Didi Hamann insists former club Liverpool can still win the Premiership.
As befits a hero of Liverpool's epic comebacks in the 2005 Champions League final and 2001 and 2006 FA Cup finals, Hamann says all is not yet lost.
Now 36, retired and taking his coaching badges, former Germany midfielder Hamann told the Daily Express: "It is a very important game for both clubs - but particularly Liverpool.
"You can't see United or Chelsea finishing outside the top four, nor Arsenal with the way they are playing and scoring goals at the moment. With City, Spurs and Aston Villa all challenging strongly for the Champions League places, there is a very real threat of Liverpool finishing outside the top four which would be disastrous for them, not least financially.
"They have not played to their standards recently but performances have not been as bad as the results suggest. They battered Fulham and should have been out of sight. Everyone knows what happened at Sunderland and two last-minute goals by Lyon damaged them in Europe.
"Confidence - or lack of it - is the biggest issue. It doesn't make good reading when you've only won one game in nine and you begin to wonder where the next win is coming from.
"There is not too much wrong with their play, ability or team spirit. Obviously having important players like Fernando Torres, Steve Gerrard and Glen Johnson missing hasn't helped.
"The departure of Xabi Alonso in the summer was a big setback. The reason they did so well last season was because of Alonso's midfield partnership with Javier Mascherano, the best in the Premier League. But a team that gathered 86 points and pushed United all the way to the title hasn't become a bad one. Yes, they have already lost five games so the title looks unlikely now. But stranger things have happened.
"Their main focus, though, must be to not lose sight of the top three. If Liverpool can string some wins together they could make up ground quickly. They always finish the season strongly."
