Games of the Decade

The 2010s saw Liverpool FC involved in some memorable matches and epic encounters. Narrowing them down wasn't easy, but we look back at one game from each calendar year...

2010

Liverpool FC 3
SSC Napoli 1
UEFA Europa League
Anfield

New Liverpool FC principal owner John W Henry was in the Anfield crowd for the first time as Roy Hodgson's Reds took on SSC Napoli in the UEFA Europa League, and it was a man who also spent the first half watching from the Main Stand that emerged as the match-winner. Ezequiel Lavezzi had benefitted from a Christian Poulsen error to give the Neapolitans a half-time lead, but Reds' boss Hodgson responded by bringing Steven Gerrard on for the second half.

The Liverpool FC captain made history by becoming the first, and only, substitute to score a hat-trick for the Club in European competition with three goals in the last 15 minutes. His first came after ex-teammate Andrea Dossena left a back-pass short. Gerrard pounced to score. His second was from the penalty spot, following a foul on David Ngog, and his third an outstanding, nonchalant chip over SSC Napoli keeper Morgan de Sanctis after Lucas won possession from Dossena.

It was the fourth of five hat-tricks that Gerrard scored for LFC and one of only two ever scored by a substitute, Steve Staunton getting the first against Wigan Athletic FC.

2011

Liverpool FC 3
Manchester United FC 1
Premier League
Anfield

Dirk Kuyt struck his only hat-trick for Liverpool FC, but this pulsating 3-1 victory against Manchester United FC is also remembered for an incredible Luis Suarez assist and some ferocious tackles. Making just his second start at Anfield since arriving from AFC Ajax, Suarez created Kuyt's 34th minute opener by going on a mazy dribble inside the United penalty area that took him past four defenders. He then nutmegged goalkeeper Edwin van Der Sar and slipped the ball past Patrice Evra for Kuyt to score from point-blank range. It was an incredible assist and Suarez was involved in both of Kuyt's other goals.

Five minutes later his cross from the right was inexplicably headed back across his own goal by Nani, and Kuyt nipped in to nod home. Kuyt completed his treble in the 65th minute when van der Sar could only push a Suarez free-kick into his path. Chicharito got a late consolation, but Sir Kenny Dalglish's side had three goals and took all three points.

2012

Liverpool FC 2
Everton FC 1
FA Cup semi-final
Wembley

Liverpool FC went into the 2012 all-Merseyside FA Cup semi-final at Wembley facing a goalkeeping crisis. First-choice Pepe Reina, sent off at Newcastle United FC a fortnight earlier, was serving a three match ban. But when back-up goalie Doni was also dismissed at Blackburn Rovers FC just four days before the Merseyside derby at Wembley, manager Sir Kenny Dalglish had a problem.

Australian Brad Jones, who hadn't started a game since 2010, was thrust into the spotlight while Peter Gulacsi was recalled from a loan spell at Hull City FC to sit on the bench. Everton FC went into the match above the Reds in the Premier League table, and when Nikita Jelavic slotted past Jones in the 24th minute it looked like it might be the Blues' day.

But Sylvain Distin's mishit backpass allowed Luis Suarez to run through and equalise, before Andy Carroll rose highest to send an 87th minute back-header past Tim Howard from Craig Bellamy's free-kick. Maxi Rodriguez also hit the post late on as the Reds reached their second cup final of the season with their third-choice goalkeeper between the posts.

2013

Tottenham Hotspur FC 0
Liverpool FC 5
Premier League
White Hart Lane

The Reds had lost all six of their previous visits to White Hart Lane and were without Steven Gerrard through injury, so looked up against it when visiting Tottenham Hotspur FC in December 2013. But in a thrilling display of football, with Luis Suarez wearing the captain's armband, Brendan Rodgers' side recorded a club-record 5-0 win at Spurs, handed the hosts their biggest home defeat for 16 years and prevented them from having a shot on target at home for the first time since records began.

Jordan Henderson created the first for Suarez before volleying in the second himself after both he and Suarez had efforts saved. With 15 minutes to go, and Spurs down to 10-men after Paulinho put his studs into the Uruguayan's chest, Suarez pulled the ball back for Jon Flanagan to smash home his first Liverpool FC goal. Luis Alberto then played Suarez through to chip home the fourth and it was Suarez who completed a magnificent captain's display when creating the fifth for Raheem Sterling.

2014

Liverpool FC 5
Arsenal FC 1
Premier League
Anfield

“That was explosive as it gets.” said Steven Gerrard at full-time. “That's definitely in the top three performances I have been involved in. We absolutely demolished a top team there from start to finish.” Arsenal FC had arrived at Anfield top of the Premier League, eight points clear of Brendan Rodgers' team, but found themselves blown away in 20 minutes. Playing some of the most exhilarating, exciting, attacking football seen at Anfield in decades, Liverpool FC were 4-0 up in no time with Martin Skrtel on a hat-trick after 10 minutes.

The Slovakian centre-half scored twice from Gerrard set pieces, turning a free-kick in after 53 seconds and looping home a header from a corner. Luis Suarez then struck a post with a spectacular volley before Jordan Henderson robbed Mesut Ozil of possession, fed the ball to Suarez and he centred for Raheem Sterling to tap in.

Arsenal FC were reeling and when Philippe Coutinho sent Daniel Sturridge clean through to make it 4-0, Anfield was in raptures. Sterling made it 5-0 early in the second half and although Mikel Arteta pulled one back from the penalty spot after Gerrard fouled Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, only Gunners goalie Wojciech Szczesny stopped the Reds from adding to a scoreline that flattered Arsenal FC.

2015

Manchester City FC 1
Liverpool FC 4
Premier League
Etihad Stadium

When Jürgen Klopp took charge of Liverpool FC in October 2015 he inherited Roberto Firmino. The Brazilian was three months into his LFC career, but had been left on the bench as often as he started and his goal tally was zero. Brendan Rodgers had utilised Firmino on the left of midfield, but Klopp had seen enough of Bobby playing for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim to think he could operate as a false 9 and build an attack around him.

So he handed Firmino that role during an away game at Chelsea FC, and the Reds won 3-1. Three weeks later he tried it again at Manchester City FC, where Firmino got his first goal to put Liverpool FC 3-0 up in the 32nd minute. Firmino had already created the opening two goals, the first coming in the 9th minute when Eliaquim Mangala turned his cross into his own net.

He then slipped a pass through for Philippe Coutinho to make it 2-0 before Coutinho repaid the compliment to tee up Firmino for his first LFC goal. Sergio Aguero pulled one back, but a thumping Martin Skrtel finish completed a resounding 4-1 success. Looking back now, that switch of position for Firmino in 2015 was one of the catalysts of Klopp's Anfield revolution.

2016

Liverpool FC 4
Borussia Dortmund 3
UEFA Europa League
Anfield

A 1-1 draw in Dortmund meant that Liverpool FC had an away goal to take into this UEFA Europa League quarter-final second leg at Anfield, but the first half didn't go well. Strikes from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the opening nine minutes left the Reds with a mountain to climb against Jürgen Klopp's former club.

Divock Origi pulled a goal back shortly after the break, but when Marco Reus made it 3-1 to BVB the Germans had one foot, and everything bar their toenails on the other foot, in the semi-final. But never write off the Reds. Not at Anfield on a big European night. Philippe Coutinho's curler made it 2-3 and when Mamadou Sakho stooped to head home Coutinho's corner the Redmen had 13 minutes left to get one more goal.

It came in the 90th minute when James Milner clipped a cross to the far post for Dejan Lovren to leap highest and head into the Kop-end goal, sparking pandemonium in the Anfield stands.

2017

Liverpool FC 3
Middlesbrough FC 0
Premier League
Anfield

As dramatic as it sounds, this 3-0 win, on the final day of the 2016/17 season, changed the course of Liverpool FC history. Had the Reds drawn or lost to Middlesbrough FC they'd have finished fifth in the Premier League, meaning no UEFA Champions League football in 2017/18 – and no momentous run to Kiev.

In turn, that lack of UEFA Champions League football would also have almost certainly impacted Jürgen Klopp in the transfer market, so history will show that beating already-relegated Boro was a key milestone on this Liverpool FC team's journey. The breakthrough came in first half stoppage time when Gini Wijnaldum latched onto a Roberto Firmino pass and rifled the ball home.

Philippe Coutinho's 51st minute strike from a free-kick settled any lingering nerves and it was Adam Lallana who side-footed in the third from Wijnaldum's knockdown. Liverpool FC were back in the UEFA Champions League and, two years and two finals later, were once again European Champions.

2018

Liverpool FC 5
AS Roma 2
UEFA Champions League
Anfield

Alisson Becker is the best goalkeeper in the world. So for Liverpool FC to score five times past him in the opening 69 minutes of this 2018 UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg is proof of just how well the Reds played against AS Roma. The front three of Mo Salah, Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino scored all five goals between them. It was sensational stuff and started when Salah, playing against his former club, curled a 36th minute strike in off the underside of the crossbar.

Dejan Lovren struck the bar before, on the stroke of half-time, Firmino played Salah through and he lifted the ball over Alisson to make it 2-0. Ten minutes after the break, Salah escaped down the right to cross for Mané to turn the ball in, and just moments later Salah crossed low again from the right for Firmino to tap home.

When Firmino headed in James Milner's corner it was the first time any side had led 5-0 in a UEFA Champions League semi-final, although a couple of late away goals from Edin Dzeko and Diego Perotti gave AS Roma some hope going into the second leg.

2019

Liverpool FC 4
FC Barcelona 0
UEFA Champions League
Anfield

A night when the impossible became possible, the unlikely became reality. Without the injured Roberto Firmino and the concussed Mo Salah, Liverpool FC had to somehow overturn a 3-0 semi-final first leg deficit, against the mighty FC Barcelona, to reach the UEFA Champions League final in Madrid. Lionel Messi captained the Catalans and both Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho made their returns to Merseyside.

A 4-0 Liverpool FC victory seemed improbable, yet Anfield was about to witness its greatest European night of all. Divock Origi opened the scoring in the 7th minute, but at half-time, with Andy Robertson forced off injured, the Reds still needed three more. On came Gini Wijnaldum and he changed the game. It was the 54th minute when Trent Alexander-Arnold whipped in a low cross that Wijnaldum met to fire home.

Then, just 31 seconds after the game restarted following a VAR check, Xherdan Shaqiri crossed from the left and Wijnaldum headed home. 3-0! Gives you goosebumps just thinking about it. A fourth goal was still required and it materialised when, in the 79th minute, Alexander-Arnold won a corner. For a couple of seconds, the FC Barcelona players switched off. Trent spotted his chance and you all know the rest.

Corner taken quickly...ORIGI!