Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Lawro: Kop stars like glory days
MARK LAWRENSON knows very well what it’s like to play in a Liverpool side jam-packed with attacking talent.
The former Anfield star would lift up his head and see Ian Rush, Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness making runs ahead of him.
And when Lawrenson now sees Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino working their magic, he sees similarities.
Lawrenson said: “This team reminds me of the Liverpool teams I played in because there were big personalities and there are big personalities in the current team.
“Alisson is a big personality, so is Virgil van Dijk and the front three. We had Souness, Kenny and Rushy.
“Teams always have big personalities and leaders — Liverpool’s front three now are all leaders.
“Week in, week out, their performances have just been up there and they play for each other as well.
“Strikers always love to score, but with those three, if someone is in a better position, they play them in and that’s the great thing about them.
“And the other outfield players must love them, because they work their socks off coming back.
“Throughout that team it must be really appreciated how good those front three are.
“It’s a real team effort — and that’s even more credit to Jurgen Klopp.”
Lawrenson won five league titles with Liverpool and the European Cup.
Such is the desire to end the 29-year wait for a title that Lawrenson admits even a Champions League triumph this season wouldn’t fully make up for the sadness Liverpool will feel if they do miss out on the Premier League crown.
He added: “If they won the Champions League, but didn’t win the Premier League, there’d still be a bit of an empty feeling.”