Just eight games into the Premier League season and Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan has admitted they are already hoping for title-rivals Liverpool to drop points.

Pep Guardiola's Citizens lie second in the table but have already lost two games, the first came in a 3-2 defeat to newly-promoted Norwich, while Wolves capitalised on the Blues over the weekend with a 2-0 win.

They already lie eight points behind Liverpool, who have won all of their eight games - with some ease.

"It's quite early in the season and there are still a lot of points to play for, but if we want to speak about the Premier League title, we have to hope Liverpool will drop points," said Ilkay Gundogan as reported on the BBC.

"That's a fact we can't be happy with and we aren't. But there is nothing else to do but make it better in the next game, which is our target. Watching their games and situation doesn't really help us - we need to fix our situation and drop as few points as possible.

"We have to play better, the 11 on the pitch, and do much better than we did on Sunday."

"There are always chances to create something but in the last 10 15 minutes Wolves were very defensive and they physicality meant they were able to cope with our headers and the spaces was tiny so it was difficult. We know we are able to play and we know our qualities but we were not able to put that on the pitch today.

“That is a fact and truth and it hurts - but we have to try and do better as quickly as possible after the international break.”

Manchester City won't play again until October 19th, when they travel to take on Crystal Palace. However, it is worth bearing in mind - the game after their loss to Norwich resulted in an 8-0 drubbing of Watford - so the omens are not good for Roy Hodgson's Crystal Palace.