It was the performance that set Anfield alight, made Europe sit up and take notice and earned Rafael Benitez the respect he craves for his Champions League achievements.
But it also begged the question: why on earth can’t Liverpool play like that every week?
Such was the paradox of Tuesday’s comprehensive dismantling of Real Madrid, a night to stand alongside the other great European occasions at the famous stadium.
“We played against a top side and Real Madrid are historically a team that is always attacking,” explains Benitez.
“We started the game really well, we were attacking and scored two goals so everything changed for Madrid, they needed to attack and we had more space.
“I think they were expecting us to play deep and on the counter-attack, so we changed the plan they were expecting, scored an early goal and were on top of them from the beginning.
“We’ve done the same against a lot of teams but the difference is they usually have 10 men behind the ball rather than being an offensive team trying to defend.”
And therein lies the problem for Liverpool. Bring on an attack-minded team, and they are far more likely to be picked off than the succession of obdurate opponents that have stifled Benitez’s men at Anfield this season.
It’s the reason Liverpool head to Old Trafford this afternoon seven points behind Manchester United in the knowledge that anything other than a first victory at the stadium under the Spaniard’s tenure will effectively extinguish their faint championship hopes.
United and Liverpool are the only two teams in the top-flight yet to be beaten at home this campaign.
But while the champions have dropped just two points on their own patch, Benitez’s men have let slip a damaging 12 points with home draws against Stoke City, Fulham, West Ham United, Hull City, Everton and Manchester City.
“It’s not the same when you play against a team who use 10 players behind the ball,” continues the Anfield manager.
“We’ve known for a while that teams do this against us so it’s not frustration – it’s just something we have to analyse. You have to score first against teams and the game will change.
“Don’t forget, Real Madrid started with a lot of attacking players, they are not compact and organised, they are always thinking about going forward so maybe we could win a lot of second balls.
“In the other games, when teams come to defend there are a lot of people around the ball and that makes it more difficult to find space.
“The question is how can we penetrate it? You have to be very precise. It’s not just a question of determination and high tempo, like we had against Real Madrid.
“You can keep your high tempo if you can keep your space and pass the ball. If you don’t have the space you have to make sure you don’t give the ball away. It’s not the same situation.
“We've done well against a lot of teams here at Anfield and for me the first goal makes all the difference. Against Sunderland as soon as we scored the first goal the game was open. Against Bolton we scored three goals.
“Do we need better players? We need to take our chances. And we have to create more chances.”
Of course, United are highly unlikely to park the bus in front of goal this afternoon as they aim to issue the last rites on Liverpool’s title aspirations.
It would be unfair to judge the long-term ambition of any Anfield revival on the outcome of this single encounter.
After all, Benitez has long bemoaned the gap in terms of finances and squad strength between Liverpool and United.
But the Spaniard refuses to accept the Old Trafford side cannot be overhauled – although he admits it will take a near-perfect effort from everyone at Anfield to achieve that feat.
“If we can do everything well, if everybody is together and we can improve on and off the pitch – the team selection, commercially, everything – I think we can be closer to United,” says Benitez.
“This year has been better than before, we have been closer. People have been talking about draws but just one or two goals and it could be four more points and we would be closer so I think we can do it but we need to be more consistent.
“This year we were very close to the top of the table for a long time and it depends on this game where we’ll be position wise.
“It has been really good, we made some mistakes but if we don’t make them in the future we will be closer. I think that the motivation will be different for everyone.
“We were doing well but if we’d had won those games we drew we would have been in a better position and maybe playing better at home. Everything is a struggle.
“Clearly we were in a better position than before, clearly we couldn’t be consistent so to be closer than other seasons and not be consistent is a pity.
“We have to fight for the rest of the season and if we can stay at the same position next season try to be consistent.”
Liverpool have won only six of their last 15 league games, but enter the supposed Theatre of Dreams buoyed by their midweek Champions League exploits.
And Benitez says: “We had confidence before the Real Madrid win, now the mood is even better, everyone is looking forward to the match.
“I do not believe United are untouchable, as has been suggested, clearly I believe we can win.
“If we can start with the same high tempo as we did against Real Madrid, and keep possession as well as we did, then we can win the game.”
Whether Liverpool can do it against everybody else, though, could determine how long the 19-year wait for a title goes on.
But it also begged the question: why on earth can’t Liverpool play like that every week?
Such was the paradox of Tuesday’s comprehensive dismantling of Real Madrid, a night to stand alongside the other great European occasions at the famous stadium.
“We played against a top side and Real Madrid are historically a team that is always attacking,” explains Benitez.
“We started the game really well, we were attacking and scored two goals so everything changed for Madrid, they needed to attack and we had more space.
“I think they were expecting us to play deep and on the counter-attack, so we changed the plan they were expecting, scored an early goal and were on top of them from the beginning.
“We’ve done the same against a lot of teams but the difference is they usually have 10 men behind the ball rather than being an offensive team trying to defend.”
And therein lies the problem for Liverpool. Bring on an attack-minded team, and they are far more likely to be picked off than the succession of obdurate opponents that have stifled Benitez’s men at Anfield this season.
It’s the reason Liverpool head to Old Trafford this afternoon seven points behind Manchester United in the knowledge that anything other than a first victory at the stadium under the Spaniard’s tenure will effectively extinguish their faint championship hopes.
United and Liverpool are the only two teams in the top-flight yet to be beaten at home this campaign.
But while the champions have dropped just two points on their own patch, Benitez’s men have let slip a damaging 12 points with home draws against Stoke City, Fulham, West Ham United, Hull City, Everton and Manchester City.
“It’s not the same when you play against a team who use 10 players behind the ball,” continues the Anfield manager.
“We’ve known for a while that teams do this against us so it’s not frustration – it’s just something we have to analyse. You have to score first against teams and the game will change.
“Don’t forget, Real Madrid started with a lot of attacking players, they are not compact and organised, they are always thinking about going forward so maybe we could win a lot of second balls.
“In the other games, when teams come to defend there are a lot of people around the ball and that makes it more difficult to find space.
“The question is how can we penetrate it? You have to be very precise. It’s not just a question of determination and high tempo, like we had against Real Madrid.
“You can keep your high tempo if you can keep your space and pass the ball. If you don’t have the space you have to make sure you don’t give the ball away. It’s not the same situation.
“We've done well against a lot of teams here at Anfield and for me the first goal makes all the difference. Against Sunderland as soon as we scored the first goal the game was open. Against Bolton we scored three goals.
“Do we need better players? We need to take our chances. And we have to create more chances.”
Of course, United are highly unlikely to park the bus in front of goal this afternoon as they aim to issue the last rites on Liverpool’s title aspirations.
It would be unfair to judge the long-term ambition of any Anfield revival on the outcome of this single encounter.
After all, Benitez has long bemoaned the gap in terms of finances and squad strength between Liverpool and United.
But the Spaniard refuses to accept the Old Trafford side cannot be overhauled – although he admits it will take a near-perfect effort from everyone at Anfield to achieve that feat.
“If we can do everything well, if everybody is together and we can improve on and off the pitch – the team selection, commercially, everything – I think we can be closer to United,” says Benitez.
“This year has been better than before, we have been closer. People have been talking about draws but just one or two goals and it could be four more points and we would be closer so I think we can do it but we need to be more consistent.
“This year we were very close to the top of the table for a long time and it depends on this game where we’ll be position wise.
“It has been really good, we made some mistakes but if we don’t make them in the future we will be closer. I think that the motivation will be different for everyone.
“We were doing well but if we’d had won those games we drew we would have been in a better position and maybe playing better at home. Everything is a struggle.
“Clearly we were in a better position than before, clearly we couldn’t be consistent so to be closer than other seasons and not be consistent is a pity.
“We have to fight for the rest of the season and if we can stay at the same position next season try to be consistent.”
Liverpool have won only six of their last 15 league games, but enter the supposed Theatre of Dreams buoyed by their midweek Champions League exploits.
And Benitez says: “We had confidence before the Real Madrid win, now the mood is even better, everyone is looking forward to the match.
“I do not believe United are untouchable, as has been suggested, clearly I believe we can win.
“If we can start with the same high tempo as we did against Real Madrid, and keep possession as well as we did, then we can win the game.”
Whether Liverpool can do it against everybody else, though, could determine how long the 19-year wait for a title goes on.
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