phantomdj
01-02-2006, 05:40 PM
Steve Bruce believes his Birmingham side will be taking on a Liverpool outfit who have once again developed into a 'true force' at Anfield tonight.
Bruce's side are in the midst of a relegation dogfight and will be desperate for any kind of result this evening in their battle to beat the drop.
But the former Manchester United man knows his side are in for a tough test against a Liverpool team which are likely to give Robbie Fowler an emotional second debut at some stage of the evening.
"Even after Leeds and Manchester City his scoring record is quite staggering," Bruce said. "He is as good a penalty-area player as the Premiership has seen. You mention Cole, Fowler and Shearer in the same breath because if you look at his record for Liverpool it's fantastic.
"Liverpool have emerged as a true force again. That's the way I look at it from the outside. They have only lost one in 13 games - and that was in the last minute at Manchester United, they look fairly settled in their team and in Steven Gerrard they have the one player I would pick from the whole world.
"The performance he gave down here at the back end of last season, when they beat us 3-0, was unbelievable, as good as I have ever seen from any individual. I hope he's injured."
Bruce's side are in the midst of a relegation dogfight and will be desperate for any kind of result this evening in their battle to beat the drop.
But the former Manchester United man knows his side are in for a tough test against a Liverpool team which are likely to give Robbie Fowler an emotional second debut at some stage of the evening.
"Even after Leeds and Manchester City his scoring record is quite staggering," Bruce said. "He is as good a penalty-area player as the Premiership has seen. You mention Cole, Fowler and Shearer in the same breath because if you look at his record for Liverpool it's fantastic.
"Liverpool have emerged as a true force again. That's the way I look at it from the outside. They have only lost one in 13 games - and that was in the last minute at Manchester United, they look fairly settled in their team and in Steven Gerrard they have the one player I would pick from the whole world.
"The performance he gave down here at the back end of last season, when they beat us 3-0, was unbelievable, as good as I have ever seen from any individual. I hope he's injured."