Liverpool great Jamie Carragher believes his former club have blown their chance to "knock Manchester United off their perch" after admitting they may have a long wait before they return to the Champions League.
Ex-Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson used the same phrase as he vowed to end Liverpool's domination of English football after arriving at Old Trafford in 1986. Carragher suggests Brendan Rodgers has missed a great opportunity to move clear of United ahead of Sunday's game between the two sides.
Writing in his Daily Mail column, Carragher offered up a gloomy picture for Liverpool supporters still hurting from Tuesday's Champions League exit, with his suggestion that United are destined to remain ahead of the Anfield club as they rebuild under manager Louis van Gaal likely to sting Reds fans.
"In September 2002, Sir Alex Ferguson was asked about the great challenge Manchester United were facing at that particular time," writes Carragher.
"'My greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their f---ing perch,' he responded. 'And you can print that.'
"He eventually realised his ambition, in May 2011, when United secured their 19th league title. It might have been symbolic for the general public but, speaking from a Liverpool perspective, there was no dwelling on what they achieved. Our focus was on how we could turn the situation around.
"On the eve of Liverpool's latest trip to Old Trafford, I think about Ferguson's words and find myself asking questions: are Liverpool ever going to knock Manchester United off their perch? Or has a glorious opportunity been squandered?
"When Ferguson retired, a door opened for Liverpool. He was an empire on his own, one of the biggest influences on football this country has seen but, suddenly, his departure transformed things. There was a glimmer of light to exploit.
"Yet here we are on December 13, exactly seven months after the last campaign ended, and United are back on the front foot, third in the table. They are an average side, compared to Ferguson's teams of the past, but being in transition has not hindered their ambitions.
"In adding Angel Di Maria and Luke Shaw, United bought the better players. Liverpool may have spent more than 100 million pounds, but where has it left them? And when will they be able to lavish such a figure again? Looking at them now, you feel they need another 100 million pounds spending just to improve."
Carragher went on to claim the momentum Liverpool built up in their sustained title challenge last season has been lost in recent months, adding that a golden chance to establish a dominance over United has been lost.
"Without Ferguson, they looked vulnerable. They experienced great change at a number of levels, first with David Moyes and then Louis van Gaal, and had Liverpool played their cards right, they could have finally reasserted themselves and left United scrambling catch up.
"Now you cannot escape the conclusion that Liverpool are doing the scrambling. Going out of the Champions League was a savage blow and my initial fear was that after waiting five years to return to that competition, it could be another few years before they get back in again.
"United, on the other hand, look like they are resuming normal service. They need working on before they reach a title-winning level once more but they remain on their perch they claimed in May 2011. Liverpool have let them off the hook."