Enzo Maresca believes Manchester City will bounce back into Premier League title contention while insisting it is "just reality" that Chelsea are not genuine challengers for the crown.
Chelsea go into Thursday's west London derby at home to Fulham second in the table and just four points adrift of leaders Liverpool, having played one game more than the Merseysiders.
By contrast City, for all they have won an unprecedented four straight Premier League titles before this season, are now 12 points off the summit following a woeful run of nine defeats in 12 matches in all competitions.
But Maresca, who worked alongside City boss Pep Guardiola at the Etihad, said: "Manchester City at the end will be there. They are in a moment that has never happened before.
"Every time they play a game, they have an injury, and they don't have enough players in this moment. And the ones they have are not 100 percent because they have just come back from injury, so it is a very bad situation.
"We are ahead of our expectations, in terms of the way we are playing, and the points we have, but the main focus is how we can improve the players and how we can improve the team."
Maresca, who has repeatedly dismissed any title talk concerning Chelsea, added: "It is not about the (title) pressure for the players or for the club or for me, it is just the reality.
"I would like to have that kind of pressure and hopefully soon we can, but the reason why I said we are not there yet, is because the reality is that we are not."
Maresca, asked if it was now Liverpool's title to lose, replied: "No, the reality says we are second at the halfway point, so the table does reflect the teams.
"But Liverpool have done a fantastic job since the first day, and the squad has lived that kind of moment, winning a trophy, which is important.
"Last year, when Liverpool faced Chelsea in the Carabao (League) Cup final I saw the amount of finals that Liverpool players had played in, and the number of finals Chelsea players had played in, and there was a huge difference. So it shows the experience you need, but we are happy to be where we are."