At first, Liverpool could not turn all the beautiful, dynamic approach play into a beautiful, dynamic goal, but none of the supporters watching with me in the pub seemed worried. The football was so gorgeous and convincing, we were content to enjoy the show. Besides, all this brilliance had to translate into a goal at some point. We just knew it.

“What are we watching?” my friend Jamie kept asking. It certainly didn’t look like the Liverpool we’d been watching all season. True, Liverpool had done the double over Chelsea, United and Real Madrid so far, but the flair and panache they were now using to continually strip the ball off Villa before express mailing it up the pitch into deadly positions seemed to exist on an entirely different level. We joked that this was Barcelona disguised in Liverpool kits or that Fox Soccer Channel was experiencing technical difficulties and was airing a tape of Liverpool c. 1978 in place of the live match. We were watching Dalglish, Heighway, Kennedy, Hughes and Clemence even if the names on the backs read Torres, Gerrard, Riera, Carragher and Reina.

But this was no illusion. It was today’s Liverpool, riding the wave of the eight goals they scored in the matches against Real Madrid and Manchester United. Liverpool felled two of Europe’s giants within a week and now they eager to bag maximum points against Aston Villa.

This is not to say Villa are a bad side or they didn’t come to Anfield full of resolve. All the contrary. Villa have had an outstanding season and can only blame their recent slump on a lack of depth. Gabriel Agbonlahor. Gareth Barry. Luke and Ashley Young (no relation). John Carew. Villa are full of talent and have deservedly spent much of the season flirting with next season’s Champions League qualification. Their recent rut has coincided with a burst of good form for Arsenal and Villa have dropped down to fifth place. So they came to Anfield with a fight in them. Ashley Young and Gareth Barry both made decent pushes into threatening areas. Two Young crosses looked threatening, but none of the Villa attackers could find a finish off them.

Villa’s willingness to attack was a boon to Liverpool. Though the Reds have had many senseless draws against defense-minded sides, they have absolutely thrived against attacking opponents. The space left in the wake of Villa’s attacks gave Gerrard, Torres, Riera et al. the room to carve out serious chances. For the first minutes Liverpool’s game had everything but the finish.

Then in the eigth minute Xabi Alonso got his head to the ball after Gerrard’s well taken free kick. Some in our pub began to cheer as the ball looked on it’s way in. But it bounced off the post. Before the emtpy feeling of a miss could sink into our bodies, Dirk Kuyt ate up the ball with a sharp, angled kick. Brad Friedel, Villa’s American keeper, had no chance as the ball careened into the net.

The pub bounced in unison. Though there was 82 minutes to play and Villa would create some threats, we somehow knew the seal had been broken and all Liverpool’s fine build-up play would now lead to an onslaught of goals. Though the commentators kept saying Villa were still in it, it didn’t feel that way. One-nil felt like an insurmountable lead. If Liverpool kept playing like they had in the opening minutes there could be no recovery for the visiting Villans.

The next big moment wasn’t sport. It was art. A long brush stroke across Anfield’s green canvas followed by a burst of pure poetry at the end. Reina kicked the ball upfield where Albert Riera and Fernando Torres were running for the goal. On the bounce, Torres could see the ball was going to fall to Riera so the striker shifted to the right to wait for a cross or a rebound. Neither would come. Riera’s first touch was a perfect shot. He caught the ball on the half volley and sent it sailing. It bounced off the crossbar and landed in the goal.

Riera, who’d looked all but invisible in recent matches, was on fire, tearing into space and outfoxing defenders. On thirty-eight minutes he took down another longball and charged into the box, deftly keeping the ball just out of Nigel Reo-Coker’s reach. Reo-Coker tried to stay close and ended up fouling Riera, sending the winger tumbling. Steven Gerrard soon stepped to the penalty spot and added a third goal to the tally.

The second half was not as impressive in terms of execution, but two more spot kicks would see Liverpool put the match well out of reach for the visitors. On forty-eight minutes, Gerrard converted a free kick from just outside the box, putting it low in the opposite side of the net. Friedel had just started to go in the wrong direction. By the time he corrected himself he had no chance to reach the shot.

Then in the sixty-second minute, Torres found himself one-on-one with Friedel. Once again the keeper’s hesitation was his undoing. Rather than going straight for the ball, he gave Torres enough time to get an extra touch in. The Spaniard tried to maneuver around the keeper who could only hold his ground with no chance on the ball. Torres tumbled over him and the whistle blew.

Now, I love a good opposition sending off. They can be as thrilling as a goal. And the sending off of a keeper is a truly exhilarating thing because of its relative rarity. But considering Liverpool had already won the match at this point, and considering Villa’s next match is against league leaders Manchester United, when the ref held the red card before Friedel’s face, I was devastated.

Despite Villa’s slump, they are one of the sides most likely to cause problems for the Mancunian giants. Manchester will be without Rooney, Vidic and Scholes due to suspension. With these setbacks, top-four hopefuls Villa could at least hold the Red Devils to a draw. Perhaps better. But as I watched their first choice, well-seasoned keeper take the long walk, and their backup keeper, Brad Guzan take to the pitch for his first Premier League appearance ever, I felt disheartened. I almost (almost) wanted Guzan to stop Gerrard’s penalty kick as a sign that he’d be able to keep United out of his goal in two weeks’ time. But as Gerrard fired, Guzan dove the wrong way, so his first League moment was conceding a goal and allowing our captain a hat trick. I was elated for Stevie. But this gave me no extra confidence in Guzan. It was bittersweet.

Five-nil would be the final scoreline. For now, Liverpool have a better goal differential than Chelsea and United and they’ve scored a whopping fifteen goals since their stunning loss to Middlesbrough. They’ve played with such resolve and drive it’s more baffling than ever to think back to the draws against Fulham, Stoke, Hull, etc. and fathom how such a brilliant set of players could have dropped any points this season.

But supporters must wait and hope. Hope that somehow United shed some points and hope that Liverpool can keep this drive alive, keep this momentum going.

Today, Villa won their appeal regarding Friedel’s red card. He’ll be on against United. I can go back and enjoy the replay of his sending off as an isolated event, knowing the consequences have been erased by the FA.

Hopefully, Liverpool can recall that first half against Villa. The deftness and brilliance would give them victory over any side. The question is, will we see it again?

Paul Scholes, Manchester United’s longtime pivotal midfielder, must have spent some time in goal as a kid. His two-handed, goal-mouth block of Bobby Zamora’s header in Fulham’s 2-0 victory over the Red Devil’s yesterday was a brilliant piece of goal-keeping. But as he wasn’t wearing Edwin van der Sar’s blue shirt, the ref sent him off for the blatant handball. It was a curious move by a veteran like Scholes, but maybe Scholes forgot he was an outfielder and had slipped into some happy childhood memory of playing keeper. Fulham would retain the lead and add another goal before the final whistle.

Elsewhere, Chelsea visited White Hart Lane in a riveting London derby. Spurs were up to the task from the start and after much good possession, Tottenham gained the lead with a fine goal from Luka Modric after service from the newly resigned Aaron Lennon. Chelsea were unable to capitalize on United’s loss. Now Liverpool have the chance to profit from both of these premier league giants dropping points on what could prove to be a pivotal weekend.

A win for Liverpool would bridge the gap to the top to a mere point, though Manchester have a match in hand. More importantly, a good performance for Liverpool tomorrow would continue the momentum the Reds have built since beating Sunderland 2-0 two weeks ago. Since then breathtaking results against Real Madrid and Manchester have given supporters the glimmer of hope that the title may still be within reach.

Even after a win tomorrow, Liverpool would still have much work to do while hoping for more setbacks for their Mancunian neighbors. United would need to drop five points between now and the end of the season with Liverpool dropping no points at the same time. But at the very least, with back to back losses for United, other sides will see that points can be taken off the champs and will follow Liverpool and Fulham’s example in a meaningful way.

Next weekend United will face league upstarts Aston Villa without the help of Nemanja Vidic, Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney who are all suspended. Scholes has been an important player for years, but Vidic and and Rooney have been absolutely essential players in the current season. Rooney came back from injury with immediate success to put United on an important streak. Vidic has been a pillar of defense in helping United keep the sheets clean when Red Devil goals have not been in abundance. Liverpool supporters can’t count on it, but Manchester could have problems against Villa with these suspensions in place. Liverpool will need to keep the winning streak going in hopes that the Red Devils slip further.

The title is not quite in reach for Liverpool yet, but yesterday’s results certainly give the Reds reason to continue the good fight.

Nemanja Vidic let the ball bounce, breaking a cardinal rule. (I assume the Cardinals used to prove their piety to the Pope by keeping their footballs as close to the ground as possible. Or something like that.) He might have headed it away if he knew how abruptly Fernando Torres would be on the scene. But instead, thinking either that 1.) he had loads of time or that  2.) Torres had transformed into a tree sloth… Vidic sinfully let the ball bounce.

Torres wasted no time in punishing the Serbian defender. It was like something out of an old roadrunner cartoon. Torres zipped in behind Vidic. Time seemed to stop. I expected some kind of sound effect like swoosh as Torres swooped in and boing as he slowed to make his move, and then Torres’ faux latin name would appear on the screen: Spainiardicus Devastatii. Or something like that.

What really happened is this: Liverpool’s star strike hooked his leg around Manchester United’s star centre back and booted the ball forward into space, beyond Vidic’s reach. Vidic dutifully lost his balance and tumbled to the ground. It was a wonderful mix of athleticism and slapstick. Torres ran onto the ball with enough time and space to himself to manufacture a genius moment.

Torres was now one-on-one with keeper Edwin van der Sar. But by my math it was more like one-on-none. In fact, van der Sar might have later wondered why he didn’t sit down and have a rest, as he would need his energy for Liverpool’s coming goal onslaught. Or maybe he should have brought a book.

Though van der Sar has had an amazing year with more clean sheets than a toilet paper factory, much of his success has always relied on having the world’s greatest defense between him and serious threat. But Torres had shrugged that defense off with guile, determination and downright carniverious hunger. He’d yet to score on Liverpool’s arch-rivals since joining the Merseyside outfit and this was perhaps the finest chance he could have. Torres ran in, waited for the perfect moment and deftly fired the ball low into the opposite corner. Vidic held his hands to his head. The Reds were level.

For Liverpool, who rarely score at Old Trafford, the goals would keep coming. Patrice Evra tackles Steven Gerrard in the box. Gerrard converts the penalty on 44 minutes. In the second half, Vidic gives Gerrard an impromptu physical as Liverpool’s captain charges toward the box. I couldn’t tell if Gerrard was turning and coughing as Vidic pulled him down. Vidic gets the red card. Fabio Aurelio converts the free-kick on 77 minutes. Few would have expected a ten man Man U to come back against such a convincing Liverpool performance, (although, the hosts did make some penetrating runs and threaten from set play), but few would have expected Andrea Dossena, subbed on for Albert Riera, to cap of the evening with a stoppage time goal bursting with cheek. Running onto another poorly defended long ball, Dossena beat out his cover and caught the ball with a side-foot-full-volley-chip-lob. Exactly. The strangeness of the goal was only amplified by the fact this was Dossena’s second goal ever for Liverpool, his first coming one match before in the 4-0 drubbing of Real Madrid.

The win was a team effort, but Torres blazed the trail. He broke through Man U’s brick wall defense and brought the Reds back on terms after being a goal down in a stadium where goals, nevermind wins, have not been coming Liverpool’s way in recent years.

The kid opened the floodgates.

Two successful spot kicks came from Gerrard following the Torres route, and Dossena’s chip was a fine echo of Torres turning a long ball into a goal.

Liverpool came to Old Trafford with difficult gaps in the roster, key players Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa both out with injury, and with Torres himself showing signs that he was not fully recovered from his recent injury hiatus. But both Torres and Liverpool called up the mental fitness to dissect their oldest and usually undissectable arch-foes.

The kid really is something special. And if he stays fit, there should be plenty more of these displays in Liverpool’s future. Hopefully Setanta, Sky Sports, et al. cue up the sound effects for the next time.

So I’d been anticipating Saturday’s fixture against United since summer. But if you told me then Liverpool would be a mere seven points clear of the top and that this match could be Liverpool’s last chance to bring the title within reach in the final months, I would have slapped you across the face in disbelief. (I would have apologized and gotten you some ice almost immediately, but, c’mon: stand back if you’re going to suggest something outrageous like that!)

A win tomorrow doesn’t mean trophy number nineteen will join the other glories in Liverpool’s cabinet. Though, a win for United will almost certainly mean the title for them. No, a Liverpool win would simply gives supporters the will to keep hoping for a few more weeks. Hoping the Reds can keep winning and that United slip, more than once, somewhere, somehow.

Statistics lend no comfort. Liverpool have not secured a single point at Old Trafford under Rafael Benitez. In recent years, a draw would be deemed a fantastic result when trekking down the road to play United. But tomorrow we need something more if Liverpool hope to fight for anything higher than second place.

For comfort, for courage we can look to the other big matches of the season. In the home match against United, Rafa beat the Red Devils for the first time in his Liverpool career. A 2-1, come-from-behind win. I lost my voice screaming in glee when Javier Mascherano found Ryan Babel in front of goal and Babel’s piercing shot screamed past Van Der Sar, putting Liverpool ahead when they had gone down a goal in the opening minutes.

Liverpool brought Chelsea’s juggernautish, unbeaten home record to a halt with the 0-1 win at Stamford Bridge in October. Xabi Alonso’s goal was enough to secure all the points, but Liverpool’s great passing game and pressure kept Chelsea from any convincing rebuttal. Liverpool supporters would have been happy with a point at the Bridge. Instead they got three. At the time, it felt like a miracle.

Chelsea’s visit to Anfield brought three more points for Liverpool, this time with two late goals from Fernando Torres. Video replay would show Chelsea midfield goliath Frank Lampard should not have been sent off for his “tackle” on Xabi Alonso, but once again, Liverpool’s determined possession and pressure even against the full Blue xi revealed that while they’ve struggled against Stoke and Middlesbrough, they can dominate the best sides in Europe. Liverpool would have won against a full xi. I’m sure of it. It might have been 1-0 or 2-0 but they were always going to win.

Liverpool come into the United match after an unbelievable 5-0 aggregate win against Real Madrid, having scored four goals Tuesday night when the European giants visited Anfield. We must remember, Rafa Benitez has a knack for understanding and breaking down the Spanish sides after his great successes with Valencia, and we cannot expect United to leave so much space for Liverpool attacks. United are the consummate professionals at keeping a rigid defense while mounting serious attacks.

But what the Madrid victory gives Liverpool is a crushing wave on which they could be riding high. If Liverpool can continue the momentum, if the players can pass and attack with the vigor they displayed against Real, they’ll have a serious chance.

Statistically and historically, a win at Old Trafford would be a supreme upset for Liverpool. Spiritually it could be just the prescription to cure the ailments they’ve shown against the middle- and lower-table sides. If they can bag the points at OT tomorrow and translate the success into dominance over the rest of the teams they face in the League, they might have a chance, no matter how slim, to win the title. It will depend on United slipping further, but if Liverpool win tomorrow, they will also show other sides that United can be beaten. They’ll leave the door open for Arsenal, Middlesbrough, Manchester City and others to take a shot at the Champions. And from there, who knows?

I don’t expect Liverpool to win the league. But if they start by defying expectations at Old Trafford tomorrow, I won’t give up on the dream either.

Four minutes in, Fernando Torres signaled his ravenous intent with a brilliant backheel and turn that left the Madrid defenders in his wake. Keeper Iker Casillas threw himself down to keep the shot out, but I could see Torres was going to score on his old hometown rivals before the day was over. It seemed unavoidable. The beauty of that move stayed with me. When Torres gets on the ball it is so scary how naturally good he is. Like one man shouldn’t be that talented.

Shortly after that, Javier Mascherano’s powered blast from just outside the box forced Casillas into one of many acrobatic saves. Spain’s national keeper pushed the ball over, but the shot was so beautiful, and like Torres’ turn, it showed the Red resolve to break down the defense and sully Casillas’ clean sheet.

Those moments obviously would have been truly beautiful had they resulted in goals. But the brilliance of their execution and the doggedness of their intent were enough them to remain in my mind. Besides. They would have gone past most keepers. Casillas is simply too good and one must expect him to make so many saves that shock spectators and defy the laws of physics. Only the fact that Liverpool won with such conviction allows me to appreciate that I got to see one of the finest keeper’s on the planet display his artistry.

On sixteen minutes, Pepe Reina found Torres with a long ball into the attacking third. Torres tried to knock it down in the path of Dirk Kuyt, but Madrid’s Pepe got in the middle of it. Torres’ quick pressure on Pepe saw the ball go to Kuyt anyway. Before Pepe could recover, Torres was in front of goal, emphatically gestering at the empty space in front of him. I’m open!!!! Dirk responded with a crisp pass and Torres pulled the trigger first time. Goal.

Twelve minutes later, the linesman adjudged that Gabriel Heinze had handled the ball in the area. Though Liverpool were awarded the penalty, the replay showed the call to be a harsh one. Alvaro Arbeloa had taken the ball off his chest and the ricochet caught Heinze on the shoulder. The ref clearly decided Heinze was using his arm to interfere, but it seemed there was little the Argentinian could have done to avoid making the contact.

I felt a little guilty but didn’t complain when Steven Gerrard stepped to the spot and sent Casillas the wrong way. The ball rattled into the upper left corner. It was now three-nil on aggregate.

While the penalty may have been undeserved, from Torres’ goal onward, the match was always going to Liverpool. The Reds were too dominant and too determined for any other result.

Ryan Babel loves to cut in when he’s coming down the flank. But on 47 minutes he opted to stay wide, beating Sergio Ramos before launching a perfect left-footed cross into the box. Gerrard steamed in at the perfect moment and caught the ball on the half-volley. The shot fired past Cassilas into the top corner. The captain’s genius and timing put him level with Miroslav Klose as top Champions League scorer with seven goals.

Raul had some decent chances, but Madrid were never coming back from four-nil down on aggregate. Just to be safe Andrea Dossena fired home a powerful shot off Javier Mascherano’s pass in the 89th minute. Ryan Babel had started the play and capping off the evening with such teamwork after such a fantastic 90 minute team performance was the perfect outro to a stunning match.

I would have been satisfied with a one-nil home leg. Two-nil would have been heavan. Where Liverpool found the legs to play such earth-shattering football on Tuesday is beyond me. But I hope they can recall it against Manchester United on Saturday. We shall see.

Playing in Europe is not merely Liverpool’s quest for the title. It’s all the moment of jaw-dropping magic along the way. Advancement is great. But the selfish supporter in me wants to see the sort of goals that are a mixture of artwork and circumstance. Things lining up just right so that a moment you can’t quite believe and can hardly digest unfolds before you. The things you love about football compressed into a perfect little package.

Against Barcelona in 2007, Steve Finnan floated a long ball into the box to find Craig Bellamy’s, whose header put it over the line. I lost myself. I screamed so loud the friend next to me almost went deaf in one ear in the quiet New Hampshire pub where we watched afternoon matches. I didn’t know if Bellamy had scored or if it had been Dirk Kuyt’s insurance tap-in that counted, all I knew is we had just equalized against one of the biggest clubs in Europe and secured an all important away goal. In the second half, Bellamy laid the ball off for John Arne Riise who put it home. We’d come back to Anfield with two away goals and a lead.

In the quarter-finals we faced PSV Eindhoven. In the away leg, Tommy Smyth announced that both sides were clearly playing for a draw. Liverpool would win 0-3. Gerrard had a low blast. Riise put away one of his long range specials. And Steve Finnan’s service to Peter Crouch for the third away goal may have been the most perfect cross I have ever seen. Good thing Liverpool didn’t come to attack, Tommy.

The semi-final second leg began with us down a goal to Chelsea. It seemed a bigger deficit somehow against the London giants who were eager to avenge Luis Garcia’s light goal from two years before. But when Gerrard’s free kick on 22 minutes found Daniel Agger just  inside the box and just beyond the traffic. Our Danish full-back placed it with his first touch and Liverpool went through to win it in penalty kicks.

So I know I’ve been spoiled. While 0-0 would be a great result for us today against Real Madrid, I want goals. I want two goals. I want two spectacular goals. At least.

I hope Torres starts and gets a chance to knock one back against his old hometown rivals. Maybe Stevie G will treat us to an old-school blast from 20+ yards out just like the good old days. Sami Hyypia could very well thank Rafa for finally including him in the current European squad with a viscious header off a corner kick. Something to make me go crazy and blow out the eardrums of those around me.

I’m not picky. As long as it defies the odds, the defense and maybe even the laws of physics. That’s all I ask for.

While we were all examining pricey wunderkind Fernando Torres closely, wondering if the Spaniard would live up to the hype and the price tag (in retrospect, 20mil seems like a bargain, doesn’t it?), Ryan Babel floated into Anfield from Ajax comparatively under the radar for 11.5m. Supporters had hopes for the kid to be sure. But the expectations were not the same as those we laid upon Torres. And while Torres was enthralling supporters and breaking opposition hearts with his 33 goals, Babel was quietly trying to display his mettle whenever Rafa Benitez fielded him.

I saw Babel as another Luis Garcia, one of my favorite players when I first began following the Reds. I felt long term injury kept Garcia from realizing his full potential for Liverpool. Though I cannot complain about the deal that sent the Spanish winger to Atletico Madrid since the same deal brought Torres to Anfield, I had really hoped to see Garcia given another chance to return to first team play and show what he could do as a settled player with Premier League experience.

For me Ryan Babel was a second chance at what Luis Garcia could no longer offer. Babel would need time to settle into the league and grow as a player. Like Garcia, Babel was a winger-striker. Living in flux between two roles. Delightfully elusive.  An attacking player with flair and inventiveness. Unafraid to take that crazy shot on goal while also able to carve out danger down the flank and create that deadly chance for a teammate. I could see all this in Ryan Babel. He just needed time.

My excitement seemed to be ratified by his insane goal against Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League semifinals. While Chelsea would knock Liverpool out of the competition, Babel’s goal was part of an extra-time Red surge that almost brought victory back within Liverpool’s reach. From 35 yards out, Babel fired an absolute rocket. Peter Cech was caught off guard and off balance. While Cech managed to get a hand to it, the Dutchman’s ball was much too much to handle and the big keeper could only push it into the far side of the net. Goal. Babel brought Liverpool within sight of victory. The Reds wouldn’t make it to the final, but for supporters, the wondergoal was a signal: all the promise Ryan Babel had hinted at with his speed and footwork throughout his first season, might just blossom into something truly special in 2008/2009.

Enter Albert Riera.

Liverpool’s 2008 transfer window may have seemed innocuous and understated following the Summer of Torres, but one attacking purchase turned out to be a serious step forward. For a reported 8m, Albert Riera joined Liverpool’s ranks. Liverpool had been longing for a quality out-and-out leftside winger for ages. Harry Kewell’s injury woes prevented him from reaching the potential he had shown with Leeds. Bolo Zenden rarely influenced the match with Liverpool the way he did with Middlesbrough and, later, Marseille. Riera was proving himself on the wing almost immediately.

Riera quickly carved out a deserved spot in Rafa Benitez’s starting XI. Full of guile and vision, the Spaniard left countless defenders behind and launched the ball into all the dangerous spaces. He even had an eye for goal himself. Between Riera’s remarkable start to the season and Dirk Kuyt‘s dogged consistency on the right, Ryan Babel was relegated to the bench. Babel became Rafa’s supersub. Coming on in the late minutes to try and use his pace to outwit tiring back lines. But he’s shown little growth since his first signs of potential in the fall of 2007. Competing for pitch has not helped his Anfield education.

Supersub could be a decent role for the pacy, goalminded Dutchman, but what the kid really needs is starts.

Babel should be far more mature than he is after almost two full years in England. He should have an eye for when to pass and when to penetrate. He still seems to get it wrong half the time. But when he gets it right, we can see what an exciting, dynamic player he can be.

Perhaps the best thing for Ryan Babel would be a go in the second striker role. With Robbie Keane gone, Babel may have a chance to establish a striking partnership with Torres. Given time they could forge an effective dynamic and playing just behind the prolific Torres would give Babel a chance to allow his best guises to cohabitate: goal-provider and goal-scorer.

The only problem with this is that Liverpool play their utmost best when Javier Mascherano, Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard are all on the pitch together. This usually pushes Gerrard into an advanced midfield role with Torres as the sole striker.

Perhaps the key for Ryan is finding his place in Rafa’s system. If he has one, he’ll get the starts. If he gets the starts, he’ll can grow into the player we all know he can be.

If he remains patient with Liverpool, Babel’s youth will prove to be a great advantage. Benitez clearly rates him. Given time to mature, Ryan Babel could prove to be an invaluable asset in Liverpool’s quest for title number 19, which also happens to be the number he wears on his back. He may not be in the starting formula today, but he’s got a long footballing future ahead of him. If he stays at Anfield, he may make the number 19 part of Liverpool’s history in more ways than one.

At least one supporter hopes to see it. Time holds the answer.

There is the side who beat Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid. Facing the best teams in the world, Liverpool played out of their skin. Against Chelsea and Manchester United they mixed a tight passing game with consistent possession to keep fierce pressure on the domestic giants, forcing them to concede. They beat Manchester for the first time in years and they broke Chelsea’s long unbeaten home streak. Against Real, Liverpool doggedly fended off the Spanish side’s persistent attacks and eventually stole the first leg with a fantastic away goal, headed home by Yossi Benayoun from a set play that came after steady pressure.

The other Liverpool FC dropped points in ten draws and two losses against mid and lower table sides. The Liverpool who felled Europe’s giants would be expected to dominate and destroy the likes of Stoke, Hull, Fulham, West Ham, Middlesbrough and even Tottenham. But it was not to be. The inspiration, drive and confidence the Reds displayed at Stamford Bridge and the San Bernabeu was nowhere to be found during the trip to White Hart Lane or to today’s visit to Riverside Stadium.

Liverpool looked the dominant side during the first half hour of play. Even after Xabi Alonso’s own goal from a Boro corner, supporters should have expected Liverpool to recover from the setback. The Merseyside club had already forced Boro’s Brad Jones to make saves in front of goal and had Liverpool kept on the pressure, surely he would be forced to concede goals to a Red onslaught.

But instead Liverpool’s drive evaporated. The own-goal took the wind from their lungs and the pace from their legs. Another Boro goal in the second half seemed to seal Liverpool’s fate, and despite positive substitutions from Rafa Benitez, the Reds could not recover from the deficit.

Had the first Liverpool shown up every week this season, the Reds could have  feasibly added another twenty points to their tally, accepting that the draws against Aston Villa, Arsenal and Manchester City are acceptible for true title contenders.  Instead they will surely be fighting for second place while Manchester United collect another title.

If Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres regain and maintain their fitness, it is reasonable to think Liverpool can challenge for another Champions League trophy, since further advancement would mean facing more of the strong sides who bring out the very best in Liverpool, we can expect the first Liverpool to show up to the matches.

But there will have to be a reckoning come the next transfer window.  Fernando Torres cannot be Liverpool’s only star striker. They will need more convincing firepower to support and cover the Spanish genius. The attacking width of Albert Riera, Alvaro Arbeloa and Fabio Aurelio has been great for the Reds, but they could use some more wide creativity on the right hand side. An Arjen Robben or even a Shaun Wright-Phillips could make a huge difference in Liverpool’s attack and ability to break down the ten-men-behind the ball sides who have persistently prevented the Reds from securing the three points again and again.

This year Liverpool have stayed in the race longer than they have in years.  Liverpool have given Manchester United a true title challenge until today with far less resources than Sir Alex Ferguson’s side can boast. They have it in them to beat the biggest sides in Europe. But when they learn how to consistently beat the smaller sides in England, Liverpool will finally be able to take home title number 19.

Rafael Benitez has yet to win the Premier League title since taking the  helm in 2004, but Liverpool’s presence in Europe has been formidable under the Spaniard’s leadership.

Between Benitez’s success at Valencia and winning the Champions League his first season with Liverpool, the Reds have been able to attract a lot of  fine talent to Merseyside. Xabi Alonso, Pepe Reina, Dirk Kuyt, Jaiver Mascherano, Yossi Benayoun, Daniel Agger, Martin Skrtel, Albert Riera and one Fernando Torres have all gladly joined Rafa’s ranks and the smell of European glory has had no small lure for these capable players.

Rafa’s side is already much stronger than the one he inherited from predecessor Gerrard Houllier. And while Liverpool once again have faltered in the Premier League with far too many draws. The Champions League may continue to be the arena where Liverpool add to their sizable trophy cabinet.

Since 2005 Liverpool have overcome Leverkusen, Juventus, Chelsea, AC Milan, Barcelona, Eindhoven, Chelsea again, Inter Milan and Arsenal in European elimination play. Real are an imposing side, but Liverpool beat Barcelona two years ago, first securing a lead and two away goals in the away leg before returning to Anfield. This was without the talent of Fernando Torres, who will be hungry to score his first goal at the San Bernabeu stadium.

When Liverpool were selected to play Real, the Spanish giants were in a rut. But Madrid have too much quality to stay down for too long, and a recent burst in form shows they are definitely ready and hungry as the match with Liverpool approaches.

The big question for England’s most succesful side is the fitness of skipper and eternal lighting rod, Steven Gerrard. If he is ready to play today, the rest of the side can attack with more confidence and drive. Along with Fernando Torres, Gerrard is a true match-changer and could provide the inspired edge Liverpool will need to add to Alan Kennedy’s tally against Real Madrid.

Anyone who agrees with me can relive the old days in a couple of hours. Inter host Manchester United in the first leg of the Champions League knock-out round at 7:45 GMT.

Sir Alex Ferguson claims he is going to attack today, but a draw would suffice with the leg at Old Trafford still to come. With Wayne Rooney back in action and scoring, United will have a great chance to secure the coveted away goal. Lately, United have had many close (arguably unconvincing) wins, but these have largely come against sides who have parked behind the ball, trying to draw with the English giants. There were few chances to be had. Inter will be expected to attack in their home ground, and the visiting title defenders should have more space and create more opportunities than they’ve had against sides like Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United.

With much experience playing against top English sides, Mourinho the tactician will no doubt have schemes to gain a serious advantage over United at San Siro. If Mourinho can come to Old Trafford with a goal or two ahead, he may feel this round will be his to win. Especially if Inter can maintain a clean sheet today. A tall order against United who are, despite their close matches, bursting with momentum. The English teams have been hard to beat in Europe in recent years, but Mourinho’s strategic brilliance and Premier League experience could give Inter the advantage.

Among others, Inter will be without Vieira, who has been left from the squad, and Materazzi, who is with injury. Look to Ibrahimovich, hailed by many to be one of the best strikers in Europe at the moment, to continue his great season. Adriano will also be a serious threat on goal.

Apart from Rooney, Man U will be looking to Cristiano Ronaldo and probably young Nani to exploit the space Inter leave in the wake of their attacks. With Vidic suspended, Rio Ferdinand will be the pivotal defender, warding off Inter’s in-form strikers.

No matter the result, it should prove a tense, exciting contest between two European giants.