Does this Liverpool comeback rank amongst the very best at Anfield?

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Anfield has witnessed some wonderful European nights down the years. Victories against St. Etienne in 1977 and Olympiakos in 2004 will live long in the memory of any Kopite. Then of course, there was Istanbul, which will always have a special place reserved for it. Meanwhile, Manchester United won’t ever forget their own Champions League miracle in Barcelona ’99 and one suspects that Manchester City fans will argue that their first League title in 44 years was the most dramatic victory of the lot.

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Liverpool’s snatching of victory from the jaws of defeat against Borussia Dortmund is up there with the best of them. At 2-0 down and then facing a 3-1 score-line later in the match, Liverpool needed three goals to seal a Europa League semi-final place. Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel perfectly summarised the indefinable X-Factor of such occasions, the ‘je ne sais quoi’ that saw Liverpool overhaul the most unlikely of deficits. “If you expect an explanation I probably have to disappoint you. An explanation would mean things are logical or tactical”. He was right. Anfield was driven by forces more powerful than logic. Anfield was driven by emotion, will and sheer bloodymindedness.

The emotion of the evening had begun long before the first whistle as Anfield Road teemed with supporters, red flares and song as the team bus arrived at the stadium. Then, there was the most stirring rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone that Anfield has seen in many a year. The tone had been set.

Yet, the match began in such sobering fashion for Klopp’s men. Not 10 minutes into the game and Liverpool had been overrun with the pace, verve and technique of their German opponents and found themselves 2-0 down to goals from Mkhitaryan and Aubemeyang. It took until the 48th minute for Anfield to find it’s voice once more, as a goal from Origi upped the decibel level. Only nine minutes later, Reus made it 3-1 on the night and 4-2 on aggregate. Liverpool needed three goals without reply. By all logic, the dream was dead.

Each monumental comeback has this moment. A moment in which all reasonable hope is extinguished. A moment that happens every week, in every league in which logic and reason prevails. Needing a trio of strikes to secure victory with half an hour to go against superior opponents, Liverpool were dead and buried. So were Manchester United in Barcelona. So were Manchester City against QPR. So were Liverpool against Olympiakos and in Istanbul. And yet, we know that these moments of despair were all eclipsed ten-fold by joy and disbelief, and no more was that true than on Thursday against Dortmund.

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It took an excellently worked Coutinho goal for Anfield to believe again. The Brazilian’s goal marked a 20 minute onslaught from Liverpool. Dortmund were on the back foot and content with defending their own 18-yard line as Liverpool issued wave after wave as they attacked an imploring Kop. A Philippe Coutinho corner found the head of Mamadou Sakho with 12 minutes to go, meaning that The Reds were one goal away. Liverpool threw men forward in relentless attack as a dizzying Anfield atmosphere bayed for the goal that would see Liverpool through.

Finally, it came. After good work from Sturridge and James Milner, the hard-working midfielder flighted over a cross to the back post. Dejan Lovren rose highest and powered a header into the back of the net. Anfield had it’s wish. The impossible had been achieved and Liverpool had secured the most unlikely of victories. Cue delirium.

As with anything in life, one needs to face hardship to appreciate success, and so it was during last week’s Europa League action. The silent agony of watching Liverpool limp towards defeat served as the perfect pre-cursor to the ecstasy of a staggering victory that Anfield will remember for years to come. For Klopp, the Kop had more than played its part – it had inspired. On the day of the 27th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, the motto, ‘There is a light that never goes out’ served as one of comfort. On occasions such as Thursday night, it speaks of hope in the Anfield heart.

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