Brilliant. Completely superb.

Liverpool started tonight, with the usual complications you get on the last night of 4-teams-in-a-group footy tournaments, needing to win by two clear goals. (Unless blah blah blah).

When Rivaldo scored from a poorly-defended free kick in the middle of the first half, it looked like UEFA cup action for Liverpool in the new year.

At half-time it was still 1-0. This meant they needed to score 3 goals in the second half.

Liverpool could do things like that in the seventies and eighties. Of course they famously did just that against St Etienne in the 1976-77 season. The season that brought them their first European trophy.

In those days a striker by the name of David Fairclough started to be known as supersub.

Tonight there were two super-subs. Sinama-Pongolle, on at half-time, put Liverpool level after less than one minute of the first half.

Neil Mellor came on with around 15 minutes to go. And scored. 2-1. They couldn't could they?

Well yes. Neil Mellor laid the ball back to his captain, and Steven Gerrard ensured Liverpool were into the last 16 and the knock-out stages of the tournament. After the game Gerrard commented that it's been a long time since he's hit one as "sweet" as that.

It's the sort of game that only happens in films. And one they need to make into a film. To be shown to the players before the next Champions League game to prove to them how good they can be.

Let's hope they play the second leg at home.

Well done Liverpool - an all-round good performance, certainly in the second half.

More reports to follow.