Ruben Dias questions Manchester City’s Premier League title credentials amid Liverpool and Arsenal battle

Ruben Dias has doubted Manchester City’s Premier League credentials ahead of key fixtures against Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.

Manchester City’s hopes of winning a record-breaking fourth successive Premier League title could hinge on results next month, with potentially defining fixtures against Manchester United, Liverpool, Brighton and Arsenal in March.

Just two points continue to separate Liverpool, City and Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table, although the Gunners’ goal difference is superior to the top two after a series of impressive results.

Pep Guardiola’s side are currently on a 17-match unbeaten streak across all competitions and beat Bournemouth 1-0 at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday evening, courtesy of Phil Foden’s 16th goal of the campaign.

Manchester City dropped points to Chelsea for the second time this season last weekend however, as Rodri rescued a 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium, cancelling out Raheem Sterling’s first-half goal.

As well as Premier League title ambitions, the Sky Blues remain in the hunt to retain their Champions League and FA Cup crowns after last season’s historic treble triumph.

City face Luton Town in the FA Cup fifth round on Tuesday evening and take a 3-1 first-leg lead into their last-16 second-leg Champions League tie with FC Copenhagen.

The Sky Blues also face rivals Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium next Sunday, prior to a trip to Anfield on Sunday 10th March.

A series of frustrating performances and mixed results have led to question marks surrounding City’s Premier League title credentials ahead of the run-in, something centre-back Ruben Dias admitted following victory at the Vitality.

“That’s the million dollar question,” he told BBC Sport’s Mike Minay.

“Every season things change, players change so you can’t go back to what you were you can only become the new thing you’re supposed to become. Every year we have to reinvent ourselves.”

City lost senior trio Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte last summer, and have also been without Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland for significant periods of the campaign.

De Bruyne featured against Bournemouth after a recent fresh hamstring injury scare, although Haaland was unable to score against the Cherries, with the 23-year-old having failed to score in seven of the Blues’ last nine matches.