The 10 matches that defined Jurgen Klopp's time as Liverpool manager

From dramatic late comebacks to emphatic wins over their biggest rivals, Klopp has given Liverpool supporters plenty to cheer since his arrival at Anfield in 2015. 

Here, we take a closer look at 10 of the most iconic matches during his trophy-laden tenure. 

10: Liverpool 4-3 Manchester City (2017/18)

Liverpool had already sealed their return to the Champions League during Klopp’s first full season at Anfield and it was the following campaign when the Reds would start laying down the gauntlet as Manchester City’s biggest challengers at the summit of the Premier League.

This particular match in the 2017/18 season was Klopp’s Liverpool at their ferocious best as they ended City’s 22-game unbeaten start to the league season, setting the tone for a rivalry that would go on to reach record-breaking heights. 

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain opened the scoring for Liverpool early on before three goals in the space of 10 second-half minutes from the famed trio of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah fired Klopp’s side to a statement victory. 

9: Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool (2019/20)

Late winning goals are the hallmark of every title-winning campaign and Liverpool produced their fair share of clutch strikes during the 2019/20 season. 

One particular match that sticks in the memory more than any other is the Reds’ comeback win at Villa Park, with Andy Robertson and Mane overturning an 87th-minute deficit to snatch all three points for the Merseyside club. 

It was Mane’s brave header in the fourth minute of stoppage time that sealed the dramatic victory, retaining Liverpool’s six-point cushion at the top of the Premier League and preserving their 10-month unbeaten run in the top-flight. 

8: Liverpool 7-0 Manchester United (2022/23)

After their quadruple-chasing exploits in 2021/22, Liverpool struggled for consistency the following campaign. Well, that was until their arch-rivals came to town. 

United travelled to Anfield having lost just once in their last 11 games, but Erik ten Hag’s side were put to the sword by a remarkable second-half performance, with Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, Salah and Firmino all getting their names on the scoresheet. 

Unsurprisingly, the scoreline was the biggest margin of victory in the history of the fixture and the fact it doesn’t feature any higher on this list tells you everything you need to know about Klopp’s time at the club.

7: Liverpool 4-3 Borussia Dortmund (2015/16)

Incredible European nights would become a trademark of Klopp’s reign at Liverpool and the first arrived against his former club Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League quarter-finals.

Liverpool were trailing 4-2 on aggregate midway through the second half of the second leg at Anfield, with the Reds needing three goals to overhaul the deficit in their favour - an almost impossible task. 

However, in what would become a regular occurrence under the German in years to come, Liverpool rallied with goals from Philippe Coutinho and Mamadou Sakho before a last-gasp header from unlikely hero Dejan Lovren sent Anfield into delirium. 

6: Manchester United 0-5 Liverpool (2021/22)

Liverpool earned their biggest-ever Premier League win at Old Trafford in the early stages of the 2021/22 season thanks to a sensational display of attacking football that will live long in the memory. 

The Reds raced into a 4-0 lead at half-time against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s hapless side before Salah completed his hat-trick early on in the second period. 

Paul Pogba was also dismissed for the hosts as Liverpool took their foot off the gas in the final half-hour, using the opportunity to toy with the humiliated Red Devils in their own backyard. 

5: Leicester City 0-4 Liverpool (2019/20)

This match might seem a little high given what’s come before, but in the eyes of Klopp and many Reds supporters, it’s one of the best all-round performances of the German’s tenure. 

Having only just returned to the UK after winning the FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar, Liverpool travelled to second-placed Leicester City for a crucial Boxing Day showdown at the top of the Premier League.

Despite their hectic festive schedule, the Reds showed no signs of fatigue as they thrashed their nearest challengers with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Firmino leading Klopp’s charges to a 13-point lead at the summit.

4: Bayern Munich 1-3 Liverpool (2018/19)

After a goalless first leg at Anfield, Liverpool made the trip to Munich for a mouthwatering do-or-die clash in the Champions League round of 16. 

Virgil van Dijk and Mane combined for a brilliant Liverpool opener on the night, and despite an unfortunate own goal from Joel Matip, Van Dijk and Mane stepped up once again in the second half to fire the Reds to a famous European away victory. 

It was a performance befitting of Liverpool’s pedigree in the competition and one that provided them with plenty of confidence going into the latter stages of the tournament. 

3: Liverpool 3-1 Manchester City (2019/20)

Having picked up 31 points from a possible 33 heading into the contest, Liverpool knew a victory over title rivals Manchester City would firmly cement their spot at the top of the table. 

The Reds came flying out the blocks with Fabinho and Salah scoring brilliant goals inside the opening quarter-hour to give Klopp’s men a commanding lead. 

Liverpool continued to dominate Pep Guardiola’s side all over the pitch as Mane added a third in the second half, sealing a season-defining win for Klopp’s champions-in-waiting. 

2: Tottenham 0-2 Liverpool (2018/19)

After missing out on the Premier League title by just a single point at the end of the 2018/19 season, Liverpool had no time to feel sorry for themselves as they prepared for a second successive Champions League final. 

Opponents Tottenham gave Klopp and his charges a helping hand (quite literally) as Moussa Sissoko’s early handball allowed Salah to blast Liverpool in front from the spot.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side probed for an equaliser but came up against the impenetrable duo of van Dijk and Alisson Becker, as the man for the big occasion - Divock Origi - rattled in a late second to seal a sixth European Cup for Liverpool and Klopp’s first trophy at the club. 

1: Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona (2018/19)

It just had to be, didn’t it? The greatest game in Klopp’s time at the club and perhaps one of the best comebacks in Champions League history. 

Faced with a three-goal deficit after Lionel Messi’s heroics at the Nou Camp, Liverpool produced a remarkable second-leg turnaround as Barcelona capitulated under the intensity of the Reds’ press and the noise of the Anfield crowd. 

In the absence of missing stars Salah and Firmino, Origi found the net early on to spark belief among Liverpool supporters before Georginio Wijandlum came off the bench at half-time to grab a quickfire brace. 

With the scores level on aggregate, Alexander-Arnold’s quick-thinking from a corner found Origi unmarked in the box, and the Belgian tucked home one of the most iconic goals in Liverpool’s storied history to seal their place in the Madrid showpiece.