Saturday, November 26, 2011

Rush: City No Match For Liverpool

Liverpool legend Ian Rush believes that despite coming up against the Premier League's richest club on Sunday, the Reds remain by fair the wealthiest when it comes to history and tradition.

Manchester City lead the way in the Premier League having gone 12 games unbeaten, and proved their title credentials with a shock 6-1 win over reigning champions Manchester United in August.

Liverpool meanwhile sit 12 points off of City, but go into the showdown at Anfield on Sunday confident after securing a 2-1 win over Chelsea last Sunday.

Rush believes that while Liverpool are unable to compete with the Citizens wealth - something he admits has changed the landscape of the English game - the Welshman believes Liverpool will always have something that money is unable to buy.

“Manchester City's millions have changed our league," said Rush speaking at the LFC - Standard Chartered soccer clinic in Dubai.

"The more money you have and the higher wages you pay then the better players you'll be able to sign and we've seen that with the likes of Aguero and Silva in particular.

"But no matter how much money clubs spend they don't have our history or the special relationship which exists between our club and its supporters. You can't buy that. Money helps in lots of ways but it's not everything. Chelsea had the same thing when Abramovic went in, he spent a fortune but they still haven't won the Champions League.

"I think what City has done is given themselves a great chance of winning the league because they've had a great start and they have top players. But there's more to football than that. We haven't won the league since 1990 but I travel all over the world and am still taken aback by the scale of the support Liverpool enjoys.

Rush also believes that being a supporter of Liverpool is more than about what happens on the pitch, and pointed to the club's famous anthem as evidence of the club's all encompassing ethos.

"I think it's because we're a family club. Our anthem is 'You'll Never Walk Alone' and that means something. It's not just empty words. Of course we all want to see success on the pitch, that goes without saying, but there's far more to being a Liverpool supporter than results.

"We're in Dubai at the moment and I've watched lots of games in the bars out here, and it's brilliant how the people over here - and all over the world - look to try and recreate the Anfield atmosphere whenever they get together to watch the matches. This club means so much to so many people and that's why it will always be so special." He added.

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