Paul Merson claims Darwin Nunez deal could leave Liverpool FC trailing behind Man City

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has warned Liverpool that they could be left behind by Manchester City next season if they are not careful.

Only one point separated City and the Reds last season in what was a thrilling title race which went down to the last game of the season. Pep Guardiola's side finished as Premier League champions while Jurgen Klopp's team had to settle for their FA Cup and Carabao Cup triumphs following defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

Looking ahead to next season with Sportskeeda, Merson warned Liverpool that they cannot afford a slow start to the campaign. He explained: "Relying on Darwin Nunez to come in and hit the ground running immediately like Luis Diaz did is putting too much pressure on the kid, because stuff like that happens once in a blue moon.

"When you're competing against a relentless Manchester City side, you're effectively out of the title race if you start the season slowly, so it'll be interesting to see how Liverpool cope without [Sadio] Mane." Mane joined Bayern Munich this week on a deal until 2025.

Liverpool look to have replaced the Senegalese star with Benfica's Nunez. A previous target for Manchester United, Nunez enjoyed a brilliant season scoring an impressive 34 goals in 41 appearances.