Liverpool icon Ian Rush recovering in hospital after spending two days in intensive care with flu

Rush, who is Liverpool’s all-time record goalscorer with 346 goals in 660 appearances for the club, has responded well to treatment but remains in hospital.

As per the Guardian, a Liverpool spokesperson said that “everyone at Liverpool wishes him a speedy recovery” and that they were thankful to the hospital and its staff for “providing the best care possible for our legend and ambassador of the club”.

Rush won five First Division titles, two European Cups, three FA Cups and five League Cups with Liverpool across two spells for the club. During his time with the Reds, he was the club’s top scorer in eight separate seasons and picked up the PFA Young Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year award in 1983 and 1984, respectively.

Rush made 73 appearances for his country, scoring 28 goals, second only to Gareth Bale in the nation’s all-time top scorers list. The legendary forward also played for Chester, Juventus, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield United and Wrexham, before seeing out his career in Australia with Sydney Olympic.

After hanging up his boots, Rush worked as a part-time striker’s coach for Liverpool under Gerard Houlier, before taking up the managerial position at Chester. It marked his first and only foray into management, and he managed to help the side stave off relegation from the fourth division of English football.

Rush had hinted that he wanted to take the job in charge of the Welsh national team, but was never offered the position. He never returned to management after his short spell at Chester, which fizzled out after a string of poor performances.

Ian Rush is still leading the goalscoring charts at Liverpool and it does not appear as if he will be dethroned any time soon. Rush is followed by Roger Hunt, who scored 285 goals for the club between 1958 and 1969.

The only man still playing who comes close to Rush’s record is Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian is third on the list of top scorers, having netted 250 goals for the club in all competitions. Salah, who signed a new contract with the Reds earlier this year, still needs to rack up another 95 goals to overtake the Welshman.

Speaking after the announcement of Salah's new deal, Rush tipped Salah for a vice-captaincy role and showered praise on the player.

"I am happy he has signed for two years," he said. "Looking at his performances, I look at the [ages] of 28 and 29 and you work on your weaknesses and over the age of 30 you are taught to work on your strengths. And I think that is what Mo is doing and, as I say, it goes unnoticed about the work he helps the younger ones off the pitch."

With the 33-year-old’s future hanging in the balance following an explosive outburst over his supposed mistreatment by Arne Slot this season, it seems unlikely that he will overhaul Rush in the rankings.