it?" he continued.  "Liverpool were dominant in the 80s, Manchester United had their time in the 90s and the 2000s.

"After that, it's changed, but we've seen teams like Arsenal and Chelsea sometimes come into that conversation.

"Now it's Manchester City and Liverpool. Liverpool finally got their hands on that title, and they've been fantastic in the Champions League, getting to three finals.

"Manchester City are a real force in the Premier League, but they're not unbeatable in the title race."

  • Erling Haaland: Man City's final jigsaw piece for European success?

One thing that this Manchester City team doesn't have, that Babb underpinned, is a Champions League trophy. The arrival of Erling Haaland has already led some to believe they can go all the way this season, but the former Red suggests that it's not just his goals that can push the Cityzens forward.

On whether the Norweigan striker is the final piece to the jigsaw puzzle, Babb said: "It's possible but you've got to remember how many goals they scored last year without Haaland, and they won the Premier League title, so they did alright.

"The question is obviously are his Champions League goals going to make the difference? It's a possibility.

"But what I think he's done is raise other player's games, when you look at Jack Grealish and Phil Foden this season, they're exciting.

"The other players are excited to play with Haaland and they've all raised their game to be on his level."

Haaland has already scored 15 goals in nine Premier League matches this season while notching five more in three Champions League games. 

"They've got this brand-new world superstar in their squad and they get to play alongside him.

"I think that lift throughout the team could be the difference, not just Haaland's goals but his stature in world football."

  • Liverpool can go toe-to-toe with Man City

Liverpool head into this weekend 13 points below Manchester City, with a poor start to the Premier League season being encapsulated by recent injuries to Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, and Luis Diaz.

Asked about what Liverpool needs to do to maintain their success, Babb said: "I think Jurgen Klopp has just got to keep doing what he's been doing.

"The recruitment at Liverpool has been fantastic over the past seven years and that still needs to continue.

"The pattern and style of play, we know it can go toe-to-toe with Manchester City and it'll be a fascinating game this weekend. But it's not just Liverpool who need to keep tabs on Manchester City.

"You need to look at what Chelsea have done and what Mikel Arteta is currently doing with that young team. He's building for the future, but all of a sudden, they've matured this season and they look fantastic."

Squad rejuvenation is key to continued success in the modern game. While Manchester City have regularly injected funds into the transfer market, other teams have instilled confidence in their youth systems to keep their starting eleven fresh.

Liverpool, despite their signings, have stagnated in recent years, with the next summer transfer window placing emphasis on a key midfield purchase. Babb also spoke about the importance of recruitment and suggested that the Cityzens will continue to strengthen.

"That sort of forward-thinking is crucial because there's no doubt Manchester City are already thinking about recruitment for next summer.

"Are they going to add another superstar? Could they potentially add Kylian Mbappe to the mix?

"If they get him as well alongside Haaland, Foden and De Bruyne, then you just have to say wow.

"Putting a neutral hat on, what a great team that would be to watch and it would look like a Fifa team when you put them together in an all-star XI."

Liverpool and Manchester City will go head to head against each other on Sunday afternoon, and while The Reds are a shell of their prime, it will still be hotly contested. 

"It's a difficult challenge, but Liverpool can't look at Manchester City and think they need to get close to them."

"Liverpool just needs to look at themselves and what is going to take Liverpool to the next level and if they do that, then they'll continue to win major honours."