This whole Liverpool thing

I was delighted that Manchester City beat Liverpool. My first email was a clip of Jurgen Klopp extolling the glories of Liverpool. “It’s not a club, it’s a family. we don’t have chants but anthems”.  And so it went on.

There was no mention of Heysel, nor of Bob Paisley who won three European Cups, nor the game that Liverpool won against Manchester City last season in the Champions League after the City coach was attacked.

Older fans like our Alan Tanner recalled a Liverpool fan running onto the pitch to punch Les Barrett as “no one scores against Liverpool”. The myth began under Bill Shankly and has been nurtured by the preponderance of ex-Liverpool players in the media and now Kenny Dalglish’s daughter – presenter Kelly Caites – that Liverpool fans are superior to the rest. They are not.

Anfield was always a dangerous place to visit. My concern was that should Liverpool win the Premier the triumphalism would be unbearable.

Of course they are an excellent side but the claims that they are the best in Europe do not stand up as they only narrowly qualified in the group stage. I can’t see them beating one of the big boys.

City were the better team on the night and after there was the familiar bleat from Klopp about a referee decision. The match showed the value of goal line technology as by millimeters the ball was adjudged correctly not to have cleared the goal line.

It was not a great match and I did not expect one. I have always been a fan of Vincent Kompany. I understand he has taken a business course. He will make a fine manager and is clearly being groomed, as was Patrick Viera.

Well done City. We love you.