Our latest series pits Liverpool’s starting XI’s over the last six decades against one another, with another four strong contenders vying for your vote
This is the second group of four 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
Today: Group B
Thursday: Group C
Friday: Group D
Sunday: Quarter-final
Monday: Semi-final
Tuesday: Final
The first four XI’s in Group A stretched from the 1960s to the 2000s with European Cup-winning sides and the first Liverpool team to ever win the FA Cup all in the running.
Another mix of generations follows in Group B, with Bob Paisley’s men who clinched the club’s second European Cup pitted against Jurgen Klopp’s chargers who returned No. 6 – not to mention two sides who thrilled the masses at Anfield.
There is a lot to consider within each of these starting lineups as to who should qualify for the final eight, but here are the contenders.
Champions League Final 2019
XI: Alisson; Trent, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane
After a 97-point league season, Liverpool qualified for the second successive Champions League final – with eight players lining up from the off in both games – where a goal at either end of the 90 minutes sealed a 2-0 win over Tottenham.
Jurgen Klopp’s team boasted the world’s best defender and goalkeeper, with two of their prolific forwards having finished in the top five of the Ballon d’Or.
European Cup Final 1978
XI: Clemence; Neal, Thompson, Hansen, Hughes; Case, McDermott, Souness, Kennedy; Fairclough, Dalglish
Like their 2019 counterparts, the 1978 European Cup-winning side were in their second successive final on the most prestigious stage in club football, overcoming Club Brugge with a narrow 1-0 win.
Kevin Keegan was out having left the club with Kenny Daglish making the No. 7 shirt his own in one of four changes to the XI from the previous year (Group A), with Graeme Souness a notable inclusion after his arrival during the summer.
LFC 4-0 Real Madrid 2009
XI: Reina; Arbeloa, Skrtel, Carragher, Aurelio; Alonso, Mascherano; Kuyt, Gerrard, Babel; Torres
In a week where Rafa Benitez’s men destroyed everything in their path, the XI which emphatically toppled Real Madrid was the clear standout.
From an imperious midfield trio of Javier Mascherano, Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard to the devastating Fernando Torres, the Reds made light work of one of the world’s most formidable sides – with Iker Casillas the man responsible for keeping the scoreline from descending into further humiliation.
LFC 5-0 Forest 1988
XI: Grobbelaar; Nicol, Gillespie, Hansen, Ablett; Spackman, Houghton, Barnes, McMahon; Beardsley, Aldridge
A merciless performance considered ‘one of the finest exhibitions of football’ took place at Anfield in a campaign which secured our 17th league title.
The Reds made Forest appear punch drunk without breaking a sweat, with Peter Beardsley, John Aldridge and John Barnes largely pulling the strings and slicing through the visitors at will, while the likes of Bruce Grobbelaar and Alan Hansen held down the fort at the back.
Which are Liverpool’s TWO best-ever XI’s from Group B? The top two progress, cast your vote here:
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