Alan Shearer believes that Manchester City missed a "golden opportunity" to bring in top quality players last summer and feels that has cost them the league title this season.

After winning the Premier League, Roberto Mancini's side had a quiet transfer window by their standards, as the brought in players such as Jack Rodwell, Javi Garcia and Scott Sinclair.

Shearer wrote in his column in The Sun: "Manchester City wasted a golden opportunity last summer. Lining up against them will be the one who got away — United's Robin van Persie — who has proved to be one of the big differences between the two neighbours in this campaign.

"Roberto Mancini and his title-winners had missed a trick when the transfer window shut last August. When you are in a position of strength, you have to make the most of it.

"That was their big chance to bring in a couple more of the world's best players to really raise the bar. But, sadly for them, they did not take it."

City face off against Manchester United later today.