HonoursUEFA Cup

That inaugural success for the Reds on the continental stage came in May 1973 as, towards the end of his revolutionary managerial reign, Bill Shankly guided his second great side to victory.

Shankly’s charges clashed with Borussia Monchengladbach over two legs and took a commanding lead in the first meeting at Anfield, which was delayed 24 hours due to a waterlogged pitch.

John Toshack – who was fielded in a change to the manager’s planned line-up from the previous night – twice set up Kevin Keegan to net for the hosts during the first half.

Keegan also saw a penalty saved between his goals, but Larry Lloyd’s header after the interval increased the score to 3-0 and put Liverpool firmly in charge.

They did, however, need Ray Clemence to brilliantly save a Jupp Heynckes spot-kick to preserve that advantage – an intervention that would prove to be crucial.

In the return meeting a fortnight later, Gladbach were buoyed by their own crowd and were 2-0 up before half-time, with Heynckes providing both goals to leave the Reds on the ropes.

But Shankly’s side held on to an aggregate lead that now stood at just one, securing the first European entry to the club’s trophy cabinet.

Liverpool would only have to wait three years for a second taste of glory abroad.

Now steered by Bob Paisley, in April and May 1976 they contested what would be the first of three consecutive appearances – and three consecutive wins – in a European final.

This time they met Club Brugge over two legs, and once again it was anything but straightforward. In fact, the Reds found themselves 2-0 down within 15 minutes of the opening match at Anfield.

But three goals in the space of five second-half minutes – Ray Kennedy, Jimmy Case and Keegan the scorers – salvaged a lead for Paisley’s men to take to Belgium.

There, Brugge once more started quickly and grabbed an early goal that levelled the tie on aggregate, though Keegan struck back almost immediately and it remained 1-1, giving Liverpool the cup.

The club’s third and most recent UEFA Cup triumph was achieved in May 2001 as Gerard Houllier’s Reds wrapped up a trophy treble alongside the League Cup and FA Cup that season.

It was one of the most dramatic European finals of all time, to boot.

Liverpool raced into an early two-goal lead versus Spanish side Alaves, with Markus Babbel and Steven Gerrard on target, and Gary McAllister’s penalty ensured a 3-1 advantage at the break.

Alaves, though, hauled it back to 3-3, and then 4-4 after substitute Robbie Fowler had put the Reds back in front at Borussia Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion.

But Houllier’s team found a way in the last throes of extra-time. A floated McAllister free-kick from the left was flicked into his own net by Delfi Geli – a Golden Goal that guaranteed Liverpool’s name was the one to be engraved.

Jürgen Klopp also led the club to the final in May 2016 – with the tournament by now reformatted and rebranded as the Europa League – but his team were beaten 3-1 by Sevilla in Basel.