Eamon Dunphy believes Manchester City are in danger of finishing outside of the Champions League places due to the performances of "mercenary players with no allegiance to the club".
The RTÉ analyst was reacting to City's shock defeat to Burnley, which leaves them six points behind leaders Chelsea - who have a game in hand - and only one ahead of third-placed Arsenal.
"I think Chelsea will win the championship but what's interesting is that City have slipped back to Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool," Dunphy told RTÉ Sport.
"It isn't inconceivable that City could finish outside the top four, which would be astonishing given expectations and the way the table was a few weeks ago.
"It's a repeat of what happened with [former manager Roberto] Mancini. They won a title for him, they won a cup, and then they downed tools the following season. It's mostly the same players. Yaya Toure and people like that."
"They're not really part of a club. They're mercenaries. They don't buy into it, they don't work hard or really take much pride. I think they are there for money."
Dunphy slammed the attitude of the Premier League champions' players in defeat against 18th-placed Burnley and suggested they could earn manager Manuel Pellegrini the sack with a big defeat in Wednesday's Champions League last 16 second leg in Barcelona (Live on RTÉ2, 7.45pm)
"They don't seem to have an allegiance to the club and some of their performances have been disgraceful, including the one against Burnley," he said.
"Burnley is a small club, they had no money to buy players last summer, but they deserved their win. City just did not try.
"They're going to Barcelona on Wednesday night, and if they get embarrassed there, which is a distinct possibility, Pellegrini will be a victim of mercenary players.
"It's not his fault but I think he'll be on his bike."
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