Few people in the English game have had an eye for goal quite like Ian Rush. The Liverpool legend had a magical ability to be in the right place at the right time to score crucial goals. Those goals propelled the Reds to five League titles, three FA Cups and a European Cup during Rush's time at Anfield.
Defenders could never feel safe when Rush was playing, even if the Welshman seemed to be having a quiet game he would pop up when least expected to fire home. It was that goal-scorer's instinct that earned Rush over 350 goals in a career spanning 22 years. Most of that time was spent at Anfield in a love affair with the Liverpool fans that lasted 15 years. To this day he remains the Reds' all-time leading goal-scorer, one of many records the tall, languid striker has held.
The fact no-one has scored more goals in FA Cup finals shows how much of a big game player Rush was. He netted five times in his five FA Cup finals for Liverpool and tellingly the three games he scored in ended in Liverpool victories.
Much to the delight of the Anfield faithful Rush specialised in scoring against the old enemy, Everton. The two Merseyside giants met twice at Wembley in the 1980s and Rush bagged a brace in the 3-1 win in 1986 and the emotional 3-2 victory in 1989, in the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster.
Perhaps the high point of his career came in 1984 when he was crowned PFA Player of the Year, won the European Golden Boot award and led Liverpool to victory in the League, the League Cup and most importantly the European Cup.
On a tense night in Rome, the final against Roma went to penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time. Rush was one of the four Liverpool players to hold their nerve as the Reds secured a 4-2 penalties victory to win their fourth European Cup.
Rush's Liverpool career was only interrupted by a season-long stay at Italian giants Juventus. When Liverpool boss Bob Paisley bought him from Chester for £300,000 Rush was the most expensive teenager in British football and his move to Turin was to set another record.
The Italians paid £3 million for the striker, the highest fee at the time for a transfer involving a British club. Despite the high price tag Rush failed to settle in Italy and returned to his spiritual home after just a year. He was soon back to his scoring best and went on to add to his trophy haul.
By the time his Anfield career ended in 1996, Rush had scored 346 goals in 660 games and he remains one of the most decorated Liverpool players of all time.