Danny Murphy says Liverpool's rivalry with Manchester City will never reach the level of 'hatred' between the Reds and Manchester United.
In the Premier League era the form of the three clubs involved in this debate has seen a shift in the balance of English football
Liverpool were the dominant force of the seventies and eighties, United in the nineties and noughties then finally City have taken the mantle for at least the last six years.
The fact that again both City and Liverpool occupy first and second place in the league heading into their next meeting on Saturday has reignited the debate that their being in direct competition with one another is the top rivalry in the Country
Murphy, was quick to shut down such suggestions. "No," he abruptly replied when asked by host Jim White if the Liverpool-City rivalry has surpassed the Liverpool-United rivalry.
Murphy
"I think there's been some bigger games because they've been fighting for the title in recent years, the game has become more pivotal and monumental in the moment, but the rivalry of Liverpool and Man U will always be greater than between Liverpool and Man City.
"Irrelevant of what is going on in the league, there is more hatred there.
"There is more rivalry - goes back decades, that. The Liverpool-City rivalry would have to grow a bit more, but there has been games recently where everything has been resting on it."
Murphy continued
"If Liverpool go there and win, it certainly cements their position as a contender again, doesn't it?"
"It's a fascinating game because of the quality that is on show.
"If Liverpool have Nunez, Diaz and Salah up top, there is no one better-equipped than utilising the space in behind teams than those three
"I don't see City changing what they are doing, which creates spaces. There's all these little technical things going on."
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