Steven Gerrard is the John Stockton or Karl Malone of the English Premier League.
The captain of England’s national team and Liverpool is the best player to have never won the Premier League.
The Merseyside club has gone over two decades since being crowned champions of England. For many clubs, this is hardly a dry spell. But, Liverpool is no ordinary club. Before Sir Alex Ferguson took over Manchester United, Liverpool was the best team in the country. The reds won the old Football League First Division title 18 times in its 121-year history.
Sir Alex did the impossible with United, surpassing Liverpool’s record number of league titles. Now, Sir Alex has retired and off to take a teaching gig at Harvard University. Now, Liverpool is closing in on its 19th league title, the first since the creation of the Premier League.
Liverpool sits two points clear of the top of the table over Chelsea; but, Manchester City sits just four points back with two games in hand. The league title could very well come down to this Sunday when City comes to Anfield to take on Liverpool.
As a Manchester United fan, it’s sickening to see its top two rivals battle for the title, but as a soccer fan, you have to root for Liverpool. Liverpool is the biggest club in England. It has global name recognition. You always want the historic, old clubs to do well. While Yankees and Cardinals fans rejoiced for decades, Major League Baseball was hurting as the Cubs and Red Sox failed to produce a championship team.
If Liverpool wins the league, the league as a whole wins as well. Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore admitted a couple weeks ago that Manchester United’s struggles hurt the global appeal of the Premier League. But, I feel Liverpool has the same reach as United, if not a greater one, in a historical sense.
It would be quite the feel-good story for Liverpool. Gerrard would finally get a League winner’s medal. It would be the icing on the cake for one of the best players in England for the past decade. Gerrard possesses an unmatched sense of loyalty in the modern game. Gerrard has given his life to Liverpool, having spent 24 years with the club and recording 470 league appearances in a reds uniform.
If Liverpool wins the league, many would see it as good conquering evil. City and Chelsea have spent hundreds of millions of dollars over the past few years. Many have criticized City for not running away with the league this year despite having by far the best and deepest squad in the country.
Liverpool has invested in youth and it’s paying off sooner than expected. The past couple of years have been “lean” by Liverpool standards. The club has not qualified for the Champions League since the 2009-10 season and failed to make it out of the group. In the four years that followed, Liverpool failed to qualify for any European competition in 2011-12, and played in the less glamorous Europa league in the other three.
The decline of the once global powerhouse was difficult for fans to take. But, Liverpool refused to get left behind. Under new ownership, Fenway Sports Group, and manager, Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool has been dedicated to bringing an injection of youth into the squad. The likes of Daniel Sturrage, Raheem Sterling, and John Flanagan have all grown up in the Premier League.
The youth has been balanced out by the experience of Gerrard. And of course, having a world class striker like Luis Suarez has helped the cause.
Liverpool plays some of the most attractive soccer in the country. Rodgers has implemented a slick style of passing and movement that is easy on the eye. Many feel Liverpool doesn’t have the defense to win the league, but United’s defense last season was probably worse and they cruised to their 19th league title.
Liverpool, though, doesn’t seem to be bothered by their defending lapses. They know they can outscore you, and chances are they will.
The game of the year is Sunday. Liverpool and City know what’s at stake, and neither side will be backing down now. The run in of the Premier League is always exciting and this might be the best year yet.