Manchester City manager Mark Hughes believes the disappointment at their failure to hold on for a win is evidence of the progress being made.

The draw was City’s sixth in succession in the league, two short of the all-time English record and equalling their own club record set back in 1914.

He said: “The Premier League is very fluid. It is too early to judge. A couple of weeks ago we were beating Arsenal and everyone was telling us they were the most vulnerable of the top four.

“Now people are saying Liverpool are the most vulnerable. Things will change, this season will see teams taking points off each other right from the start to the finish of the campaign.

“In the past a City team would have been delighted with scoring two at Anfield and getting a point. Now we are disappointed with that, it shows how far we have come.”

Adebayor, who headed City into a 2-1 lead in the second half, said: “We’re nearly there. Leading 2-1 at Anfield is not something everyone will do, but we have to believe that we can finish games off, and if we do we can believe that we can finish in the top four.

“That’s what we are fighting for and the boys believe it.