Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen believes that the club's UEFA Cup success in 2001 helped to lay the foundations for the Reds to return Europe’s top table.
It’s just over 19-years since Gary McAllister scored from the penalty spot to give Gerard Houllier’s a 1-0 aggregate semi-final UEFA Cup victory over Barcelona and set up a final against Alaves.
Houllier’s side would go on to win that final along with the FA Cup and League Cup for a trophy treble but it was the UEFA victory which meant the most, with the club having spent so long in the European wilderness following the Heysel Stadium disaster.
Speaking on 2fm’s Game On, Owen admitted that the 2001 season was one of his career highlights and he explained just how that year helped to set up future success for Liverpool in Europe.
"It’s a stand-out year throughout my career when I look back," he said.
"I’ve had other successes but that year to win the three cups and then the Super-Cup and the Charity Shield – when we were doing our team picture we were smiling away with five trophies in front of us.
"Liverpool of course sees itself as part of European fabric in the history of the game with huge European nights.
"There had been a big delay with the Heysel disaster and then of course we went through a period when we weren’t good enough basically to compete at the highest level.
"When I first got into the team we were coming, fifth, seventh, fourth, fifth.
"We just weren’t there and then gradually Gerard Houllier took over and we started winning a bit of silverware and then of course the rest is history. From [Rafa] Benitez taking the club onto Champions League glory.
"It’s all sort of forgotten now when you look at the success of the first team but it was that time when we were starved of success and that was the first real bit of success that we had for quite a while."
While Liverpool’s wait for a European trophy ended in 2001, the Premier League continues to elude them.
Jurgen Klopp’s side seemed destined to end their 30-year wait and needed just two more wins to secure their first league title since 1990 when the coronavirus pandemic caused all sport to stop.
Owen is confident that the season will be played out to a finish and that Liverpool will lift the Premier League title, but he believes that it may not be a traditional season end.
"I think obviously it’s going to be government led and of course the main priority of all this is the health of people and football does come a long way second," he said.
"But we are all excited for our lives to resume and the day-to-day things to continue again and football is a major part in so many people’s lives.
"I think that the Premier League will do absolutely all they can to get the season finished. It might take a little few twists that are quiet unprecedented.
"It could be a certain venue where all the games as played and it will certainly behind closed door. Maybe the teams will on lock down for a few weeks, who knows? But I think they will do absolutely everything to get it concluded because the ramifications if it’s not are complex to say the least."
