Sunday, October 05, 2008

City The Acid Test Of Ability To Sustain Title Quest

How apt that Steven Gerrard’s 100th goal for the club would be a screamer at the Kop end?

After bringing hope in the late 90s, then being key in delivering a glut of trophies in the noughties, Gerrard has been undoubtedly the shining light at Anfield over the last decade, and now possibly of all time.

But as things stand in 2008, the fact is that he is finally with a bunch of players who can also conjure up moments of magic.

In Fernando Torres, Robbie Keane, Ryan Babel and Albert Riera, Liverpool possess an attacking pool that finally looks like they could smash the London-Manchester league dominance.

The season so far has been impressive, and the strength in depth really is coming to the fore. Inevitably the media are picking up on this as testified by the daily rumours on Daniel Agger.

This is obviously a problem with big squads but I hope that Agger bides his time and when he does get his chance, he takes it, his ability to link defence with midfield can be a pleasure to watch.

The Champions League is as ever a big lure for fans but the league remains our first love and going top last Saturday, albeit for a few hours, felt so good.

The Stoke result still niggles but the professional way that Everton were dispatched took everyone’s minds of it.

Torres showed that he is a class act once again, and you wouldn’t swap this guy for anyone in the world.

For Torres also read, Gerrard, Carragher and Mascherano and you can start to see that this team is becoming a force.

The clash at Eastlands will however be a real acid test. Man City and their attacking abilities will represent one the biggest challenges thus far for our rearguard. But at the other end of the pitch I hope that Robbie Keane can now bag his first Premier League goal.

With the ever-improving Riera facing his former side, it’s time for Liverpool to get ruthless if they really are serious about bringing number 19 back home.

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