Rio Ferdinand Says 'Phenomenal' Liverpool a 'Scary' Prospect for Rivals

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has complimented Liverpool for their evolution into England's dominant force and said the prospect of long-term dominance is a scary thought for their rivals.  

Jurgen Klopp's side sit 22 points clear of Manchester City at the Premier League summit and are still in the running to defend their UEFA Champions League title, as well as being in contention for the FA Cup.

Ferdinand—who won six Premier League titles in the space of 10 seasons at Old Trafford—said at the launch of BT Sport's new 4-3-3 initiative (h/t Mirror's Hassan Rashed):

"I think that is the scary part for everyone else is that Liverpool, this isn't about today, they're going to be in this for the long haul. They look like a team that is being built for the long term.

"I think other teams, other owners, can take a lead off of what Liverpool have done. They've invested in their manager, they've invested in his ideas. He's been allowed to implement them over time.

"He didn't have success immediately, but you're seeing it bear fruit four or five years on now from the beginnings of that. He was given time and the resources and now the trophies are coming."

The Reds fielded the youngest XI in their history when a second-string side beat Shrewsbury Town 1-0 in an FA Cup fourth-round replay on Tuesday. The starting lineup had an average age of just 19 years and 102 days, per BBC Sport's Neil Johnston.

Curtis Jones, 19, captained that side and is one of the brightest gems emerging from the academy. Liverpool writer Joel Rabinowitz recently broke down the club's widespread goal contributions this term, evidence of the shared club philosophy that Klopp has encouraged:

Ferdinand—who made 455 appearances during a 12-year career at United—said teams can't win the Premier League based on luck, adding "Liverpool are more than good enough" to lift their first title since 1990.

He continued: "You have to respect it, I think Liverpool have done a tremendous job. In the last two years the amount of points they have accumulated has been phenomenal."

Football writer Leanne Prescott praised this current Liverpool team in late December, shortly after they lifted the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time in their history:

Bleacher Report's Aaron West echoed a similar sentiment when a lineup of mostly youngsters beat Everton 1-0 in the third round of the FA Cup in early January:

Klopp joined Liverpool in October 2015 and led the team to runner-up finishes in the UEFA Europa League and Carabao Cup at the end of his first campaign. It wasn't until the end of his third full season at Anfield that he clinched his first major trophy with the Reds—last season's UEFA Champions League crown.

The Independent's Melissa Reddy wrote in early February that agreeing new deals with Virgil van Dijk and Alisson is a priority for the club, "with both wanting extended contracts." The players are contracted at Anfield until 2023 and 2024.

That desire for constant improvement is one trait that promises to put the Liverpool manager and board in good stead moving forward.

Liverpool signed Takumi Minamino from Red Bull Salzburg in January—their only winter arrival—and Klopp  gave the impression he isn't likely to rest on his laurels in the market, per the Mirror's David Maddock:

Ferdinand played in a United team once hailed as one of the best in European history, lifting the Premier League crown three times in as many seasons between 2007 and 2009. His Red Devils also beat Chelsea on penalties to win the 2008 Champions League final during that spell.

But even a longstanding Reds rival can appreciate the special potential of the current Liverpool, whose European triumph last season may prove to be just the beginning of their trophy exploits.