Liverpool had one foot and four toes in the Champions League quarter-finals prior to their last 16 second leg against Porto on Tuesday night after hammering the Portuguese side 5-0 away from home last month.Jurgen Klopp subsequently had the luxury of being able to rest several key players ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash against Manchester United. Only a disastrous result at Anfield would prevent them from progressing to the next round.Liverpool fans had nothing to worry about. Although the match wasn’t a classic by any stretch of the imagination - the final score was 0-0 - it was a case of job done by the Reds.Despite their impressive recent form both domestically and in Europe, Liverpool are still only 10/1 to win this season’s Champions League.Manchester City are the current favourites followed by Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Gerrard: Liverpool are looking better defensively
But are those odds a little too long for Liverpool to win European football’s most prestigious club cup competition?
Club legend Steven Gerrard made the point on BT Sport after Tuesday’s match that Liverpool are now more solid in defence following the arrival of Virgil van Dijk from Southampton while goalkeeper Loris Karius is also starting to show why Klopp signed him in the summer of 2016.
Ferdinand's CL prediction for Liverpool revealed
After Gerrard’s analysis, Gary Lineker revealed that Rio Ferdinand, who was also on the BT Sport panel, has predicted that Liverpool will go close to winning the Champions League after sealing their place in the quarters.
Ferdinand responded: “Yeah, I think they’ve got the potential…”
Gerrard then made everyone laugh
Before he could finish his sentence, Gerrard amused everyone by interrupting the former Manchester United defender and saying: “He’s crying it in!”
He knew it hurt Ferdinand to admit that Liverpool could potentially finish the season as champions of Europe.
“He knows me too well!” Rio responded.
Watch the funny clip here...
Ferdinand then finished what he was saying...
“No but seriously, you wouldn’t want to be drawn against Liverpool," Ferdinand added, "I don’t care who you are in this tournament now.
"That front three, when they’re on fire, the way they play, the intensity, going to Anfield, the pace they’ve got in that team - they’re going to be a hard proportion for any team in this tournament.”
Even if he found it hard to admit it, Rio is spot on about Liverpool’s chances of winning the Champions League.
Write them off at your peril.