It's just incredible how quickly things can turn around at the top of football - even when you look unstoppable.

Manchester City won absolutely everything in England last season, just as many predicted they would.

They won the 17/18 title with such ease that years of dominance looked set and that appeared to be confirmed by their domestic treble.

City weren't just winning but winning in the most dominant fashion, racking up 198 points over the last two seasons.

Considering they've spent over £650m  since Pep Guardiola took over in 2016 (per Transfermarkt), it didn't really look like anyone could stop them.

And yet, before we're even halfway through this season, things appear to have fallen apart.

City are now 14 points behind leaders Liverpool and have already dropped as many points as they did over the entirety of the last campaign.

Guardiola now believes it's clear that his side simply can't compete with the best Europe has to offer.

The admission came after their 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester United.

"United have the quality to defend and the quality to attack on the counter-attack and you have to accept that," he said, per the BBC.

"That is the level we face against Liverpool, Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus. They are the teams we have to face and the reality is maybe we are not able now to compete with them.

"Maybe we need to live that as a club to improve, to accept the reality now and improve."

It's quite the quote, really, given the money spent and the success in recent years.

Does anyone believe that they can't compete? And if they really can't, isn't that quite bad?

Let alone admitting that they can't compete with United, who aren't exactly playing their best football right now.

It sounds like City might have a few problems right now.