UEFA Cup Memories: Liverpool 2001

By: Ian Rose | July 6th, 2007

Last time, we took a look at incoming Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson and his impressive win in 1982 with IFK Gothenburg. Today, as Liverpool’s Robbie Fowler makes up his mind between his surprisingly limited options, I wanted to take a look back at better times for Fowler, namely 2001, the year of Liverpool’s most recent UEFA Cup victory and Cup treble.

Fowler was at the top of his game in 2001. At 26, he was already a legend at Liverpool, but was fading from prominence. He had been relegated to third-choice striker despite a 17-goal season, but would still contribute as Liverpool advanced through every tournament they entered. In the final of the league cup, then the Worthington Cup, he scored the only goal of the match for Liverpool, who ended up winning the Cup on penalties over Birmingham. The FA Cup final against Arsenal was less meaningful for Fowler, as he came on in the 77th minute as a sub and never really contributed. It was the Micheal Owen show, as he netted a brace and Liverpool took the Cup, 2-1. But the third and greatest Cup victory of this magical season for Liverpool would be quite different.

With only four days rest after the FA Cup victory, Liverpool entered the final hugely favored over Deportivo Alavés of Spain, but Fowler and indeed the entire Liverpool side would be tested in what would be remembered as one of the great Cup finals in football history. Fowler scored in what turned out to be a narrow 5-4 victory for Liverpool. It’s still one of those games a football fan can go back and watch and enjoy no matter how many times they’ve seen it. It was a truly brilliant match.

Here the players and managers remember that incredible day in Dortmund: