A 2,000-strong chorus of You’ll Never Walk Alone rang around Anfield on Sunday night, as Liverpool welcomed back supporters for the first time since March 12.
A long 271 days after the Reds’ 3-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League – an event which is widely considered a contributing factor to the early spread of COVID-19 in the UK – and fans were back at Anfield.
Just under nine months later, with a break in the season, a title win and a lengthy period of games played behind closed doors, it was a heartwarming moment as Jurgen Klopp‘s side emerged from the tunnel before their clash with Wolves.
Klopp and his players have both detailed the impact of the return of Liverpool’s 12th man, while even opposing midfielder Leander Dendoncker claimed it “felt like there were at least 15,000 people” in attendance, not 2,000.
It was no more evident, perhaps, than in the pre-match You’ll Never Walk Alone, with almost every Red in the Kop and the Main Stand rising to bellow out the club’s anthem.
This Is Anfield’s Jeff Goulding was among the lucky few to be at the game, and provided footage from the stands as 2,000 voices sang in unison:
Amazon Prime, providing coverage of the game in the UK, offered an alternative view of the Kop – unfortunately cut off before the chorus as commentator Clive Tyldesley was required to run through the teams:
Spine-tingling.
The 2,000-strong Anfield crowd belt out You'll Never Walk Alone at Anfield for the first time in nine months ?#PLonPrime #LIVWOL pic.twitter.com/oUAa8rC1f8
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) December 6, 2020
It was a special moment at Anfield, with many claiming that being able to return to Liverpool’s home after nine months felt like being back at the first time they went to a football match.
For Klopp, speaking in his post-match press conference, this You’ll Never Walk Alone was an “emotional” one.
“Getting out of the dressing room and warming up was a proper goosebump moment,” he told reporters.
“When the people saw the first player they got quite noisy and the rest of us thought ‘oh my God, that sounds really loud’.
“It was very emotional. After 10 months without that it is a wonderful, wonderful sign.
“During the game was emotional, it was so nice to hear ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.”
Liverpool will next play in front of their fans on December 16, with Tottenham the visitors in the Premier League, which could be one of the biggest games of the season, with Jose Mourinho’s side currently sat top of the table.
Only goal difference separates the two sides, with both having taken 24 points from their first 11 games, but that night could see the Kop give the Reds the edge again.
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