Pep Guardiola’s side may be Premier League title holders, but John Aldridge says they will never stand alongside rivals from Anfield and Old Trafford
Manchester City are “a small club that has basically got lucky”, says John Aldridge, with the Premier League champions never going to enjoy the same global standing as Liverpool and Manchester United.
The Blues had endured a humbling tumble into the third tier and a dogged battle back up the divisions prior to the arrival of sizeable investment at the Etihad Stadium.
Sheikh Mansour’s acquisition of the club in 2009 proved to be a turning point, with three title triumphs, three League Cup wins and an FA Cup success enjoyed during his reign.
City are defending their English top-flight crown, which was captured in record-breaking style last season, but find themselves playing catch-up on leaders Liverpool.
Reds legend Aldridge is hoping domestic supremacy will return to Anfield and has warned City they will always be in the shadow of local rivals regardless of what they have already achieved and plan to do so in the future.
“The reality is and will always be that expectations at Liverpool will always be very different when compared to Manchester City,” the former striker told the Irish Independent.
“This has to be an advantage for City and it’s an issue that will always be there when one of the biggest names in the game goes up against a small team that has basically got lucky by finding a sugar daddy investor.
“Even though I appreciate City fans will be offended when we say they are still a small club, that is how everyone outside of their bubble still views them, despite their success in winning a few trophies in recent years.
“They will always be a small club compared to their neighbours Manchester United and compared to Liverpool, with the latter two having decades of success that have allowed them to become sporting giants on the world stage.
“Liverpool Football Club is one of the biggest names in our sport with a fanbase that stretches to all corners of the world and while that is a tribute to a glorious history, it is also an obstacle to ambitions.
“At City, they hope to win the league and are setting their own standards high in a bid to achieve their goals. Liverpool are dealing with so much more and, while you can try and ignore what is happening around you, it eventually gets to everyone.
“Kids in China are watching Liverpool matches at all hours biting finger nails. Bars in America are packed with fans in red shirts watching matches early in the morning and amid all of this hype, City are quietly going about their work without anyone taking too much notice of them.”
Aldridge wants to see Liverpool preserve and extend their four-point lead at the top of the table and added: “There is no room for mistakes as Manchester City are likely to win virtually every game, so Liverpool have to win at least 13 matches of the 15 they have left to give themselves a good chance of winning the league.
“Every Liverpool player over the last three decades has been asked whether they can win a league title and all of them have come up short, with the desperation to see that Premier League trophy presented to a red-shirted captain at Anfield never more acute.
“They will head into next Wednesday’s game against Leicester knowing nothing less than three points will do if they want to compete with City and that pressure will mount as the finishing line gets closer.
“Liverpool need to beat more than Manchester City if they are to win this season’s Premier League title, with the scars of the past 29 years leaving a mark on the club that will only be erased when wait for the trophy this club demands comes to an end.”