Sir Alex Ferguson is delighted at “the greatest comeback in European Football” and Mourinho has another dig at Liverpool, a normal night in Europe then….
Sir Alex described the demolition of Roma as the club’s greatest European evening at Old Trafford, was he right or is he reacting to the joy of the moment?
Bryn Palmer of BBC Sport, goes one further, he even declares it England’s greatest European display. Whilst coming back from a 2-1 defeat to win the tie 8-2 on aggregate is an amazing display does it compare with other nights in Europe? Certainly Liverpool fans will claim their comeback to draw 3-3 with Milan in the final is “the greatest comeback”, although to be fair, they didn’t annihilate Milan, the way Manchester United did to Roma last night.
Manchester United were awesome, there is no doubt about that, but were they six goals better than Roma? Well, according to the scoreline they were, but Roma certainly had enough chances during the game to make it closer. Although once their heads went down after the storming 20 minutes start, their hearts went too, so it could be said that it was a little inevitable that they would lose more goals as they pushed forward in search of a consolation.
You cannot take away however the performance of the United team on the night. They were clearly up for it at the off and once they had stormed out of the blocks they were so far in front that they could afford to relax and enjoy their football.
Unlike Mourinho over at Valencia, however, who had to wait until the last minute before he could relax and enjoy the tie, but again to be fair, Chelsea deserved the win based on their performance for most of the second half, so they must have felt as much relief as joy when that goal went in.
Liverpool play tonight, and unless PSV produce yet another “greatest comeback in European football” then Liverpool can also relax and enjoy their football and will play Chelsea in the semi’s. Mourinho has already started the war of words by accusing Liverpool of just playing for the Champions league and not being willing (or able) to do that and also compete in the domestic league.
Maybe he’s getting his excuses in early, but he does have a point, Liverpool do well in Europe, but not so well in the league. Maybe that will change next season, but for now Liverpool face the prospect of beating first Chelsea and then (possibly) Manchester United if they want to win something this year. Whilst this might sound daunting, it is entirely within their reach, especially as unlike Chelsea and Manchester United they wont be fighting for the Premiership title.
Whoever wins the Champion League this year, all three of the remaining English teams have shown how strong they are in this competition, so lets see if one of them can win it and between them keep a strangle hold on it for the foreseeable future, if only to prove how strong the Premiership has become, and attract even more talent to these shores….
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49 opinions for Sir Alex Ferguson is delighted at “the greatest comeback in European Football” and Mourinho has another dig at Liverpool, a normal night in Europe then….
craig
Apr 11, 2007 at 1:15 pm
surely coming back from a 1 goal deficit having scored an away goal isn’t that big a deal?
sure it was an empahtic win, but greatest ever European comeback??!…I don’t think it even comes near to Liverpool’s magnificent fightback against AC Milan.
Ian Carr
Apr 11, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Roma were dreadful. FACT!
Watford would have beat them with ease too.
Liverpool’s Istanbul adventure remains the greatest comeback in European football history.
There is no comparison between Istanbul and Man Utd’s demolition of a very poor Roma.
E.K
Apr 11, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Amazing win and all that…but it’s a huge difference starting with 90 minutes to play and only being a goal down (with the advantage of it being an away goal!).
Liverpool were 3-0 down at half-time and their morale must have been 0 to none! As you said - Roma’s hearts weren’t in the game by the time it was 3-0 so it just shows how amazing Liverpool’s comeback from 3-0 down was…
Most teams would’ve gone back onto the field and just waited for the final whistle…
Scouse Billy
Apr 11, 2007 at 1:29 pm
You are so protozoan.
Negative LFC Impulse > Juggs brain > article.
Boring!
Sack the Juggler
Apr 11, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Negative Man U Impulse > Billys Brain > Bitter
The Brush
Apr 11, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Taggart’s comments are typical of the hyperbole that surrounds Utd. They have always been arrogant and sucked up to by the media. This is why so many people hate them. Yes, they’ve done really well for a number of years and deserve fair praise for their achievements, but their lack of any class is only surpassed by the parvenus of Chelsea. Liverpool are still the country’s most successful team, at home and in Europe. When either Man Utd or Chelsea beat their records, then let them crow.
gavin
Apr 11, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Both LFC and MU were awesome in those matches for different reasons. Coming from 3-0 down in any European cup final to win it is a stunning result. Battering any team, let alone one flying high in Serie A, with that scoreline is also stunning. Both matches were true greats for different reasons. Was one better than the other? to be honest i couldnt give a monkey’s chuff. I just feel happy to have seen them both.
frank
Apr 11, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Liverpool put 7 past Birmingham in one of the cups last season, dose that make it the best result ever? Don’t think so. United performed and clearly were in charge of the whole match even if behind from the first leg. Liverpool were, as has already been pointed out, 3 down to one of the most famous defences at half time, still managed to come out and draw the game and then go through the trauma of penalties. The events just don’t compare.
One thing we can say about last night, Europe is now afraid of England’s top four, or at least the top tree. Who wants to face and English side after the last few weeks in Europe?
craig
Apr 11, 2007 at 2:12 pm
forgetting about Liverpool for a moment I actually think this isn’t even the greatest Man U european come back of all time!!
Surely their comeback against Bayern in 1999 has to rank a lot higher??
frank
Apr 11, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Not just that Craig, how about the come back against Juventus?
Just because Roma is second in Seria A, which is now a third rate league, some people are getting over excited.
Jay B
Apr 11, 2007 at 2:22 pm
one off games mean nothing unless you win the competition.
Man City (down to 10 men) in the fa cup away to Spurs is a good example. Liverpool v Newcastle another. Classic games but that’s all.
Besides I could have saved three of the goals last night. Beaten twice at his near post and miles off his line for the 1st one.
The Chelsea winner was a keeper mistake too.
Scouse Billy
Apr 11, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Sack the Juggler Says:
April 11th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Negative Man U Impulse > Billys Brain > Bitter
Make mine a JOhn Smiths ;)
gerrard
Apr 11, 2007 at 3:32 pm
there is no comparison between roma of that night and ac milan of istanbul….
such aricles are shit man….look out for the match lfc psv for you to get better aricles.
CharltonFan
Apr 11, 2007 at 7:26 pm
‘there is no comparison between roma of that night and ac milan of istanbul….’
I actually agree. 7-1 was too boring, when it reached 5-0 I switched to ITV4 to watch the Chelsea match, because it was more enjoyable. I like games to be a near competition, goals fests are boring. Liverpool Vs. AC Milan was pure drama, probably one of the best matches I can remember watching.
And Fergie was wrong, it was no comeback, they were 2-1 down from the first leg! With an away goal. It was a magnificent performance, but it remains a one off freak score line. And it was no comeback, but still one of Man United’s best Euro performance.
btw, no remembers Man Utd. tearing Juve apart 3-0 in Turin, when Giggs scored an amazing goals. What season was that?
Merseyside Mark
Apr 11, 2007 at 11:34 pm
I beleive even though Manc Utd played very well indeed but, it doesn’t even compare to the European Cup Final of Istanbul, 3-0 down against AC Milian in a foreign country, our hearts broken, but to have the character to come back from that can only be found in SCOUSE. Also Liverpool v Olympikos at Anfield 04/05 season, surely that would be up there with the best european nights as well wouldn’t it ??
Liverpool fan
Apr 12, 2007 at 9:39 am
Has it occurred to anyone that Sir Alex may have meant “comeback” in a more poetic sense? As in a quick comeback? Maybe “response” would have been better…
RolandG
Apr 12, 2007 at 12:16 pm
That weren’t Fergie talking, it was the Scotch! It had to be for him to be so deluded.
Phil
Apr 12, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Its just the manner of them knocking the crap of Roma thta looks great;especially after Totti’s & Co. bragging shit but now haha bullshit kind of comebacks thats what he meant…
Raymondo
Apr 12, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Greatest comback your havin a laugh.
Would want any of Roma’s players if they were givin them away.
There’s only one great CL comeback and we all know it wasn’t the Roma game. Poor comment in the article.
Sack the Juggler
Apr 12, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Why do all the Liverpool fans assume that Istanbul was the greatest comeback in a final? They only drew the game at the end of the day, Man United won their CL final against Bayern Munich by scoring two goals in the dying minutes, surely that was a greater comeback?
(that was also the year they did the Prem, FA cup and CL treble, which led to Sir Alex being knighted)
Socrates the voice of reason
Apr 12, 2007 at 12:52 pm
This is just another example of Man Utd’s inflated ego, unlike other big clubs who’s success preceeded thier fame, Man Utd’s claim to fame came from a plane crash (no disrespect intended) there success came latter pre-domientley as late as the 90’s.
Great performance by Man Utd the other night, but remember Liverpool won the European cup against ROMA in their own stadium when they were Italian champions not a second rate side as there are now
As for Istanbul it speak for it’s self 3-0 down to a top italian side who has won the cup on no less than 6 occassions (how many times have ROMA won the cup)
Perhaps people would be more respectful of Man Utd’s if they were a little more humble, and the queen did not keep giving their managers Knighthoods when other clubs managers achievments are ingnored (see Mr Bob Paisley 3 European cup’s and Mr Brian Clough 2 Eurpoean cups etc)
finch
Apr 12, 2007 at 1:20 pm
Hey Juggs, that whole last bracketed sentence fills me with nausea .. please remove or i dont know if i could bring myself to come back to this site ;) YNWA - Do the right thing ;)
PS I fully agree with the Charlton Fan, well said, give urself a reach round ..
Sack the Juggler
Apr 12, 2007 at 1:32 pm
so-crates - it takes a true Liverpool fan to point out that other fans need to be more humble…
Sack the Juggler
Apr 12, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Finch - you could be right, I’ll try to remove those brackets… ;)
Socrates the voice of reason
Apr 12, 2007 at 1:55 pm
Sack the Juggler
Humble enough to give Man Utd credit for a great performance the other night, when did you or any Man utd fan give any club credit let alone Liverpool.
P.S. there are many successful clubs in football and a number of them have had far more success than Man Utd, and yet Man Utd are the most hated club by far.
So ask yourself this if it’s not the success then what is it ?
Your Stadium ? - it’s not the best in the world is it
Your Songs - Have you got one (oh yes Glory Glory Man utd or should that be Tottenham Hotspurs, how original,humble and inventive is that.
Still not getting it ?
Ok I will give you a glue, it’s the fact that if someone passed wind in your stadium, it would have to be the biggest and best fart that had ever been passed.
Sack the Juggler
Apr 12, 2007 at 2:02 pm
mmm… you seem to be upset about Man U taking a song from another club, which is strange as Man U were the first fans to sing You’ll Never Walk Alone… like I said, it takes a true Liverpool supporter to tell others how to be humble…. and inventive it seems….
Socrates the voice of reason
Apr 12, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Sack the Juggler
What you smoking ?
Utd Fans never sung anything first
Deluded, you will be after this episode of Manure
Sack the Juggler
Apr 12, 2007 at 2:15 pm
well done Socrates - I know you’d back up your research like only a true Liverpool fan can and just accuse others of being deluded.
The Man United fans sang it at their games following the Munich Air disaster which you so eliquently mentioned above.
Look it up, you may learn something about history instead of just making it up…
Socrates the voice of reason
Apr 12, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Sack the Juggler
Another false claim by a Man sitting in a white padded cell, drooling out of one corner of his mouth.
just cannot understand how you got internet access in there ?
Sack the Juggler
Apr 12, 2007 at 2:25 pm
socrates - if you close your eyes, cover your ears and yell “na na na na na na”, then it must be true…
Socrates the voice of reason
Apr 12, 2007 at 2:28 pm
Sack the Juggler
Cast the line, wait for a bite and reel them in.
I think I’ll throw you back as your only a tiddler.
Come back when you’ve grown ?
bye bye for now
Sack the Juggler
Apr 12, 2007 at 2:48 pm
oh great - he’s not only a stalker, he’s a fishman as well….
finch
Apr 12, 2007 at 3:33 pm
did they sing it to the reamaining squad? fairly honest ques if not a little facetious ;)
funny banter btw, keep it comin ..
Sack the Juggler
Apr 12, 2007 at 4:22 pm
Yes, and for the obvious reason that the remaining squad were kind of alone. before it was a Gerry and the Pacemakers hit, it was a hit on Broadway, from the musical Carousel by Rodgers and Hammerstein. It became a favourite during the second world war, providing solace when family and friends were away fighting, so I guess thats how it transposed to the Munich air disaster in the 50’s.
There’s even a Frank Sinatra version from 1945, if you can find it!
LFC4Eva!
Apr 13, 2007 at 7:21 am
Sack the Juggler
Doesn;t matter who sang YNWA first as at the end of the day, your fans are too busy eating their prawn sandwiches to open their mouths and belt out the anthem!
Wheres the atmosphere at Old Trafford on European Nights like Anfield?, non existent thats where!
If you manage to stick 7 past AC Milan then fairplay its a great result, but when you can do it in a European Cup Final after being 3 -0 down at Half Time and dead and buried, then you will get my respect.
I bet UTD fans wouldnt have been belting out songs about their team at Half Time following a poor first half display in the biggest competition in the world?!, more like heading to the nearest exit!!
Maggot66
Apr 13, 2007 at 7:30 am
Nice one Socrates
You really hooked that utd anorack.
More Socrates please
socrates the voice of reason
Apr 14, 2007 at 9:29 am
To right LFC4Eva
The nearest exit just like George Best did in Barcelona when UTD were 1 - 0 down to Bayern.
There’s faith for you
Maggot66
Apr 14, 2007 at 9:35 am
Hey the lad’s back (socrates) and giving that Whacko the Bungler more stick
Sack the Juggler
Apr 14, 2007 at 9:46 am
Maggot - Socrates - you have the same IP number - busted! Sad that you feel the need to talk to yourslef though….. although funnily enough its a common affliction amongst “true Liverpool fans”…
Maggot66
Apr 15, 2007 at 8:54 am
The Bunglers still biting I see,
Not only does he know nothing about football (that’s why he supports Manchester) but the poor chaps not getting his daily prescription in that padded cell.
Maggot & Socrates the same person not a very good detective are you ?
shams
Apr 17, 2007 at 5:10 am
I’ve a very acute thought that MU will never get passed Milan. Because history proven MU only for EPL….
Andy
Apr 17, 2007 at 6:33 am
Great win and performance and I think some fans are overlooking why Roma appeared to be poor - because our movement and passing where far too much for them.
Our counter attack play was excellent and it was one of the best European performances by an English club!
If only Milan didn’t have that glass of Champagne at half time!
Scouse Billy
Apr 17, 2007 at 8:43 am
For those who think Juggs is a Manc, he’s a bluenose from across the park.
Nice to see you’ve researched the history of YNWA Juggs albeit on wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You‘ll_Never_Walk_Alone_(song).
Sack the Juggler
Apr 17, 2007 at 9:13 am
Chhers Billy, although I already knew about the Man United connection… a Manc told me! ;)
Scouse Billy
Apr 17, 2007 at 12:39 pm
There’s another Manc connection that wikipedia missed:
At the end of The Smiths last gig at Brixton they played (on the PA not the band) us out to YNWA and you can hear this on the end of “Rank” the live album.
On the other hand, how credible is the Manc that told you they played it there in the ’50’s?
Ian Carr
Apr 22, 2007 at 12:11 am
Was it not a deluded old woman who made the claim about YNWA being sung at Old Trafford before Anfield?
My wifes uncle has been going to OT for 66 years and HE has no memory of it ever being sung there.
Sack the Juggler
Apr 23, 2007 at 10:40 am
so your wife’s deluded old uncle has no memory…..
Know's what's right
May 27, 2007 at 8:31 pm
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co…._our_song.html
ONE of the most bitter rivalries in football has taken a new twist with the claim that Liverpool fans stole their famous You’ll Never Walk Alone anthem from Manchester United supporters.
Grandmother Jane Hardwick says she was left seeing red after reading a letter in a newspaper which said the song, made famous by Gerry and the Pacemakers, was first belted out on the terraces of Anfield.
Jane, a lifelong Reds’ supporter from this end of the East Lancs Road, claims it was originally sung by her and thousands of fans at Old Trafford long before it became associated with Liverpool.
Jane, 61, was a teenage opera singer when many of her footballing heroes were killed in the tragic Munich air crash in 1958.
And as her own special tribute to the Busby Babes, heartbroken Jane convinced her friends from New Mills Operatic Society in Derbyshire to join her in a rousing rendition of the song at one of the games following the tragedy.
The tune was written for the 1945 musical Carousel, which Jane and her friends were rehearsing at the time. The pals started the singing but soon You’ll Never Walk Alone was being belted out by thousands of fans at Old Trafford.
However, during the 1960s the song was adopted by Liverpool fans.
Jane, who now runs a bed and breakfast in Leek, was first taken to Old Trafford at six weeks old by her father and grandfather.
She said: “It has annoyed me so much that people think the song was first sung by the Liverpool fans.
“The Munich crash was so horrible and everyone was feeling down and despondent and it just seemed an appropriate song to sing.
“It was an emotional time and I managed to persuade my friends to join in with me. Soon the whole ground was singing it and many people, including me, were in tears.
“I never dreamed it would become the anthem of our old rivals but I wanted to put the record straight about where the song originated from on the terraces.”
Silly, silly scousers.
Know's what's right
May 27, 2007 at 8:36 pm
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co…._our_song.html
ONE of the most bitter rivalries in football has taken a new twist with the claim that Liverpool fans stole their famous You’ll Never Walk Alone anthem from Manchester United supporters.
Grandmother Jane Hardwick says she was left seeing red after reading a letter in a newspaper which said the song, made famous by Gerry and the Pacemakers, was first belted out on the terraces of Anfield.
Jane, a lifelong Reds’ supporter from this end of the East Lancs Road, claims it was originally sung by her and thousands of fans at Old Trafford long before it became associated with Liverpool.
Jane, 61, was a teenage opera singer when many of her footballing heroes were killed in the tragic Munich air crash in 1958.
And as her own special tribute to the Busby Babes, heartbroken Jane convinced her friends from New Mills Operatic Society in Derbyshire to join her in a rousing rendition of the song at one of the games following the tragedy.
The tune was written for the 1945 musical Carousel, which Jane and her friends were rehearsing at the time. The pals started the singing but soon You’ll Never Walk Alone was being belted out by thousands of fans at Old Trafford.
However, during the 1960s the song was adopted by Liverpool fans.
Jane, who now runs a bed and breakfast in Leek, was first taken to Old Trafford at six weeks old by her father and grandfather.
She said: “It has annoyed me so much that people think the song was first sung by the Liverpool fans.
“The Munich crash was so horrible and everyone was feeling down and despondent and it just seemed an appropriate song to sing.
“It was an emotional time and I managed to persuade my friends to join in with me. Soon the whole ground was singing it and many people, including me, were in tears.
“I never dreamed it would become the anthem of our old rivals but I wanted to put the record straight about where the song originated from on the terraces.”
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