If you were to ask both Liverpool and Manchester City at the start of the season which trophy they would rather win, the answers would probably come back different.
For the Reds, being Premier League champions is something that was the pinnacle of achievements prior to their 2019/20 triumph. And the lack of a trophy parade and celebration in front of a packed Anfield somewhat scuppered that moment, so much so that a desire to lift the title more than any other still remains.
But for Man City, you expect that the one trophy they want more than any other is the one that they are yet to possess - the Champions League. This final week of the season could each respective trophy go to the other club, as was the case in 2018/19.
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While the majority of Liverpool fans may want to win the league title rather than the Champions League, winning the latter is still, arguably, the biggest achievement possible in club football. However, former Arsenal player and Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson does not agree with that view.
The renowned pundit recently claimed that he ‘doesn’t buy into the hype’ surrounding the Champions League. He argued why Pep Guardiola would deserve to win the manager of the year award at Man City if they win the league, rather than Klopp if he were to secure a cup treble at Liverpool.
"Pep Guardiola is still the manager of the year if Manchester City win the title - and it's harder now than when Manchester United were doing it,” wrote Merson in his column for the Daily Star.
"The Premier League is the ultimate. It's 38 games in the hardest competition in the world. If you win it, you are the best. Jurgen Klopp has done an absolutely phenomenal job at Liverpool this season but if he doesn't win the league he isn't manager of the year for me.
"Don't forget Liverpool were put in a Champions League group they could have walked through, and they've won both domestic cups on penalties. They didn't win the games. If you think City should be disappointed somehow if they only win the league and Liverpool win a treble, you'd be wrong. I don't see that at all.
"I'm glad for Liverpool that they've taken the title race to the final day. To win two cup finals, be in another, and push City all the way, is amazing. It's phenomenal what they've done. But at the start of the season it's all about one thing. The Premier League. Thirty-eight games. Home and away. To be the best in the country. Don't buy into all this hype about the Champions League. That's just about egos. You could lose more games in that than you do all season in the Premier League and still win it!"
These comments, as you would expect, have not been very well received by the red half of Merseyside. Understandably so, as well.
Regarding the point about manager of the year, you very much doubt that either Klopp or Guardiola will be preoccupied about that particular accolade. All they will be interested in is getting a win on Sunday for their respective team, and whatever happens after that will be.
But the point about Liverpool’s fortunes in the cup competitions this year is an interesting one. Let’s take a look, shall we.
“Liverpool were put in a Champions League group they could have walked through.”
Liverpool were drawn in the same group as Atletico Madrid, Porto and AC Milan. In other words, they were drawn against the champions of Spain from last season, the current champions of Portugal and the soon-to-be champions of Italy.
Let’s not forget, much of the talk when the draw was made was about how Liverpool would face a tough task to qualify for the knockout stages. The fact that they became the first English club to win all six group matches is not a reflection of the lack of quality of the opposition, but rather how the Reds successfully navigated a tough group with absolute perfection.
“They've won both domestic cups on penalties. They didn't win the games.” This was Merson’s next comment.
Yes, Liverpool needed penalty shootouts to beat Chelsea in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup finals. But isn’t winning a cup competition more than just the one game at the end?
It’s true that the final will get the bulk of the attention when reflecting on a cup triumph, but it’s important to remember the journey leading up to the final. Some of Liverpool’s most iconic matches are from knockout games of the various cup competitions, and it would be no different for any other team who wins a trophy.
“Don't buy into all this hype about the Champions League. That's just about egos. You could lose more games in that than you do all season in the Premier League and still win it!"
This is a rather interesting comment from Merson. Yes, it’s true that you could lose more matches in the Champions League and still win the competition than you do in the Premier League, but that’s not the point.
Ask any club who has won the Champions League/European Cup what they are most proud of and the majority of them would probably reply with the same answer. Ask Real Madrid, who have won the competition 14 times. Ask AC Milan, who have won it seven times.
Even in this country; ask Nottingham Forest, who have won the tournament twice. Aston Villa, who have one European Cup to their name. They are some of the proudest achievements in those clubs’ history, and for Liverpool it’s the exact same thing.
The six triumphs achieved by the club are ingrained in the very DNA of Liverpool’s history. It’s not something to ever take for granted, and always something to be proud of.
It’s one of the reasons why Man City are so desperate to get their hands on the trophy. It’s one of the reasons why Liverpool have a more than fair claim to be the biggest club in England with their six triumphs, considerably more than anyone else in the country.
Winning the Premier League is arguably the most important trophy that an English team can win. But there’s something special about the Champions League/European Cup, and it should never be taken for granted.
