Manchester City's Premier League title hopes are all but over with the defending champion having left itself too much ground to make up as it trails first-place Liverpool by 14 points, midfielder Bernardo Silva said.

City lifted a record fourth straight English top-flight title last season, but has struggled in this campaign and is sixth in the standings after winning only two of its last 10 league matches.

Pep Guardiola's team has been hit hard by injuries this season, with Ballon d'Or winner Rodri out for the rest of the campaign and several players spending lengthy spells on the sidelines.

"Right now, it's about accepting reality," Silva told Sky Sports in an interview published on Thursday. "I'm not looking at Liverpool. I'm sixth in the league, I cannot be looking at Liverpool or Arsenal.

"I'm looking at the next game to try and win three points ... I wouldn't say it's impossible because in football there are no impossibles, but right now Manchester City is completely out of the title race, no question about that, it's too late for us.

"People say you cannot win the league until January, but you can lose it. This season the reality is that we have lost it."

City hosts 13th-placed West Ham United in a league match on Saturday, before taking on fourth-tier side Salford City in the FA Cup on Jan. 11.