WE DON’T usually do glorious failure at Liverpool.

Failure is just that – something other than success. But for once, a page in our illustrious history must be devoted to a magnificent effort against all the odds, which so nearly brought a result that would have beaten all but Istanbul in our annals of great comebacks.

Whatever we might feel about the quality of this current Anfield squad, a criticism often levied against many of its immediate predecessors cannot be pinned on this one: that they lack the stomach for a fight.

Bravery comes in many forms, and a refusal to give up on even the most helpless situation, and to come back for more when your hopes are apparently dashed, is as priceless an attribute in football as in any walk of life.

Time and time again this season Liverpool have rescued lost causes in the dying phases of games; here the cause was seemingly lost from the very start, and again as a 2-0 lead turned into a 2-3 deficit.

Yet both were overcome, ultimate failure being finally confirmed only a minute before the end of normal time.

Heroic may be an inappropriate word to describe resilience in a mere football match, but it was hard to think past it when searching for an adjective to adequately sum up this performance.