Rush in a hurry for title glory

It was back on August 24, just two games into the campaign, when Ian Rush began to suspect that Liverpool’s stated target of qualification for the Champions League need not be the sum of their season’s ambitions.

For too long, the club had hamstrung itself by drawing games they should have won and losing ones they might have drawn. It was an opening day 1-0 win over Stoke City and follow-up defeat of Aston Villa in Birmingham that suggested better times were to come.

Simon Mignolet was key to both. Nerves had got the better of the former Sunderland goalkeeper on his debut against Stoke, but then he saved a late penalty from Jonathan Walters and followed it up with a key save from Christian Benteke at Villa Park.

Six points banked when it might have been two.

Mignolet adapted to life at Liverpool quicker than most. Time and again yesterday, Rush referred to the size and scope of the club and how players and even managers have struggled to get their heads around the magnitude of their new surroundings.

Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson, for example, were blown away when a 2011 pre-season tour training session in China drew over 40,000 fans and, though Rush believes it took Brendan Rodgers six months to acclimatise, the manager is now expanding horizons rather than adapting to them.

The hope is that Liverpool will get to parade the Premier League trophy when they meet Shamrock Rovers at the Aviva Stadium next month, but the longer-term focus is on the Northern Irish manager whose contract expires at the end of next season. The defence may need strengthening and the long-awaited redevelopment of Anfield about to commence soon if plans unveiled this week are to be believed, but Rodgers remaining in situ must be the priority for the club this summer.

“It’s important,” said Rush. “Brendan is taking one step at a time. He said he wants to stay at Liverpool and build an empire. That means a long-term one. I hope he will stay and that’s what we’re looking for. The supporters love him because of the football he is playing.

“Even last year, you could see what he was trying to achieve, even though we made mistakes at the back. You could see he was trying to play from the back and get the players to have confidence to do that. This season, the players have got the confidence to do it.”

Rush, a club ambassador this last four years, was careful to tread a diplomatic line throughout yesterday’s visit to Dublin to promote the Rovers friendly on May 14, but he is clearly enthused by the buzz Liverpool’s return to the summit has prompted.

Rodgers’ attacking philosophy has found favour with a man who profited at the apex of a similar system and culture that serviced him with balls from men of the calibre of John Barnes, Peter Beardsley and Ireland’s Ronnie Whelan. He had no hesitation in agreeing when it was put to him that Liverpool deserve to win the title this season given their current commitment to an offensive approach which seeks to maximise the gifts of men such as Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling.

Manchester City have followed a similar path, he conceded. The same was not said about Chelsea who travel to Liverpool for Sunday’s league encounter which will go such a long way to deciding the final table.

Jose Mourinho’s philosophy may be more defensive, but he has fired off the first shots by suggesting he will be forced to field a weakened team for the tie given his side’s Champions League semi-final commitments against Atletico Madrid.

“He can play whatever team he wants, it’s nothing to do with me. One thing is for certain and that is that it’s going to be a very difficult game. He could put the youth team out and he will make it difficult for Liverpool. I think tactically that’s what he’ll be looking at.

“He says he won’t win the league, the Champions League is more of a focus. If that’s what he wants, let him do that. Liverpool have to concentrate on their own game. It doesn’t matter what team Mourinho puts out, it will be very difficult for Liverpool to break down.”