Liverpool Chiefs Wonder Why Sheikh Chose Manchester City

Liverpool officials have scoffed at the prospect of Manchester City being a match for them.

Liverpool, despite a seemingly never-ending takeover saga, retain a worldwide cachet and loyalty that City can only dream about: 209 international fan clubs, more than two million Facebook friends and an estimated 150million who would call themselves Liverpool fans.

To their glee, those fans' favourite players, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, will be in the away dressing room tomorrow night - two global names City wanted to buy to add glamour to their brand, but failed.

"It makes you wonder why the Abu Dhabi owners bought Manchester City rather than wait to buy Liverpool," one senior figure at Anfield told the Mail on Sunday.

"If they had spent the £1bn on Liverpool, they would be sitting back now with the best team in the world.

"When you look at the two clubs, it's King Kong versus Mickey Mouse."