"We are back on our perch, as we famously say"
Wednesday 25 September 2019 18:11, UK
Liverpool chief executive Peter Moore has declared Liverpool are "back on their perch" in what appears to be a veiled reference to a dig at the Reds made by Sir Alex Ferguson more than 30 years ago.
When Ferguson arrived at Manchester United from Aberdeen to take charge of the Red Devils in 1986, the Scot quipped his main objective was to "knock Liverpool right off their perch".
Ferguson would go on to lead United to 13 Premier League titles, while 18-time top-flight champions Liverpool are still waiting for their first title since the Premier League era began in 1992.
Manchester City pipped Liverpool to last season's title by a point but the Reds enjoyed continental success, winning their sixth European Cup after beating Tottenham in the Champions League final in Madrid in June.
Table-topping Liverpool have made a perfect start to this season's league campaign and Moore has hailed the contribution made by the club's owners in the reversal of fortunes at Anfield.
"We are back on our perch, as we famously say," Moore said during the World Football Summit in Madrid.
"What the Fenway Sports Group have done at Liverpool over the past nine years is nothing short of miraculous," he added.
"We lived through some dark times, of a difficult ownership period, the fans stood up against those owners and said 'this is not what we want for the way that Liverpool Football Club should be run'.
"Fenway Sports Group have sat back and invested patiently and built a long-term strategy for success, have rebuilt a major part of the stadium so we can drive revenues, have eventually got Jurgen Klopp, have invested in the backbone of the squad - I would argue we have the most exciting forward line in football.
"To the credit of those stewards, Fenway Sports Group, they've gone through some difficult times, up and down, yet have stayed the course, have never taken a penny out of the football club, but rather have invested."
Klopp was named men's coach of the year at FIFA's Best awards on Monday, and Moore praised the German for his club-wide positive influence.
"His personality is infectious," said Moore.
"His charisma is without question but he is a people person to the nth [degree]. He will make you feel even when you have lost that there is a brighter sunshine ahead somewhere, and he was exactly right."
