NoticiasEl mejor del Liverpool, número 86: Jerzy Dudek

• Years: 2001-2007

• Appearances: 186

• Trophies: League Cup (2003), Champions League (2005), FA Cup (2006)

Jerzy Dudek cemented himself into Liverpool folklore when the performance of his life helped to clinch a European Cup.

The big Pole in our goal was a standout among many heroes during the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul, ensuring he will forever be loved by the club’s supporters, as evidenced in this vote.

• COMPETITION: Win our special Liverpool's Greatest retro bundle

That famous night in Turkiye was the undoubted highlight of Dudek’s six-season career as a Reds player.

As part of a Gerard Houllier double goalkeeper swoop, Dudek arrived at Anfield alongside Chris Kirkland in August 2001.

Dudek earned the No.1 spot to be the last line of a defence that conceded just 30 goals on the way to a second-placed finish in the Premier League.

His second campaign was more testing, though, as a result of several high-profile mistakes. But redemption would come in the form of a Player of the Match display in the League Cup final win against Manchester United in March 2003.

Dudek battled with Kirkland and Scott Carson for the starting goalkeeper berth in 2004-05 and was Rafael Benitez’s preferred option when the stakes were highest.

On the grandest stage of them all, Dudek helped vanquish a star-studded AC Milan in remarkable fashion at Ataturk Stadium.

He recovered from a first-half shipping of three goals to ensure Liverpool’s comeback was not in vain with a ‘How did he do that?’ double save to deny Andriy Shevchenko in extra-time.

That sent the occasion to a penalty shootout and Dudek evoked the actions of one of his predecessors, Bruce Grobbelaar, in an attempt to put off the opposition.

His ‘wobbly legs’ routine kept out efforts from Andrea Pirlo and Shevchenko, the latter the decisive one and sealing a fifth European Cup to be added to the club’s trophy cabinet.

Pepe Reina arrived only a few months later to become first-choice and Dudek departed in 2007 knowing his place in LFC history was certain.

• Get exclusive early access to the next players revealed on the Liverpool's Greatest list every day on the official LFC app: iOS | Google Play