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Comment: Liverpool title hype astonishing but City have more quality
Apr 10, 2014 06:00
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Opinion
by StuartBrennan
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Liverpool are being built up as the favourites for this season's Premier League with one pundit saying they "deserve" to win the title, but don't write City off yet, argues Stuart Brennan.
Should Liverpool be presented with the Premier League trophy before or after kick-off on Sunday … what do you think?
Because if you have been reading national papers, or watching the telly for the past three or four weeks, the Scousers have the title in the bag.
That is no reflection on Brendan Rodgers, his players or, indeed, most of their fans, who seem to be approaching Sunday’s Anfield showdown with City with a mixture of nervous hope and downright apprehension.
But the media overload on Liverpool has been astonishing.
In one aspect it is understandable. With heart-rending stories of loss and despicable injustice emerging from the Hillsborough hearing on a daily basis, it is understandable that many neutrals are willing Liverpool on to their first title for 24 years.
Anything that offers even crumbs of comfort to the bereaved, and those whose lives were touched by that terrible day in 1989, has to be a good thing.
And the fact City go to Anfield on a day that will be raw with emotion, as the 96 dead are remembered, adds another dimension to the match.
The parallels with 2008, when City fans were impeccable at Old Trafford to mark the 50th anniversary of the Munich air crash yet their players remained focused enough to win the match, are obvious.
But the sympathy engendered by memories of Hillsborough is only part of the story.
One national newspaper columnist argued that Liverpool ‘deserve’ to win the title, although the writer - a certain Jamie Redknapp - did not expand on his statement.
It is true that Liverpool play excellent, attractive football, and purists always prefer a footballing team to a pragmatic, dull outfit like Chelsea.
But if you look at the season as a whole, and don’t just retain a goldfish-like recall of the last few weeks, City have been the team of the season.
In the deep midwinter, they were smashing teams – six past Spurs and Arsenal, seven past Norwich, five at Spurs.
Click the gallery below for all the City goalscorers in wins over Liverpool from last 50 years
Liverpool v City: M.E.N & Echo rate the squads
Ten reasons City can beat Liverpool
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City goalscorers against Liverpool
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And, while Liverpool have also been scoring for fun, to suggest the Blues’ brand of football does not merit the title is churlish.
The fact that Redknapp is just one of a horde of ex-Liverpool players who have swamped the TV gantries, radio studios and newspaper columns in this country tells part of the story.
Mark Lawrenson, Alan Hansen, Phil Thompson, Michael Owen, Danny Murphy, Steve McManaman, David James, Kevin Keegan, Steve Nicol, Stan Collymore, Graeme Souness, Jamie Carragher … the list is endless.
It is also true that Liverpool winning the title, after finishing seventh last season, and finally handing Scouse icon and national team captain Steven Gerrard the trophy, has a romance about it.
But the curious argument that Liverpool have ‘built’ their team, rather than ‘bought’ it, is rot.
No-one would seriously argue that City have not bought their way to success.
But that is the way of the Premier League world – every single league title since 1993 -and beyond - has been bought.
And, while Liverpool do have a couple of home-grown lads in Gerrard and Jon Flanagan, it is outrageous to suggest they have not bought their way to success.
Over the last six season Liverpool have spent £309m on players, a huge investment.
Of course, no-one at the Etihad is too bothered about the volcano of hope and expectation that is building at the other end of the East Lancs Road.
And they will be happy that City have been virtually ignored by everyone apart from the canny bookies.
The fact Liverpool have won their last nine league games gives them the momentum, goes the argument.
It seems to have escaped everyone’s attention that City have lost once since November 10, winning 15 and drawing three of their 19 games in that period.
In the same period, Liverpool have lost three times, although they have not suffered a reverse since losing to City and Chelsea at Christmas.
The fact is, both teams go into the game in great nick, and the winner will be the team that wants the win most on the day.
All things being equal, the Blues have the greater quality throughout their team – it is fair to say the only Liverpool players who might displace their City counterparts from a combined team are Martin Skrtel for Martin Demichelis and Luis Suarez for Edin Dzeko.
Forget the sentimentality, the fact is that whoever wins Sunday’s match WILL deserve to win the title.
