The first game of the 18/19 season was at home to West Ham. As usual I was travelling over and back the same day. A couple of hours before kick off, I arranged to meet a man-child friend of mine called Seany in Liverpool where he had already been in the bar for several hours. He's another pal from home who'd emigrated to Australia. He was taking my other ticket on the Kop. Alisson was making his league debut and he got an almighty cheer from the home fans. Was this finally the final piece of the jigsaw? We hoped so. Fabinho was also signed as a designated defensive midfielder. We probably hadn't had a proper one of these since Mascherano. Standing on the Kop for the first time, Seany was very emotional, this was a big deal and then he was very hungry. He disappeared after the first 15 minutes and missed the first two goals. I don't know what or how much he ate but he was remarkably sober when he returned at the start of the second half. Liverpool went on to win 4 nil. Salah, Mane and Sturridge with the goals. I spoke to a man on the way out who looked like he'd seen it all "This team good enough to win the league?" I asked and he gave me a look like "you never know". We won our first 6 league games, the goals shared around the team and it was noticeable we were a lot more considered about when to press and for how long. Draws with City and Chelsea were followed by 2 more wins then a draw with Arsenal. A 9 game winning run took us to the top of the league at Christmas and into the new year. I took Emma over for the United game on my birthday in December. I wanted to witness us win against our great rivals and this was the day. Clyne was a surprise inclusion at right back as Liverpool took the lead through Mane. Lingard equalised against the run of play and despite Liverpool totally dominating the game, we couldn't find a goal until Shaqiri came on and scored a couple of the most beautiful deflected goals I've had the pleasure to see live. The rain was absolutely torrential but nobody cared, we were so delighted to be top of the league with a victory over them'uns. City beat us at the Etihad when Firmino's effort stayed on the line by millimetres. We went unbeaten the rest of the season but 4 draws and 13 wins wasn't enough as city won 16 and lost only one. 97 points and they still beat us to it. It was another heartbreaking end to a league season and you started to wonder could we ever win the league over this City side.
The Champions League final pain from the previous season was soothed by a 3-2 win in the first group game against PSG at Anfield. It was our home form that got us through with a 4 nil win against Red Star in game 3 and a final day, 1 nil, win over Napoli which they almost snatched from us at the death, Alisson made a brilliant save. I was going to the Cheltenham horse racing festival in March so I had to turn down a ticket for the Munich game in February. My ticket source hasn't offered me any since I turned that one down. I watched the second leg in Gloucester after a great day at the track. Liverpool topped it off with a brilliant 3-1 win at the Allianz. Mane scoring a fantastic goal that showcased his speed, strength and skill. A Man Utd fan I was at the horses with, admitted to me that Liverpool just come alive in Europe like no other English team. Porto were disposed of easily again to set up an epic semi final with Luis Suarez and Barcelona. The first leg couldn't have gone much worse. We played well but lost 3 nil. Wijnaldum played at centre forward which worked for a while but when we needed the away goal Klopp didn't really change it. Suarez scored and celebrated like he'd never played for us which I really didn't mind. I think all that not celebrating against a team you played for is overdone now. I wouldn't expect anything less from Luis but he left himself open to what he got at Anfield. I was in Portugal for the second leg and although I wasn't ruling out a miraculous comeback, it was highly unlikely. We went out for dinner but luckily the restaurant was showing the game with the sound down. It was one of the most amazing football experiences I've ever had. A clinical display of football on another night when the power of Anfield rocked the opposition. Although the small tv, high in the corner, was on mute, I could feel the noise in the ground from the moment we scored the first goal - Henderson bursts through and his shot is saved but Origi is there to tap it in. Messi is dangerous but can't beat Alisson. Wijnaldum comes on at half time with a point to prove and scores two goals in a couple of minutes. If Barcelona score one then this is all in vain. Last 10 minutes, quick corner from Trent, Barcelona are sleeping and Origi sweeps it in. Is this going to count? Is it? Is it? Origi runs to the corner of the Kop and the Main Stand to celebrate with his team mates. It's a goal, he's given it. Hang on now, please just hang on. There's an English family sitting under the TV, from around the midlands I reckon by the sound of their accents. They're not too happy that Liverpool look like they have won. I'm trying to keep a lid on it and then there it is. The players fall to the ground and point at the sky, Klopp comes on and gives them all hugs then leads them to the Kop to join with the fans in celebrating probably the greatest ever Anfield European night. The final in Madrid is as bland a game as most finals tend to be. Liverpool score early when Mane receives a long ball inside the right back (a move they practiced in a friendly the week before) and kicks the ball at Sissoko's hand. Penalty. Salah scores but there's a long way to go. I can't say it was an enjoyable game as there was so much on the line. Another final defeat for Klopp and Liverpool, would have sparked talk of a curse. We were a better team than Spurs, we just had to prove it on the biggest stage. In the end, it was a very professional performance. Liverpool treated it like any other away game. They flew in the day before, trained at the stadium, stayed at a hotel, got up the next day and got ready for the game. In Kiev, the year before they were there for days and got caught up in the preamble. There was no room for sentiment this time. It was only about winning. There was mostly relief when Divock Origi drilled Joel Matip's sweet lay off across Hugo Lloris and into the net, to make it 2 nil, in the 87th minute. I watched it in a bar with Chops in a village were earlier in the day I'd received a medal for competing in a triathlon. Earlier in the week, I'd held the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Tiger Rolls Grand National trophy, now and best of all my team were European Champions again. Jordan Henderson had lost his place in the team earlier in the season only to persuade Klopp to play him further forward in the midfield three. It proved to be an inspired move as his energy and work rate allowed Trent Alexander Arnold to get forward at will. Henderson scored a massive goal against Southampton in the ultimately fruitless league campaign but now he had been presented with the biggest club trophy of all, he turned to face his team mates, did a quick-feet dance, turned to face the world and lifted the European Cup high above his head just like Hughes, Thompson, Souness and Gerrard. Having collected all the runners up medals, now he was on his way to replacing them with all the winners ones. It was a great end to a great season, now could we go on and the get the one we all wanted?
The Champions League final pain from the previous season was soothed by a 3-2 win in the first group game against PSG at Anfield. It was our home form that got us through with a 4 nil win against Red Star in game 3 and a final day, 1 nil, win over Napoli which they almost snatched from us at the death, Alisson made a brilliant save. I was going to the Cheltenham horse racing festival in March so I had to turn down a ticket for the Munich game in February. My ticket source hasn't offered me any since I turned that one down. I watched the second leg in Gloucester after a great day at the track. Liverpool topped it off with a brilliant 3-1 win at the Allianz. Mane scoring a fantastic goal that showcased his speed, strength and skill. A Man Utd fan I was at the horses with, admitted to me that Liverpool just come alive in Europe like no other English team. Porto were disposed of easily again to set up an epic semi final with Luis Suarez and Barcelona. The first leg couldn't have gone much worse. We played well but lost 3 nil. Wijnaldum played at centre forward which worked for a while but when we needed the away goal Klopp didn't really change it. Suarez scored and celebrated like he'd never played for us which I really didn't mind. I think all that not celebrating against a team you played for is overdone now. I wouldn't expect anything less from Luis but he left himself open to what he got at Anfield. I was in Portugal for the second leg and although I wasn't ruling out a miraculous comeback, it was highly unlikely. We went out for dinner but luckily the restaurant was showing the game with the sound down. It was one of the most amazing football experiences I've ever had. A clinical display of football on another night when the power of Anfield rocked the opposition. Although the small tv, high in the corner, was on mute, I could feel the noise in the ground from the moment we scored the first goal - Henderson bursts through and his shot is saved but Origi is there to tap it in. Messi is dangerous but can't beat Alisson. Wijnaldum comes on at half time with a point to prove and scores two goals in a couple of minutes. If Barcelona score one then this is all in vain. Last 10 minutes, quick corner from Trent, Barcelona are sleeping and Origi sweeps it in. Is this going to count? Is it? Is it? Origi runs to the corner of the Kop and the Main Stand to celebrate with his team mates. It's a goal, he's given it. Hang on now, please just hang on. There's an English family sitting under the TV, from around the midlands I reckon by the sound of their accents. They're not too happy that Liverpool look like they have won. I'm trying to keep a lid on it and then there it is. The players fall to the ground and point at the sky, Klopp comes on and gives them all hugs then leads them to the Kop to join with the fans in celebrating probably the greatest ever Anfield European night. The final in Madrid is as bland a game as most finals tend to be. Liverpool score early when Mane receives a long ball inside the right back (a move they practiced in a friendly the week before) and kicks the ball at Sissoko's hand. Penalty. Salah scores but there's a long way to go. I can't say it was an enjoyable game as there was so much on the line. Another final defeat for Klopp and Liverpool, would have sparked talk of a curse. We were a better team than Spurs, we just had to prove it on the biggest stage. In the end, it was a very professional performance. Liverpool treated it like any other away game. They flew in the day before, trained at the stadium, stayed at a hotel, got up the next day and got ready for the game. In Kiev, the year before they were there for days and got caught up in the preamble. There was no room for sentiment this time. It was only about winning. There was mostly relief when Divock Origi drilled Joel Matip's sweet lay off across Hugo Lloris and into the net, to make it 2 nil, in the 87th minute. I watched it in a bar with Chops in a village were earlier in the day I'd received a medal for competing in a triathlon. Earlier in the week, I'd held the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Tiger Rolls Grand National trophy, now and best of all my team were European Champions again. Jordan Henderson had lost his place in the team earlier in the season only to persuade Klopp to play him further forward in the midfield three. It proved to be an inspired move as his energy and work rate allowed Trent Alexander Arnold to get forward at will. Henderson scored a massive goal against Southampton in the ultimately fruitless league campaign but now he had been presented with the biggest club trophy of all, he turned to face his team mates, did a quick-feet dance, turned to face the world and lifted the European Cup high above his head just like Hughes, Thompson, Souness and Gerrard. Having collected all the runners up medals, now he was on his way to replacing them with all the winners ones. It was a great end to a great season, now could we go on and the get the one we all wanted?
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