Liverpool are for the first time in years contenders for the Premier League title and for Reds fans the world over winning the elusive championship cannot come too soon.
The last time Liverpool won the league – the old First Division – was in 1990 and since then arch-rivals Manchester United captured it 13 times under Sir Alex Ferguson.
But under new United boss David Moyes, they are certainly not going to win it this season, and after Liverpool beat them 3-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday, hopes at Anfield are high.
Steven Gerrard scored from two penalties and could even afford to miss a third before Luis Suarez got the third for Liverpool.
Going into this weekend’s fixtures, Chelsea top the table with 66 points from 30 games, Liverpool are second with 62 from 29, just ahead of Arsenal on goal difference and Manchester City are fourth with 60 from 27 games.
One Liverpool fan living in Cayman hoping that they can end the barren spell is Trevor Murphy, a coach with Sunset women’s football team.
“It’s a very surreal position to be in right now,” Murphy said. “No one expected us to perform at this level this season. Suarez and Daniel Sturridge have been phenomenal and Sturridge is proving that all he needed was a manager who believed in him.
“There would be a certain irony if he scores goals against Man City and Chelsea in the remaining games given they are past clubs.”
Murphy is pleased that Gerrard, 33, believes they are genuine title contenders, which he fully expects from such an inspiring captain.
“Our confidence is obviously very high but we have seen so many false dawns over the last few years,” said Murphy. “For all our attacking prowess, being the top scoring team in the Premiership for example, we have been known to lose games we shouldn’t.”
Losing to Southampton and Hull earlier in the season was excruciating for Murphy. He feels that the next two games are even more crucial than beating Manchester United; relegation favorites Cardiff, away on Saturday, and Sunderland at home on Wednesday.
“As Chelsea proved by losing to Aston Villa, there are no easy games no matter where you are in the league,” Murphy said. “Cardiff and Sunderland are fighting for survival and we have to perform at the same level we did at the weekend and put pressure on Chelsea.”
He added that it is an exciting time but, like many other Liverpool supporters, he will not get carried away.
“Nine league games is still a long way to go and we cannot afford to lose one of them. If we can get to the two games against Man City and Chelsea at Anfield in April still within touching distance, then maybe we can dare to dream.”
Murphy admires Brendan Rodgers for the way he is moulding a team that plays in an exciting style and has huge potential, but feels they still need a few more world-class players to really make them contenders next season.
“For now,” said Murphy, “we just have to keep scoring heavily in games as we can leak goals.”
Liverpool’s remaining games
- 22 March: Cardiff (away)
- 26 March: Sunderland (home)
- 30 March: Tottenham (home)
- 6 April: West Ham (away)
- 13 April: Man City (home)
- 20 April: Norwich (away)
- 27 April: Chelsea (home)
- 3 May: Crystal Palace (away)
- 10 May: Newcastle (home)
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