Alan Hansen has delivered a damning verdict on Liverpool’s season by insisting it would already be over but for the brilliance of Pepe Reina.

The Anfield side go into Saturday’s showdown with Manchester City knowing that defeat would be a devastating blow to their ambitions of a top-four finish, even at this early stage of the season.

And the Reds legend is less than impressed, suggesting that his former club’s form over the first part of the season has been so woeful that it is only the excellence of their keeper Reina that has kept them in contention, however distant.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has described the game at the weekend as crucial if his side are to kick start their season, and Hansen believes that they have the Spanish custodian to thank for even having the chance.

“Pepe should now be considered as one of the greatest goalkeepers Liverpool have had - he’s right up there with Ray Clemence as the best there have been,” Hansen, now a respected TV pundit suggested.

“And it’s probably just as well because if we didn’t have a keeper as good as Reina, we could have been in serious trouble this season. Really, he has been invaluable again this season, and without him, it’s the end of the story.

“Liverpool’s back four have struggled at times this season, but if you have a back four that’s struggling, with a dodgy keeper behind them, then that’s the end of the story.

“Our defence have struggled but Pepe has been a tower of strength. He’s been a model of consistency. Keepers like him are worth their weight in gold as they give the back four confidence.”

Reina broke Clemence’s clean sheet record at Anfield, and now ranks alongside the England great and Bruce Grobbelaar in the all time top three of Liverpool keepers, in Hansen’s opinion.

And the former Liverpool skipper should know what he is talking about, after an Anfield career that spanned more than 600 games and saw him collect a staggering 23 winners’ medals.

“Reina has always been a good goalkeeper but if he had a weakness when he first came to Liverpool, it was when the ball was in the air, coming across him quickly.

“Initially he had one or two problems with those type of crosses but he has sorted it out and his judgement is now a lot better.

“In terms of every other quality you need to have as a keeper, Reina is right at the top of the tree. He is reliable, dependable and makes great saves.”

Liverpool have already lost five league matches this season, and have won just one of their last nine games, but Hansen fears things could have been much worse but for Reina’s defiance.

And he pointed to the fact that the team has a chance this Saturday to put their season back on track a little, with a confidence-boosting victory in what he believes is a massive, crucial heavyweight contest between two sides in a scrap for a top four finish.

Speaking in the Liverpool magazine, Hansen accepted that the game is now a must-win contest for Liverpool, even at this early stage of the campaign.

“The City game is massive because if you take our current Premier League position into account and the fact qualification for the Champions League knockout stages is out of our hands, it becomes absolutely imperative Liverpool win,” he said.

“A win would keep the spirits of everyone connected with Liverpool up after such a bad run, and the sooner we get out of that, the better for the manager, players and supporters.

“It is imperative that Liverpool ensure it isn’t them who are in danger of slipping out of the top four if City do come good.

“The players showed against United they are good enough, and what they need to do now is play the same way against City. The players need to show everybody that their season is not dead and buried - and if they want an example to follow they need look no further than their goalkeeper.”