From Rafa Benitez’s forgetful end to his Liverpool tenure to jubilation under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool’s decade has been entertaining even for the neutral. Though they made a decent start to the decade with a League Cup in 2012, Liverpool were not able to lift any silverware until Jurgen Klopp’s rebuilding at the club started to work wonders.
Even though they did win the Champions League last season, following it with the Super Cup and the Club World Cup, not everything has been rosy for the Reds this decade. But they still had their moments most fans would not forget in their lifetime. Here are five of the best such moments the Red of Merseyside produced in the last ten years.
TOP 5 MOMENTS THIS DECADE FOR LIVERPOOL
Title Charge Under Brendan Rodgers
In just his second season as the Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers almost managed to end Liverpool’s league draught early this decade. The Reds were on course to a dominating league run to the title but it was not to be as Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea came calling to Anfield.
Gerrard’s infamous slip may not be a fond memory for many in Red but it remains an iconic moment in the club’s history. It reduced Liverpool’s lead at the top of the table which they failed to regain over Manchester City. They did lose the league to the same club last season, even after registering 97 points but that night at Anfield, which reduced most of the team into tears later in the season, makes this list.
Welcome, Jurgen Klopp
Rodgers failed to replicate that form again at Liverpool, losing Luis Suarez just next summer. The former Celtic coach lasted just weeks into the 2015-16 season when FSG decided that Jurgen Klopp was a viable target. The German’s appointment was announced on the 8th of October 2015, a day many Liverpool fans still celebrate.
Klopp walked into the club and took them to a couple of finals in his first season, took them to 97 league points and a Champions League title last season, and added a couple more to the trophy cabinet this season. Signing Klopp was probably the single most crucial moment for Liverpool so far this decade beating the signings of Virgil Van Dijk and Alisson by a margin.
Barcelona’s Anfield Humiliation
In his time at Liverpool, Klopp’s side has been part of some brilliant games like against Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League and Norwich City in the Premier League. But it was Liverpool’s comeback against Barcelona in the semi-finals of the Champions League last season, that will be remembered for years to come.
The Reds put in a strong performance at Camp Nou in the first leg but came to Anfield with a three-goal deficit. But thanks to braces from Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum, the Reds made the headlines for all the right reasons. What makes this win all the more special is the fact that Liverpool were missing both Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino for the second leg. This may well have been the most memorable game of the decade for the Reds.
Winning It Six Times
But that would have all gone to waste had they not managed to put in a professional performance against Tottenham Hotspur in the finals of the Champions League. Liverpool scored through a Salah penalty early in the game at Madrid and managed to see it out, thanks to a late goal from Origi.
This added the sixth European title to Liverpool’s collection but what was even more commendable was the mentality shown by the players just a year after the heartbreak against Real Madrid in the final. This keyword, which has been the focal point of Klopp’s approach in England has held them in good stead as we have again seen this season.
Back On Their Perch
It only got better for Liverpool this season as they managed to win the UEFA Super Cup against Chelsea on penalties while also bagging the Club World Cup, which could have proven to be tricky. This now pushes Liverpool to 47 major honours, leaving United behind at 45.
Though there are arguments over which trophies actually make up this number, the fact that Liverpool, after a huge trophy drought, are finally back in these conversations, is what makes the end of this decade memorable.
Liverpool only seem to be growing stronger while their arch-rivals continue to struggle so this gap will only grow bigger in the next decade, the start of which will in all probability see them lift the Premier League trophy for the first time.
