Liverpool’s Best XI: Conquering Rome, Wembley & Madrid – The battle of the European Cups

We are down to our final four contenders as you, the readers, determine Liverpool’s best starting XI of all-time – now it is up to you to narrow the field to the final two.

This is the semi-final in a series which will crown Liverpool’s best-ever XI in a knockout competition where you, the readers, determine the victors.

Tuesday: Group A
Wednesday: Group B
Thursday: Group C
Friday: Group D
Monday: Quarter-final
Today: Semi-final
Wednesday: Final


It is the last stage before the final, where after whittling away at 16 contenders we now have just four XI’s remaining who are vying for your vote.

In the quarter-finals, we pitted six European Cup-winning sides against two starting lineups who dished out merciless thumpings to both Tottenham and Arsenal, with the teams dating back to 1977.

Your job has increased in difficulty as the question now is who deserves a place in the final – but, as always, it is important to note that you are considering the XI itself and not what they went on to achieve in that specific game.

Without further ado let’s see who made it the semi-finals before you select your best XI.

 

Quarter-Final Winners

A total of 2,245 votes were cast to determine the last four, meaning we bidded farewell to remaining starting lineups from the quarter-final.

Liverpool’s 2014 side who thumped Arsenal 5-1 (4.5 percent) and the 1978 XI who hit Tottenham for seven (7 percent) both bowed out, as did the 2005 Champions League-winning outfit (7.4 percent) and Bob Paisley‘s European Cup Final side of 1981 (10.6 percent)

 

Champions League Final 2019

XI: Alisson; Trent, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane

The present-day Reds came out on top in the quarter-final stage with 24.7 percent of the vote, with the XI who secured No. 6 the favourite among fans – but will they make it all the way?

Jurgen Klopp‘s side boasts the world’s best defender and goalkeeper and seven finalists in the top 30 for the 2019 Ballon d’Or.

 

European Cup Final 1984

XI: Grobbelaar, Neal, Lawrenson, Hansen, Kennedy; Johnston, Lee, Souness, Whelan; Dalglish, Rush

Next up is Joe Fagan‘s 1984 starting lineup who toppled Roma in Rome on penalties, with 18.6 percent giving the side who secured the Reds’ fourth European Cup the nod.

An XI full of composure, grit and tenacity, with two of the club’s greatest-ever players leading the line.

 

European Cup Final 1978

XI: Clemence; Neal, Thompson, Hansen, Hughes; Case, McDermott, Souness, R. Kennedy; Fairclough, Dalglish

Hot on their tales is their predecessor who toppled Club Brugge at Wembley, amassing 14.9 of the total vote.

A formidable defensive line and side where a fierce competitive spirit was present across every department.

 

European Cup Final 1977

XI: Clemence; Neal, Smith, Hughes, Jones; Callaghan, Case, McDermott, R. Kennedy; Keegan, Heighway

The final team to qualify for the semi-final was the club’s first-ever European Cup-winning side, with Paisley’s men collecting 12.2 percent of the vote.

Despite just one year separating the first two European Cup triumphs, five players in this XI were not in the starting lineup the following season, most notably Kevin Keegan who would go on to make the switch to Germany in the summer.


Which are Liverpool’s best-ever XI’s from the semi-finals? The top two progress to final and you have two votes which you can cast here: