AMONG the poetic banners draped from the away end at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night was one consisting of just a single word: defiance.

It has been the overriding emotion both on and off the field for Liverpool during a week in which they have remembered the past while underlining the promise of the future.

The refusal to give in was astonishingly apparent at Chelsea when Rafael Benitez’s side came close to pulling off one of the most remarkable comebacks in European Cup history.

And Liverpool’s players, beaten but unbowed, were together in the belief their show of character can bolster their efforts to chase down Manchester United in the quest for the coveted Premier League crown.

“There are six games remaining and we must win them all,” says goalkeeper Pepe Reina. “Of course it’s in Manchester United’s hands and doesn’t just depend on us but I hope United will drop points.

“It seems like they’re not playing at their best but neither are we. We’ll have to see what happens.

“They are under a lot of pressure. They are leaders and are in a great situation. All we can do is try to win every game.

“We played for Liverpool with heart. All we could give was passion and commitment. To be a Liverpool player is a pleasure.

“We will never give up, we are Liverpool and that’s our character, it’s the way we are. We will fight until the very end.”