The Super Sunday pundits debated whether Manuel Pellegrini's three-year spell at Manchester City will be remembered as a success, with Graeme Souness suggesting they have gone backwards if they do not qualify for the Champions League.
City's top-four bid is out of their own hands following their 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday.
If Manchester United win their remaining two matches against West Ham and Bournemouth they would leapfrog their city rivals.
That would mean Pep Guardiola would be without Champions League football when he arrives in the summer to take over from Pellegrini, who won the Premier League title once and League Cup twice in his time at the Etihad.
"If they don't make the Champions League it will be a good three years but not great," said Souness. "When he took over he had a team on the cusp of being very good and the team they [the owners] wanted was a team to dominate English football. That didn't happen.
"He inherited a team that could win things, then he spent £200m net, now he is leaving and how much further down the road is this team than when he walked in? Are they better? Have they stagnated? Or are they worse?
"If they are not in the Champions League they have gone backwards. "
City's season was disrupted by the announcement in February that Pellegrini would be replaced by Guardiola in the summer.
And Souness said: "He lost his power in February. At that moment he was totally reliant on strong personalities that can drive the team forward and that has not happened in that dressing room. That's why they could miss out on the Champions League."
Former City striker Niall Quinn agreed that the decision to announce Pellegrini's departure mid-season had played a part in the club's downturn of form.
"The Pep announcement was a curveball that this club did not get any benefit from," he said. "It worked the exact opposite and was negative to them. The manager's power was weakened.
"They were preparing to have a shot at the league, preparing for the Champions League, the FA Cup and the League Cup final.
"I don't think it's his fault that everything started to descend from that moment on. The club has to take responsibility. He has done remarkably well to keep the front he has."
Following the conclusion of the match against Arsenal, Pellegrini said his farewells to the City fans.
However, not all supporters stayed behind, and Thierry Henry said: "It is sad that the stadium did not stay for him to pay respects. He did not do badly overall, he has done OK, this last season I will not put all down to him."