Liverpool legend Graeme Souness feels Manchester City's title defence will hinge on their meeting with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

City's title chances were dealt a huge blow by Arsenal, who put in a disciplined display to become the first team to beat City by two or more goals at home since October 2010.

"They now have to go to Chelsea and win," Souness said on Super Sunday.

"City have got a hard run-in compared to Chelsea, whose tails will be firmly up after winning in some style yesterday. This team will go there playing under all sort of pressure. They'll be no Yaya Toure for that one either and they missed him again today.

"I think there's a lot of life left in this City team. Will they win it again this year? I don't think so after today but that doesn't mean they need to make wholesale changes. It's slowly, slowly. It's been proven over the years, you just have to keep adding to it."