ISTANBUL has contributed so much to Liverpool's Champions League history that it was perhaps inevitable the gesture would one day be reciprocated.
Rafael Benitez, however, will be grateful his players fell short of going the whole hog by providing the Turkish capital's premier team Galatasaray the gift of a famous comeback last night.
After all, it's supposed to be Liverpool who produce the stirring fightback and provide the heroic performances.
Relief, then, and not delight was the overriding emotion among the Anfield faithful following another rollercoaster European night that will have given Benitez much to pore over at Melwood in the coming days.
The Liverpool manager's insistence on imposing a new offensive philosophy on his team may be pleasing for the neutral and deliver some wonderful football but Galatasaray underlined the Spaniard is still searching for the right balance between defence and attack.
Going forward, the home side were at times irresistible, particularly during an opening quarter in which they forged into what should have been a match-clinching two-goal lead.
But the pay-off for such adventure came in the second half when, inspired by two-goal substitute Umit Karan, Galatasaray threw caution to the wind and exposed Liverpool's lack of defensive midfield cover and almost replicated the home team's famous Champions League final comeback in their home city against AC Milan.
Benitez's side, though, held on to ensure they avoided setting a club record for games without a victory in this competition and ended their five-game goal drought in the Champions League proper.
And the game was a personal triumph for Peter Crouch who was recalled to the starting line-up in place of Craig Bellamy after four games on the bench following the derby defeat at Everton earlier this month.
The striker netted a well-taken volley in the ninth minute to break the deadlock and bettered that with a sensational overhead kick into the Kop shortly after the interval that ultimately turned out to be the match-winner.
After Xabi Alonso's 65-yard strike last week, football's most famous stand is certainly being spoiled at present.
That was Crouch's 10th goal in 11 appearances this season for club and country and, having been overshadowed by new signing Dirk Kuyt in recent weeks, gave Benitez a gentle reminder of his goalscoring prowess.
