08 May Martin Tyler gives insight into “special” night at Liverpool

Legendary football commentator Martin Tyler was front and centre as Liverpool produced a famous comeback at Anfield overnight.

The Reds went into the Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona trailing by three goals after last week’s 3-0 defeat and required a minor miracle in order to progress to the final.

Jurgen Klopp’s side remarkably pulled it off against Lionel Messi and co. with a 4-0 result on Merseyside which rightfully sent the Kop and the wider Liverpool faithful into a frenzy, prompting special words from Tyler.

“It is one of those places where the bond between the supporters and the team is extra special,” European football's pre-eminent broadcaster explained on SEN’s Whateley.

“Anfield is one of those (special) football theatres.

“They are very resilient people, the people from Merseyside, and they like their teams to be like that as well.

“They also know the game inside out and they can sense when there’s something special at the club. There’ve been great eras, of course, in the past.

“Every game they’ve played for months now has been of the intensity that they needed to turn this game around against Barcelona.

“It’s a special place and it’s a very, very special result. Congratulations to everybody there, from Jurgen Klopp, the players and the fans. It’s altogether.

“When it all falls into place in sport, it's irresistible and Barcelona had no answer.”

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Tyler also highlighted the enormous contribution of Liverpool’s squad players including Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum who each scored a brace in the absence of top scorer Mo Salah and fellow attacker Roberto Firmino.

“Without Mo Salah, without Firmino and (Naby) Keita got injured in the game over there (last week),” he added.

“They’ve been playing with this real intensity with pretty much the same players.

“So to bring in Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri who haven’t started very many games at all, they contributed hugely.

“They left out Gini Wijnaldum, who has played a lot recently, then he comes on (at half-time) because of another injury to Andy Robertson and does the ‘double Dutch’ in the space of two minutes.

“The depth of the squad was something Liverpool have been criticised for, really. That they’ve got the best 11 or 12 or maybe 13, but they haven’t got the depth. Well that was proven wrong with Origi’s performance.”

Dutch international Gini Wijnaldum scored a match-winning brace

Ernesto Valverde’s Barca outfit simply couldn’t force their way back into proceedings at any stage throughout the 90 minutes even after winning eight and drawing three of their previous 11 European fixtures this season.

“It never felt they (Barcelona) had it in them even with the great Messi,” Tyler continued.

“The energy levels (of Liverpool) were extraordinary. We wondered whether Liverpool had the ability to sustain the power and the pressing and the desire but they did and they got their just rewards.

“They were the better team over the two legs without a shadow of a doubt.

“They got it absolutely right, it was terrific.”

Next on Liverpool’s agenda is Sunday’s clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield. With one game remaining in the Premier League season. The Reds require victory while needing league leaders Manchester City to either lose or draw to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Liverpool have not won the English league title since 1990.

“They are still waiting to win the Premier League and be champions of England. They’ve still got an outside chance,” Tyler said.

“After what happened against Barcelona they’re probably thinking there’ll be a second miracle this week.

“The odds are Manchester City will win it, but who knows?

“I wouldn’t say it (Liverpool’s win) was a miracle (but) it was extraordinary.

“Now they need Manchester City to slip up and they’ve got to find the energy to beat Wolves who will not make it easy, especially with the energies that have been expended at Anfield.

“That’s not over yet either.“

Liverpool will learn their Champions League final opponents tomorrow morning AEST after Ajax host Tottenham Hotspur in Amsterdam. The Dutch club lead Spurs 1-0 after the first leg.

Listen to Gerard Whateley's chat with Martin Tyler below: