FeatureKop 10: Liverpool's most memorable comebacks under Jürgen Klopp

Indeed, several of the turnarounds achieved under the German during the past nine years will forever rank among the best ever seen at the club.

As we continue to salute Klopp’s Reds reign following his last match as manager, here we have picked out 10 of the most memorable comebacks he oversaw…

October 2015 – Chelsea 1-3 Liverpool, Premier League

The first comeback of many under Klopp came on Halloween at Stamford Bridge, just three weeks into his reign.

Only four minutes were on the clock when Ramires handed Jose Mourinho’s Blues – the reigning Premier League champions – a lead.

But Philippe Coutinho brought Liverpool back on terms before the interval with a delightful shimmy and curler off his left foot at the edge of the box.

Coutinho netted his and the Reds’ second with the help of a deflection on 74, and Christian Benteke soon wrapped up a statement win for the new boss.

January 2016 – Norwich City 4-5 Liverpool, Premier League

Some games are beyond analysis. Take the chaos that unfolded on this afternoon at Carrow Road, for example.

Liverpool were 1-0 up in the first half thanks to Roberto Firmino, yet trailed 3-1 by the 53rd minute as Norwich surged either side of the break.

Back came Klopp’s side, strongly, and goals from Jordan Henderson, Firmino again and James Milner turned the tables on the Canaries.

The Reds’ hard work seemed to have been undone when the hosts made it 4-4 via Sebastien Bassong in the final minute of the 90.

But, deep into added time, Adam Lallana moved onto a loose ball and drove a strike into the ground and into the top corner to give Liverpool such a ridiculous win that the celebrations led to the manager’s glasses being broken.

April 2016 – Liverpool 4-3 Borussia Dortmund, Europa League

Klopp masterminded a whole host of special European nights under the Anfield lights – with this thriller right up there with the best.

After a 1-1 draw at the home of his former club in their Europa League quarter-final, the Reds fell 2-0 and then 3-1 behind in the return leg on Merseyside.

Liverpool needed three goals in half an hour to defeat Dortmund on aggregate, and got two of them through Coutinho and Mamadou Sakho.

And just when it looked like they might narrowly fail to complete the comeback, Milner lifted a 91st-minute cross into the box at the Kop end and Dejan Lovren was in the right place to power it home.

“I know this is a place for big football moments,” said Klopp afterwards. “We know about our responsibility to try to write a few nice stories in football and tonight it was a really nice story.”

December 2018 – Liverpool 5-1 Arsenal, Premier League

The Reds came in to this encounter having won all seven of their previous games in the month, conceding only twice.

Their hopes of finishing the year in perfect style suffered a blow when Ainsley Maitland-Niles gave Unai Emery’s Arsenal an 11th-minute lead, however.

But as responses go, Liverpool’s couldn’t have been more emphatic – with Firmino the conductor-in-chief, they were 4-1 up by half-time.

Firmino got two of them, including one sensational slalom and finish, and he was joined on the scoresheet by Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. ‘Bobby’ wrapped up a hat-trick from the penalty spot in the second half.

“A devastating show of force,” reported the Liverpool Echo. “This is a team operating to an incredible level in all departments.”

May 2019 – Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona, Champions League

Up there with the greatest of all occasions in Anfield’s incredible history.

A somewhat harsh 3-0 defeat against Lionel Messi and co at Camp Nou in the first leg of this semi-final left Liverpool’s hopes of reaching a second successive Champions League final looking pretty bleak.

“I said to the boys, ‘I think it’s impossible but because it’s you we have a chance’,” Klopp, who was without talismans Firmino and Salah and also lost Andy Robertson to injury during the game, would later explain.

Against all the odds, he was right.

Divock Origi’s seventh-minute goal raised the optimism inside an ear-splitting Anfield and when substitute Georginio Wijnaldum netted a quickfire double in the second half, suddenly anything was possible.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner taken quickly was tucked home by Origi at the Kop end to make it four unanswered goals and the miracle was complete.

“What they did tonight is so special and I will remember it forever,” said Klopp. “I don’t know if it happened before and I don’t know if it can happen again.”

November 2019 – Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool, Premier League

The Reds had made a blistering start to the season that would eventually bring them the club’s first league title success for 30 years.

Nine victories, one draw and zero defeats were on the board when they arrived at Villa Park in early November.

Trezeguet’s goal midway through the opening half, however, gave Villa an advantage they held deep into the closing stages.

But their mentality of champions was clear for all to see when Robertson snuck in at the back post to equalise and, with the clock showing 90+4, Mane angled a header to convert Alexander-Arnold’s corner to the near post.

A dramatic and defining afternoon.

May 2021 – West Bromwich Albion 1-2 Liverpool, Premier League

A unique day in Liverpool history: a goalkeeper scoring a goal.

Not just any goal, either, but a crucial intervention from Alisson Becker in the 95th minute of a match the Reds simply had to find a way to win.

In the final weeks of a campaign largely played without fans present due to COVID-19 restrictions – and in which Klopp’s men had struggled for significant spells – they were chasing Champions League qualification.

But after Hal Robson-Kanu’s early strike had been equalised by Salah, the encounter appeared to be petering out with a draw.

Until Alexander-Arnold swirled in a corner kick from the left that found Alisson inside the area. The Brazilian met the ball with a header any centre-forward would be proud of, flicking it into the far corner.

“We needed a corner in the last second and our goalie to score off it. What a goal, what a worldie. Unbelievable goal. The technique, absolutely insane,” said Klopp.

May 2022 – Villarreal 2-3 Liverpool, Champions League

Liverpool’s pursuit of a third Champions League final appearance in five seasons was in excellent stead when they gained a 2-0 lead from the first leg of their semi-final.

But Emery’s Villarreal halved that deficit within three minutes of the return meeting in Spain as they raced out of the blocks to trouble the Reds.

When Francis Coquelin headed in to haul the Yellow Submarine level on aggregate just before the interval, El Madrigal was rocking and so were the away side.

Among Klopp’s actions to stem the hosts’ momentum was the introduction of Luis Diaz from the bench, and the Colombian was a catalyst for a classy turnaround.

Fabinho fired in Liverpool’s first goal of the comeback, Diaz followed up quickly with a second and Mane put the seal on a victory on the night and in the tie overall.

August 2023 – Newcastle United 1-2 Liverpool, Premier League

Things could not be going more wrong for Klopp’s fledgling ‘Liverpool 2.0’ in this early-season encounter at St. James’ Park.

Half an hour has not yet passed and not only has Anthony Gordon given the Magpies a lead, Reds captain Virgil van Dijk has received a straight red card.

But the visitors dig in, keep the deficit at one and, as time steadily elapses, begin to sense a way back into the contest. That something is salvageable.

Jarell Quansah comes on at one end for a daunting debut he passes impeccably. At the other end, Darwin Nunez is deployed to shake up Newcastle’s defence.

He does so much more.

A precise low strike across the goalkeeper equalises on 81 minutes. On 90+3, Nunez shapes his run to collect Salah’s through pass from a similar position in the right channel and places a faultless finish home to snatch a stunning victory.

January 2024 – Liverpool 2-1 Fulham, Carabao Cup

A vital turnaround on the road to Klopp’s final trophy as Liverpool manager, and one that occurred almost in the blink of an eye.

Willian’s first-half effort gave the Cottagers a lead in the first leg of the semi-final at Anfield, with that advantage holding for three-quarters of the game.

But Klopp’s double introduction of Cody Gakpo and Nunez from the bench just before the hour mark proved pivotal on the night and in the tie.

Nunez soon set up Curtis Jones to haul the Reds level with the benefit of a deflection. Then, within three minutes, the Uruguayan hit the byline and picked out Gakpo around the near post to convert.

Liverpool were in front for the remainder of the tie, with this blitz a key moment on their journey to lifting the Carabao Cup at Wembley the next month.