The nine greatest Anfield nights in Champions League, European Cup and Uefa Cup history

1. Liverpool 6 KR Reykjavik 1, European Cup preliminary round (Sept 14 1964)

Just over 32,000 people witnessed Liverpool's first steps in European football against Knattspyrnufelag Reykjavikur, a side that didn't trip off the tongue then or now.

Those who went to Anfield on the September evening witnessed six goals in a routine victory, but already the seeds were being sown for those 'famous European nights at Anfield'. The following day's Liverpool Echo report quotes the Icelandic side's club secretary paying tribute to "the most wonderful crowd I've ever seen".

2. Liverpool 3 Inter Milan 1, European Cup semi-final, first leg (May 4 1965)

The gates at Anfield opened at 3pm for the visit of the reigning European champions. There were 28,000 people on the Kop a full 90 minutes before kick-off.

Bill Shankly knew what he was sent out injured duo Gerry Byrne and Gordon Milne to parade the newly won FA Cup, secured the previous Saturday for the first time in the club's history with victory over Leeds at Wembley, in front of the fans. The trick worked.

The Italians froze and Liverpool won 3-1. The second leg was a different story, however, as Liverpool realised that there's one thing more important than having the fans on your side and that's having the referee on your side. Inter won the second leg 3-0 and retained the trophy, beating Benfica 1-0 in the final.

3. Liverpool 3 St Etienne 1, European Cup quarter final, second leg (March 1977)

The night Anfield shook. Trailing 1-0 from the first leg in France Liverpool got off to an ideal start at a heaving Anfield when Kevin Keegan's deflected cross somehow found its way into the top corner.

So far, so good, but Dominique Bathenay's brilliant, swerving shot changed the mood at Anfield, giving the French side the lead on aggregate and, crucially, an away goal. Liverpool now needed two to go through.

When Alan Kennedy's low shot crept under St Etienne goalkeeper Ivan Curkovic there was renewed hope around Anfield, but anxiety was creeping into the players, most notably when Keegan miscontrolled when found by a John Toshack knockdown in space in the six-yard box.

But with six minutes to go David Fairclough raced onto Kennedy's lofted pass, taking advantage of some kamikaze defending from St Etienne. Fairclough made no mistake when through, earning himself legendary status for the rest of his days, as well as the less-flattering title of 'super sub'.

4. Liverpool 3 Auxerre 0, Uefa Cup second round, second leg (Nov 6 1991)

An occasion that was considerably less glamorous than other famous European nights but, in their first season back in European football following their extended ban in the wake of the Heysel disaster, the Liverpool fans were craving a stirring European victory.

They got their wish when Jan Molby, Mike Marsh and Mark Walters found the net as Graeme Souness's side overturned their 2-0 first-leg defeat.

5. Liverpool 2 Roma 0, Champions League second group stage (March 19 2002)

Most of the great Anfield nights have some theatre involved away from the action on the pitch and on this occasion it was the return of Gerard Houllier to the dugout after five months away from the club following emergency heart surgery.

The appearance of Houllier ramped up an already expectant crowd. On the pitch, needing a two-goal victory over the Italian champions to ensure progress to the knockout stages, Liverpool produced one of the best performances of Houllier's reign.

A Jari Litmanen penalty and a header from Emile Heskey ensured they progressed at the expense of Fabio Capello's side.

6. Liverpool 3 Olympiakos 1, Champions League group stage (Dec 8 2004)

It is often forgotten that Steven Gerrard should not have been on the pitch by the time he slammed home the famous winning goal in injury time.

With the game seemingly beyond Liverpool - after Rivaldo's free kick left Rafa Benitez's side needing three goals to progress to the knockout stages - Anfield was a tense place.

Florent Sinama-Pongolle scored just after coming on at half-time, but nervous tension had gripped fans and players alike.

In the midst of this, a frustrated Gerrard lashed out at Olympiakos midfielder Ieroklis Stoltidis. It was a certain red card. At least it should have been. Instead Gerrard was shown a yellow which ruled him out of Liverpool's next European tie. The leniency of that decision meant that he was able to ensure, via his "you beauty" moment, that the game he missed was a knockout tie in the Champions League rather than the Uefa Cup.

7. Liverpool 2 Juventus 1, Champions League quarter-final, first leg (April 5 2005)

Often overlooked because of what happened in the subsequent semi-final but this was the night Anfield (and probably the Liverpool players) realised something truly special may have been on the cards in this campaign.

On paper there should have one winner.

A Juventus side featuring Buffon, Thuram, Cannavaro, Nedved, Del Piero and Ibrahimovic faced a Liverpool team with Scott Carson, Djimi Traoré, Anthony Le Tallec and Igor Biscan in the starting XI.

Instead the Italian champions were blown away as Liverpool scored twice in the first 25 minutes.

Fabio Cannavaro's 63rd minute header, which crept under Carson, who was making just his third appearance in the Liverpool goal, meant that for all the noise and atmosphere the Italians left Anfield feeling that they would get the 1-0 they needed in Turin to progress.

Instead, despite being without Gerrard, Liverpool gained a goalless draw and reached the semi-final.

8. Liverpool 1 Chelsea 0, Champions League semi-final, second leg (May 3 2005)

Arguably the greatest of all the European nights at Anfield. The crowd, dizzy on the sheer improbability of Liverpool's run to the last four, were in their seats long before kick-off.

Steven Gerrard played the role of conductor, gesturing to an already raucous Anfield to raise the tempo as he left the pitch following the warm up. It worked.

Liverpool flew out of the traps and Luis Garcia's 'ghost goal' in the fourth minute proved to be the winner. What role the crowd played in influencing the Slovakian officials we will never know. Eidur Gudjohnsen came close to inflicted 40,000 simultaneous heart attacks deep into injury time but Liverpool held on and Anfield went berserk.

9. Liverpool 4 Real Madrid 0, Champions League last 16, second leg (March 10 2009)

Quite possibly the most improbable scoreline of all the great Anfield nights. Yossi Benayoun’s header secured a 1-0 win in the first leg in the Bernabeu but the consensus was that it would be another tight game when the Spanish champions came to Anfield.

Instead they were ripped apart by Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard. Andrea Dossena’s fourth was the final insult to the aristocrats of European football as Anfield, once again, struggled to believe what it was witnessing.