Rio Ferdinand claimed the current Liverpool team is the best he’s ever seen, and claimed they’ll be “above anyone that has played the game in this country” if they win the quadruple.
Liverpool will travel to Spain next Tuesday with a two-goal advantage over Champions League semi-finals opponents Villarreal. The Reds will now be overwhelming favourites to make their third final in five years and remain on course for an unprecedented quadruple.
No English side has ever achieved that feat, and the BT Sport pundits were in awe at one key aspect of their victory on Wednesday night.
The high press was back in force and suffocated Villarreal throughout. Both Rio Ferdinand and Michael Owen lauded Liverpool’s work-rate, and both weighed in on what winning a quadruple would mean.
“This is the best Liverpool team I’ve ever seen,” said Ferdinand.
“They’re relentless with and without the ball. It’s the way they press teams, the energy, effort, application, you marvel at it.
“That [the quadruple] has got to be the aim. They are going to set themselves the target.
“If they achieve it they’re immortal, they are above anyone that has played the game in this country. Whether they can achieve it remains to be seen. But they’re ticking boxes along the way at the moment.”
“Villarreal must think ‘what’s hit us?'” – Owen
Former Reds striker Michael Owen concurred with Ferdinand’s assessment.
“This was total dominance,” added Owen. “It’s the best team I’ve ever seen in a red shirt.
“They swarm you. Villarreal must think ‘what’s hit us?’ It’s impossible to stop this unbelievable press. They’re relentless.
“Imagine it [the quadruple]. It’s impossible… but now you’re thinking can it happen? The way they’re playing, the belief, you’re thinking can it happen?”
