Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes the flying starts made by the Manchester clubs have created greater scrutiny of his team, but he is refusing to panic.
Klopp's men are on a four-match winless run in all competitions and have fallen five points behind the Premier League's leading duo – City and United.
The German believes the way City and United have started – the Manchester clubs each winning four and drawing one of their opening five league games – has only made it tougher on Liverpool.
"Everywhere it [expectation] is the same, but here it is a little bit more," Klopp told UK newspapers.
"When the Manchester teams are flying, that makes it even more difficult but I cannot change this.
"What I can do is cool the situation here down and do the right things again and work on the other things. That is how it is always."
Liverpool have encountered similar defensive problems early in the season, conceding nine league goals – with only Everton and West Ham (10 each) holding worse records.
But while Klopp admits his team have their issues, he is staying calm ahead of Saturday's trip to Leicester City, who knocked his side out of the EFL Cup on Tuesday.
"You really think there would be one per cent of a reason I would panic? If you think I should panic, why are you talking about it? It's football. We have eight points," he said.
"In four games we were the clear better side but we didn't get the results. Now we could panic because of not getting the results or we say, 'It's still not good enough playing football'.
"Do you think any team in the world loves playing against us in this moment? I'm not in panic. It sounds like we have nil points and are the worst team in the league.
“Yes, we obviously have problems. That's why we only have eight points and not 15, that's the situation."
