Ever since I can remember, I’ve watched teams come to Anfield and looked on in amazement at the away end going absolutely berserk at snatching a winner, equaliser or even a consolation goal.
Teams like Barnsley and Havant & Waterlooville in the FA Cup scoring unexpected goals, then of course the Evertons, Manchester Uniteds and Chelseas of this world packed out in the Anfield Road end.
It’s natural. It’s what I do up and down the county on away days with my mates and it’s part of the DNA in football.
But when you’re watching the opposition supporters, it’s different.
It all started in November last year, when Liverpool lost a crucial Champions League group stage match away to Paris Saint-Germain.
It was a huge victory for them, more or less guaranteeing Neymar and his teammates a passage into the last-16.
It was the day after the match when my social media was filled with pictures and videos of the Ligue 1 team parading around the field, celebrating with the fans for a good half an hour.
It hit me. Liverpool are absolutely massive.
Only on historic nights like Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea have I seen Reds players doing lap of honours at Anfield, not a group match!
Whenever Liverpool now rarely concede a goal, the home or the away ends are going absolutely ballistic, more so than ever before.
Look at Salzburg, for example. Their manager Jesse Marsch running the length of the pitch doing his best Jose Mourinho impression and running to the players.
In recent weeks, Napoli and Leicester City supporters were celebrating like they had won cup finals when their team scored against the Reds.
Another thing I have noticed is when the final whistle goes in matches. The opposition are dead on their feet, most are on the floor completely wiped out.
The effort and fight these opposition players are putting in now to even get a glimpse of a draw against Liverpool is unprecedented.
It’s a compliment to Jurgen Klopp and his side, now showing that we are the team to beat in Europe.
