There is a certain affinity for Liverpool FC to stage majestic comebacks, especially on the big stage. Going back across the decades, there have been numerous moments of a never-say-die attitude gripping the Reds on the pitch especially when things look bleakest. Here, we take a look at some of the best comebacks Liverpool FC have pulled off across its history.
#5: Liverpool 3 – 3 West Ham, FA Cup Final 2006 (Liverpool win 3 -1 on penalties)
Deservedly known as the Gerrard final, this epic showcase between West Ham and Liverpool FC is right up there with Stevie G’s best individual performance on the pitch. The Reds were back in the FA Cup final after a gap of five years after winning it previously against Arsenal in 2001 and were largely favoured to win over underdogs West Ham.
However, the Hammers took an early two-goal advantage in just half an hour after Jamie Carragher put the ball on his own net and Dead Ashton squeezed in a rebound for the second. Gerrard punted in a long ball for Djibril Cisse to put one back four minutes later but the game remained poised in West Ham’s favour.
Gerrard levelled things up for Liverpool FC in the second half after a great volley but Paul Konchesky’s cross 10 minutes later saw the ball sail right over Pepe Reina into the back of the net to hand the lead back to West Ham, and it seemed the game would end that way. But Stevie G had other plans as his shot from 35 yards out ended in the back of the net at the cusp of injury time and three saves from Pepe Reina in penalties handed the FA Cup to Liverpool FC.
Scorers:
Liverpool – Djibril Cisse (32’), Gerrard x2 (54’, 90+1’)
West Ham – Carragher (OG)(21’), Dean Ashton(28’), Paul Konchesky (64’)
#4: Liverpool 3 – 2 Club Brugge, UEFA Cup Final 1976
The first proper “European Night” at Anfield, this UEFA Cup showdown between the Reds and Belgian side Club Brugge was the first of two legs of a final (European finals had two legs back then) with the first happening at Merseyside.
It was a nightmarish start for Liverpool FC as they were pegged back by two goals in the opening 15 minutes itself, the first one coming after Phil Neal’s back pass to Ray Clemence was intercepted by Raoul Lambert. It was a mountain to climb since the away goals rule was in play.
However, the Reds came roaring back to life in the second half. Ray Kennedy scored an absolute stunner to begin the comeback and two minutes later Jimmy Case poked the ball in after Ray Kennedy’s shot hit the post. Steve Heighway was brought down in the box in the 65th minute and Kevin Keegan slotted home the penalty to turn it around for Liverpool FC, the match finishing 3-2 after a trio of goals in the space of just six minutes.
Scorers:
Liverpool – Ray Kennedy(59’), Jimmy Case (61’), Kevin Keegan(65’)
Club Brugge – Raoul Lambert(5’), Julien Cools(15’)
#3: Liverpool 4 – 3 Dortmund, Europa League Quarter-Final 2015
There is something to be said about Anfield in European nights, and that is again underlined in this seven-goal thriller between Klopp’s former club and the Reds in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
After a 1-1 draw in the first leg at Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund went off to a flying start as goals from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang inside the first 10 minutes left Liverpool FC needing 3 goals to progress on to the semi-final. The second half saw Divock Origi poke one in but a superb solo goal by Marco Reus left the scoreline 3-1 in 60 minutes, seemingly sealing the fate of the match in Dortmund’s favour.
However, Coutinho’s goal in the 66th minute and Sakho’s header 11 minutes later saw the scores being level with 10 minutes remaining on the clock. Anfield believed and with a rocking atmosphere urging the players on, Dejan Lovren lept the highest for James Milner’s cross at injury time to head the ball home at the Kop end, wrapping up an astonishing comeback.
Scorers:
Liverpool – Origi(48’), Coutinho(66’), Sakho(77’), Lovren(90+1’)
Dortmund – Mkhitaryan(5’), Aubameyang(9’), Reus(57’)
#2: Liverpool 4 – 0 Barcelona, Champions League Semi-Final 2019 (Liverpool win 4 – 3 on aggregate)
One of the most memorable European nights at Anfield in recent times, Liverpool FC entered into the leg having been beaten by Barcelona 3 – 0 at Camp Nou. Messi and co had outplayed the Reds with their counters and although many were hopeful, a comeback against the Spanish giants was seen as unlikely.
The Reds’ problems were further compounded with the fact that both Salah and Firmino were absent and Klopp had to play Divock Origi and Shaqiri at the front. But it was known that if anyone could pull it off, it had to be Liverpool FC at Anfield.
Origi’s goal in the 7th minute saw Liverpool FC go off on a perfect start but by halftime, the Reds still needed three more goals on top of not letting Barcelona steal even a single goal at the opposite end. Klopp replaced Andy Robertson with Gini Wijnaldum at half time, and it proved to be a masterstroke for the Reds as the Dutchman scored 2 goals just nine and eleven minutes after his introduction.
The scores were level by the 54th minute and the final blow came in the form of a genius play by Trent Alexander Arnold to cheekily take a corner quickly that was slotted in by Origi to finish off one of the greatest European nights at Anfield, leaving the world and FC Barcelona shell shocked.
Scorers:
Liverpool – Origi x2(7’, 79’), Wijnaldum x2(54’, 56’)
#1: Liverpool 3 – 3 AC Milan, Champions League Final 2005
Undoubtedly the greatest comeback in European football, the final showdown between Liverpool vs AC Milan was a David and Goliath moment in footballing history. With AC Milan’s squad filled with players such as Andrea Pirlo, Kaka, Maldini and Cafu, Liverpool were seen as the mighty underdogs with Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso just newcomers on the European stage compared to their veteran counterparts in the Milan camp.
Benitez’s side beat heavy favourites Juventus and Chelsea on their way to the final, but the Reds were seen mightily inconsistent, finishing just fifth in the Premier League that season. Compared that to the star-studded cast of AC Milan players, it seemed like the fate of the final was already decided even before the match.
And the gap in quality showed in the first half when the match started, as Maldini’s goal in the first minute coupled by a double by Hernan Crespo in the last 6 minutes in the opening half turned it into an absolute nightmare for the travelling Reds. The sheer talent of the Milanese side had collapsed the Reds and it was turning out to be utter humiliation.
It was expected of Liverpool FC to save their face and to just focus on not letting Milan score any further after half time but the travelling Kopites were in full force and Istanbul’s air was filled with the chants of You’ll Never Walk Alone – urging the players to not lose hope.
Steven Gerrard was the embodiment of that when his header pulled one back for Liverpool FC in the 54th minute, and Vladimir Smicer’s strike 2 minutes later made it 3-2. Stevie G earned a penalty just 3 minutes after the second goal and Xabi Alonso equalised the scoring for Liverpool FC putting the rebound in the back of the net after his penalty was saved initially.
The five-minute blitz shook Milan to the core but it took some fist-clenching clearances from Liverpool FC’s defence to keep the scoreline intact till the final minute, with Jerzy Dudek pulling a logic-defying double save from point-blank range in the dying embers of extra time. Dudek would go on to be the decisive figure in the penalties when he channelled in his inner Bruce Grobbelaar, wobbling his legs to distract the Milanes players as they missed 3 of their 5 penalties, and the Miracle of Istanbul had the Reds clinching their fifth European Cup.
Scorers:
Liverpool – Gerrard (54’), Vladimir Smicer (56’), Xabi Alonso (60’)
AC Milan – Maldini(1’), Hernan Crespo(39’, 44’)
Highlights – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OQToElxke4
