Over the course of Liverpool’s rich history, there have been many miraculous and heart-racing comebacks.
None more famous than the Istanbul comeback in the 2005 UCL final against AC Milan. With a big 2nd leg coming up on Thursday in the League Cup, being 1-0 down to Tottenham, we will hope this nail-biting tradition continues.
The Reds also have a good record of 2nd leg turnarounds, from the dominant Paisley team of the 70’s and 80’s to Jurgen’s mentality monsters, let’s look at some of the best 2nd leg turnarounds.
4. 1977-Liverpool 3-1 Saint-Etienne (Agg: 3-2) - European Cup
In the 1976/77 European Cup, as it was known then, now the Champions League, Liverpool faced the previous years runners-up Saint Etienne in the quarter-final. In France, Saint-Etienne came out on top 1-0 and went to Anfield with a narrow lead.
Two minutes into the second leg, future two time Ballon D’or winner Kevin Keegan, scored to level the tie up. The Reds went into the half-time break level on terms and 1-0 up on the day.
After the break Saint-Etienne scored an equaliser on the day, which had them take the lead 2-1 in the tie. With away goals this meant that the Reds had to score at least two goals to win the game.
Simply put, Paisley’s men did just that. Just eight minutes after the French side scored, Ray Kennedy put Liverpool back in front on the day, giving his team 30 minutes to grab the winner. In the 84th minute and after 12 minutes on the pitch, striker David Fairclough scored the dramatic winner for Liverpool.
This game is often referred to as the catalyst to the innate belief and arrogance some Liverpool fans have, even when down and seemingly out of games.
After this game Liverpool played Swiss side FC Zurich in the Semi’s. Then in the victorious final, they faced Borussia Monchengladbach to win the clubs first European Cup.
3. 2016-Liverpool 4-3 Borussia Dortmund (Agg: 5-4) - Europa League
A turnaround that took place in one match. In Jurgen Klopp’s first season, Liverpool was in the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals against Borussia Dortmund.
After leaving Germany with a 1-1 draw thanks to a Divock Origi goal, Liverpool were pretty pleased going into the second leg at Anfield with the crowd behind them.
However, after a catastrophic opening 10 minutes, with Dortmund taking a 2-0 lead, Liverpool needed one of those famous nights at Anfield.
2-0 down at the break and against his former team, Klopp and his team had their backs up against the wall. Klopp said something right as, Divock Origi scored for the second time in the tie to give LFC fans a glimmer of hope.
Some of these fans may have lost all hope, when the brilliant Marco Reus restored Dortmund’s two goal buffer.
Heading into the final 30 minutes, Liverpool now needed at least three goals to win, again down to the away goal system.
Two of the three needed goals had been scored in 10 minutes. Phillipe Coutinho and Mamadou Sakho, gave the Reds 10 minutes plus added time to find the winner.
In the 91st minute a quickly taken free-kick, allowed James Milner to find space in the box to float it up to the back post. This cross was fantastically headed home by Dejan Lovren to give Liverpool the lead.
Regarded as the best comeback at Anfield to that point with four second half goals to seal a unbelievable comeback. A season when Liverpool came agonisingly close to winning the Europa League.
2. 2003-Liverpool 2-0 Sheffield United (Agg: 3-2) - League Cup
A relevant comeback to what Liverpool need on Thursday night. In 2003, Liverpool faced Championship side Sheffield United in the League Cup semi-final.
The blades took a 2-1 lead into the second leg after beating LFC at Bramall Lane. As always though, a second leg at Anfield should always spell danger for any away teams.
An early goal from Senegalese forward, El Hadji-Diouf, meant that the Reds were on level terms very quickly, although it turned out to be a long night for the Gerard Houllier’s men.
Up against English cult hero Neil Warnock and his defensive style, it was going to be tough to break this Sheffield team down.
With the 90 minutes completed the teams headed into extra-time. Liverpool made just one change in the whole game with Frenchmen Bruno Cheyrou replacing Vladimir Smicer, the long slog of a game, however, did not slow down the lightning sharp instincts of Michael Owen.
After a fantastically weighted ball through by Stevie Gerrard, Owen was through on goal and calmly slotted it into the corner to give LFC the lead in the 107th minute.
Liverpool went onto win the League Cup that season, and that 2nd leg performance was the reason they were able to win the competition for the seventh time.
1. 2019-Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona (Agg: 4-3) - Champions League
The best knockout-stage comeback in Liverpool and maybe even Champions League history. Going into the 2nd leg, 3-0 down to a phenomenal Barcelona side, with the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Phillipe Coutinho, Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique was hard enough.
Klopp also had to make do with no Mo Salah or Roberto Firmino. The odds were massively stacked against LFC, but that would never stop this club.
Three years after scoring in a huge game against Borussia Dortmund, Origi was back to help his team make a famous comeback.
The Belgian scored an early goal to give the Anfield crowd even more belief for this match. Although it was a quiet first half, the belief was already instilled into the team and fans.
Half-time substitute Gini Wijnaldum replaced Andy Robertson, to give Liverpool some extra juice in the middle of the park. Gini well and truly brought the juice.
10 minutes after coming on the pitch, Wijnaldum had scored two goals to level up the tie-on aggregate. Both goals coming in the space of two minutes of each other.
From then on it was only going to be one result. In the 79th minute Liverpool got a corner. Trent Alexander-Arnold came over to take the kick and just as he placed the ball down he realised Divock was free in the middle of the box with no Barcelona player paying attention.
Then comes the famous… “Corner taken quickly… ORIGI!”. A brilliant finish after a bit of genius from Trent.
That is how the game would end, Liverpool completing the most unlikely of comebacks, on their way to the clubs sixth European Cup/Champions League triumph.