The former frontman says he, and everybody at Anfield, is taking great pleasure in rising back above arch-rivals who mocked them for so long
Liverpool have “finally beaten Manchester United into submission”, says John Aldridge, with the Reds revelling in being “top dogs” and turning the tables on arch-rivals who laughed at their “expense for so long”.
Since the English top-flight title last headed to Anfield some 30 years ago, it has made its way to Old Trafford on 13 occasions.
Under Sir Alex Ferguson, United took great delight in knocking North West neighbours from their perch.
The Red Devils now find themselves stuck in a serious rut, with Liverpool returning to the summit of domestic, European and global games.
Jurgen Klopp’s side hammered that point home to United in their most recent outing, as they inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s out of sorts team.
Aldridge is loving see Liverpool back on top, with everyone associated with the Anfield outfit making the most of every opportunity to shove the taunts of old adversaries back down their throats.
The former Reds striker told the Irish Independent: “Football success is cyclical and unfortunately for Liverpool they have had to wait three long, painful decades for the moment to arrive when they could claim to have finally beaten United into submission, becoming top dogs in England all over again.
“I will never say the title is in the bag for Liverpool until the finishing touches have been added to this incredible season, but to have reached this point with just two points dropped and a massive lead at the top of the table meant a celebration was in order once United were beaten.
“No Liverpool fan has said this title race is over yet because we have all lived through too many disappointments in recent decades to contemplate that fantasy, but to give some back to the United fans who have laughed at Liverpool’s expense for so long was very satisfying.
“Alex Ferguson famously vowed to knock Liverpool off their perch as the kings of English football at the start of the 1990s and he did that in a grand manner, but the tide has finally turned back in favour of their biggest foes.
“Liverpool’s time is here at last, with the misery United are living through simply adding to the joy for all who call Anfield home.”
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Klopp has Liverpool sat 13 points clear in the Premier League, with two games in hand on reigning champions Manchester City, and Aldridge thinks a record-breaking team can get even better.
He added: “Incredibly, I still don’t feel as if Jurgen Klopp’s team are playing to their full potential this season, because the United game was another example of a team failing to ram home their advantage due to a lack of killer instinct from the front three of Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.
“It was men against boys for most of the United match, but they were still in contention until the final few minutes because Liverpool failed to take enough of their chances to put them to the sword.
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“We have seen that time and again from this team over this remarkable unbeaten Premier League run as aside from the odd hammering, they have tended to do just enough to get over the winning line more often than not.
“After his fine strike against United was cancelled out by a VAR decision, Firmino still hasn’t scored a league goal at Anfield all season and it is remarkable to note that a team with such a massive lead at the top of the table does not have a player in the mix for the top scorer prize.
“There is still time for the front three to find their scoring boots. If they do, the Premier League title could be confirmed in record time.”