Alan Shearer has ruled Manchester City out of the Premier League title race despite closing the gap to leaders Liverpool.

Pep Guardiola's side returned to winning ways on Wednesday night with a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest. Goals from Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku ended a seven-game winless run for the Blues.

The win over Nuno Espirito Santo's team will be of some relief with City tasting victory for the first time since a 1-0 win over Southampton on October 26. City's poor run has seen them fall nine points off league leaders Liverpool with Guardiola's side also behind Arsenal and Chelsea in the top-flight table after 12 matches.

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City may have received some encouragement that their title bid could be revived after seeing Liverpool drop points in a 3-3 draw at Newcastle on Wednesday. But former Magpies striker Shearer believes their hopes for a fifth consecutive league title are already over.

“Obviously Liverpool are favourites and rightly so because of the start that they’ve had to the season," he said on Prime Video.

"But it is not going to be all perfection for them, they’re gonna have to answer some questions - they did tonight at Newcastle. But I think Arsenal are closest to them, they’re the ones that are going to challenge them and I don’t see City coming back from where they are at this moment in time.

“I know they’ve got a decent result and they’re back to winning ways, but I think they’ve given themselves too much to do. I do see that Arsenal can challenge Liverpool but it’ll be tough, they’re gonna have to be near on perfect, Arsenal.”