Liverpool’s poor European record against English clubs shows Anfield’s importance

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Liverpool’s Champions League tie tonight is vital for the club’s progression.

Tonight Liverpool will attempt to confirm their passage into the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, as they take on Premier League leaders Manchester City. Their shocking first-leg performance has left them in a fantastic position heading into the game at the Etihad, and it’s a good job they’ve been able to build such a strong lead.

As reported by Liverpool Echo, the Reds have been unable to win a European game away from home against an English team for almost 50 years. It’s a record that may seem insignificant to some given the rarity of them playing fellow English sides, but that run still stretches out over 10 different encounters.

Bizarrely enough seven of them have taken place over the course of the last 13 years, which represents just how poor the Reds have been in knockout competition in comparison to their glory days. They’ve accumulated six draws against Manchester United, Chelsea x3, Leeds and Arsenal, in addition to four losses against Chelsea x2, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur.

You could argue that there were variating circumstances behind each game, but the numbers don’t lie, and none of these teams had anywhere near the same kind of attacking prowess that Pep Guardiola’s side possess.

They’re fast and organised, which begs the question as to why Liverpool were able to get one over on them in the reverse fixture. In fact, that question goes for all 10 matches on this list.

The key variable here lies in the fact that European nights at Anfield are just as special as advertised. It’s become a cliché to talk about it due to how nauseating some casual fans find the whole concept to be, but that’s irrelevant – because the proof is in the pudding.

The atmosphere generated on Merseyside creates an intimidating night of football for any team who arrives at Anfield, and now that the Reds are actually starting to build something under Jurgen Klopp, that becomes even more powerful.

Unfortunately, it can also allow for complacency when they’re on their travels, which is something they simply cannot afford tonight in what will be one of their most important games of the last few years.