LOYALTY ON THE LINE
Malaysians support both sides in Liverpool-Cardiff clash
VISIT MALAYSIA” are the conspicuous words on the jerseys of Cardiff players but the cheers of Malaysian fans for the struggling Premier League team may not be much when they face Liverpool today.
Not when many Malaysiabased Liverpool fans will gather in front of TV sets to support the Reds who are in a nail-biting race with Manchester City for the title.
Cardiff, owned by Tan Sri Vincent Tan since 2010, are 18th in the table and they must win their last four matches to have any hopes of avoiding demotion from the Premier League.
At the other end, for Liverpool to win their first EPL title in 29 years, they must win their remaining four matches, and hope that City stumble in their remaining matches.
Brand loyalty aside, Liverpool fans here can still claim there is something Malaysian about the English club as Malaysia Airlines is their sponsor.
So, another element of Malaysia has flown into the hearts of the local Liverpool supporters.
Bringing an air of importance to the occasion today are Anfield legends Jason McAteer, Sami Hyypia and Steve McManaman who will join Malaysian fans in rooting for the Reds at a shopping centre’s viewing party in Kuala Lumpur.
That’s a great personal touch from the three former Liverpool stars — a visit to Malaysia, a visit to the hearts of the Liverpool fans here.
It will be an intriguing game. Can Cardiff, who have let in 63 goals in 34 league matches (third worst in the EPL) withstand Liverpool’s rampaging strikeforce of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino?
For Malaysia’s Anfield allied fans, Cardiff happen to be in their way — a mere fixture in the final lap.
Cardiff are just a team to extract three points from today’s clash. By the next morning, Liverpool will have all but forgotten about the Bluebirds, as they turn their attention to the remaining three league matches — against Huddersfield, Newcastle and Wolves.
The EPL neutrals in Malaysia may follow with disinterest the outcome of the Liverpool-Cardiff clash apart from a cursory glance of the results. Perhaps, they may spare a thought for the underdogs — the Bluebirds.
But for the fans of both teams, from Anfield to the Welsh city of Cardiff to Kuala Lumpur, they are fastening their seatbelts for a riproaring time today.