Welcome to the first round of matches in the TIA ‘Kop Cup‘ - our summer feature to keep you entertained during the close season and attempt to keep your mind off the crazy transfer speculation!

Our first pairings feature two performances from the 2005 Champions League winning run, and two players who are forever etched in Liverpool history.

The first match features former captain, and manager, Graeme Souness‘ League Cup Final performance in 1984 - a replay against Everton. Souness scored the only goal of the game to give the Reds a record fourth consecutive League Cup win.

Squaring up to Souness is another midfielder in the shape of Dietmar Hamann - and his influential display in the 2005 Champions League Final against AC Milan. The German’s absence from the starting line-up was sorely missed as Kaka ran wild to put the Italians 3-0 up. Hamann came on to shut down the Brazilian and went on to score a penalty in shoot out. It was later revealed he had broken a bone in his foot but played on and took the penalty through the pain.

Our second match features two Liverpool captains; back in the days when the UEFA Cup Final was played over two legs, Emlyn Hughes captained the side to their first European trophy by defeating Borussia Moenchengladbach over two legs. Having won 3-0 at Anfield, even then manager Bill Shankly feared the worst when the Germans scored two early goals in the return leg, but Hughes’ defensive display meant the Reds held on.

Hughes lines up against 2005 Champions League winning captain for his performance on the road to Istanbul - against Olympiakos in the final group game. Gerrard’s late winning volley at the Kop end ensured a remarkable match ended in jubilation after having come from 1-0 down to win by 3-1 to just scrape through to make the dream possible…

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