Speaking to Off The Ball, Mark Lawrenson has been discussing the idea that the British press and football fans, in general, want Liverpool to beat Manchester City to the Premier League title.
Pep Guardiola turned into something of a conspiracy theorist at the weekend, accusing journalists of being Liverpool supporters and claiming that everyone in the country wants the Reds to win the title.
Lawrenson says that there may be some truth to that, stating that Liverpool are a more likeable team due to their lesser financial muscle and their recruitment strategy.
What’s been said?
Lawrenson spoke about Liverpool spending less and getting similar results to City, claiming that the Reds’ recruitment is so much better.
“The obvious reason is the money isn’t it in terms of the country that backs Manchester City and the fact that Liverpool, in terms of recruitment have just got it so much better. They’re shopping in completely different places than City, but they’ve signed some outstanding players and turned them into world-class players. I just think there’s something about Liverpool, the way they play, the manager and their history,” Lawrenson said.
Underdogs
It would be remiss to make out that Liverpool challenging for top honours is some sort of Leicester City-esque Cinderella story, but the reality is that the Reds have climbed the footballing ladder while spending less than most other elite clubs.
Yes, they’ve splashed out big money on the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Alisson and Fabinho, but most of their big-money signings are offset by savvy player sales.
Meanwhile, City have an almost limitless pot of money to draw from, and every summer they sign superstar after superstar with Erling Haaland seemingly the latest big name headed to the Etihad.
In terms of value for money, it has to be said that Liverpool are better at recruitment than City. After all, they’re getting similar results while having a fraction of the net spend.
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