Clinton Morrison on the title race, quadruple hopes & Mo Salah's legacy

Current Sky Sports pundit and former Premier League player Clinton Morrison has given Anfield Watch his thoughts on the title race, if Liverpool can win the quadruple and how Mohamed Salah compares to Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo & Eden Hazard.

Speaking exclusively to Charlie Webb for Anfield Watch, former Crystal Palace and Republic of Ireland striker Clinton Morrison has discussed Liverpool's ambitions for the quadruple, how Salah compares to other Premier League greats and a controversy that happened between him and Michael Owen in 2001.

In 2001 you scored the winner for Crystal Palace in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final and famously 'gave tips' to Michael Owen about scoring. In the return leg, it didn’t go quite to plan for Palace – do you think in hindsight you would have worded things differently in that interview, especially considering how Liverpool fans viewed those comments?

I don't think I would word it differently, but to be fair, I think I would be careful who I spoke to if I was still a footballer now. The journalist who did the story twisted it and I've explained this to Michael Owen, he asked me about Michael Owen and Emile Heskey on the day who missed a couple of chances.

I just said the form I'm in at the moment, I believe I would have scored from those chances. I got into training a few days later and all the lads are shaking their heads at me, and I was thinking what's the problem here, I've just scored the winner in a semi-final first leg a few days ago. Then I see the headlines that says, 'Clinton Morrison will teach Michael Owen how to score goals'.

Never would I have taught Michael Owen anything about scoring goals, I remember playing against him in the FA Youth Cup and he put three past us. He was an outstanding player and had an outstanding career. You just have to be careful when you're a youngster about what you say, but the words were twisted. I respect Michael Owen and his ability as a footballer, he was one of the best strikers around when I was playing in the Premier League.

Liverpool and Man City are once again battling it out for the Premier League title this season. Are we witnessing the two best ever Premier League sides?

I'd said yeah. They'd have to go into that bracket, there have been some brilliant teams beforehand, but at the moment these two are definitely the best around. They've got two of the best managers in world football at the moment, Pep for me is the best and Jurgen Klopp is a close second.

Those two are the best in the world and you look at the football they both play, it's frightening. A few weeks ago, people were saying the title race is over and I was adamant it wasn't, Liverpool have got everyone fit and they're right in the hunt.

I still think Manchester City are favourites because of the position they're in, but you can never write off Liverpool. They've got five or six attacking players who can play across that front three and the best centre back in the world at the moment. Their fullbacks are brilliant, the midfielder is strong, so it isn't over yet.

Man City as well, of course, the football they play is fantastic and we saw what they did to Manchester United recently. Those two teams are a joy to watch in the Premier League and whenever I cover the games and I get either of those teams, then I know it's going to be an outstanding game.

Do you think Liverpool have a genuine chance to win the quadruple this season?

They have a chance for sure, but do I think they'll go on and do it? Maybe not. I think they can definitely win another trophy, but it's going to be difficult to manage all of those competitions. They've got everyone fit right now, but if there's an injury to a big player then it'll make it more difficult.

I know they've got a lot of depth now, but it would disrupt them. They are on the right course and pathway to do it, but I just think it might be a stretch too far at this precise moment. It's good we're talking about it though and that's how far Liverpool have come and evolved under Jurgen Klopp. They're a joy to watch, Liverpool and Man City are miles ahead of everyone at the moment.

Chelsea aren't too far behind them, but those two teams are two of the best teams in Europe at the moment.

Mohamed Salah has established himself as one of the best players to play in the Premier League but where do you think he ranks amongst other Premier League wingers like Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo & Eden Hazard?

He's up there and he'll definitely go down as a Liverpool and Premier League legend when he does eventually leave. The numbers he gets is incredible and we have to remember that he doesn't play as a natural number nine, he plays as a winger.

He has to do his defensive work as well because Jurgen Klopp tells him to. I've said it for the last four or five months, at this minute in time, he is the best player in the world.

"I loved Thierry Henry when he was a player, he will go down as my favourite that I've watched in history because he was phenomenal with the things he could do. Ronaldo is obviously Ronaldo and Hazard could do some exceptional things at Chelsea. Those players were all great, but Salah is definitely on that level, he is frightening and at the moment the best player in the world."

This interview was facilitated by FreeSuperTips.