'Rush and Dalglish? The best ever!'
The strike partnership of Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush is the best of all-time in world football, according to an esteemed journalist who covered Liverpool during the 1980s.
As we continue to mark 30 years since the Reds won a unique treble under Joe Fagan in 1984, author and broadcaster John Keith recalls how the Liverpool front line struck fear to defences throughout Europe.
Liverpool have had some fearsome duos over the years from the days of Roger Hunt and Ian St John to Kevin Keegan and John Toshack, John Aldridge and Peter Beardsley, through to the modern day pairing at Anfield of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge.
According to Keith, however, none compare to the lethal combination of Dalglish and Rush.
"It was the best strike force I have ever seen. I remember Match of the Day polling their viewers and the result was people said they were the best strike pairing since the Second World War. I think it is the best ever to be honest with you," Keith told Liverpoolfc.com.
"They were brilliant because hey were so different. Rushie was just incredible, the predator supreme. And what can you say about Kenny? People said he had ice in his head because in the furore of the heat of a match he would be like a computer pinging passes everywhere to open up the opposition.
"Bob Paisley used to say Kenny was the strongest player he had ever met. They were just sensational together.
"I have seen some great partnerships at international level as well as club level, but Dalglish and Rush are the best I have ever seen."
At the heart of the midfield was captain Graeme Souness, and Keith insists his contribution to the Liverpool cause should not be overlooked.
He added: "What a fantastic player. As a captain he was absolutely majestic. He had wonderful skill and I remember when Paisley made him captain he said he doesn't use a coin for the toss-up at the start of the game, instead he uses a gold plated credit card!
"A colleague of mine, David Millar, said Souness was a bear of a man with the touch of a violinist."
As for the contrubution of Fagan, Keith feels his incredible achievements perhaps don't get the credit they fully deserve.
He said: "Joe Fagan was a terrific guy and I have nothing but admiration for him.
"He never gets the credit he deserves and it makes my blood boil when you pick up record books and his name isn't even mentioned.
"When you think about it, he won a treble 15 years before Alex Ferguson did it and it was the first treble ever in British football. He's almost airbrushed out of history and it's scandalous.
"To win a European Cup on your opponent's home soil is quite something. It was an unbelievable achievement.
"The Milk Cup was a big competition back then. Ferguson might have won the FA Cup instead but to me, so what? Joe did it 15 years before Ferguson did it and it was a wonderful achievement.
"I know the following season was Heysel but don't forget Joe still took Liverpool back to the European Cup final and they reached the FA Cup semi-final as well. He was a very successful manager."
Click here to read just why Graeme Souness was regarded as the best midfielder of his generation.