The aftermath of Tottenham and Liverpool’s sensational fightbacks against Ajax and Barcelona has led to a wider discussion about football’s greatest comeback.
Liverpool have another contender of their own with Istanbul in 2005, while Manchester United’s 1999 Champions League win is also very highly regarded.
Sportsmail‘s reporters reveal their picks for the best football comeback.
Liverpool beat Barcelona 4-0 to reach the Champions League final on Tuesday night
Tottenham replicated the gesture on Wednesday, coming back from 3-0 down against Ajax
MATT BARLOW
Spurs 3 Man City 4 (Feb 2004)
Spurs were 3-0 up at half time in this FA Cup fourth-round replay and Man City were reduced to 10 men with Joey Barton dismissed for dissent while leaving the pitch after the first half.
Somehow Kevin Keegan’s team produced an astonishing second half at White Hart Lane with Jon Macken scoring in the 90th minute.
Manchester City celebrate Jon Macken’s winning goal as they overturned Tottenham’s 3-0 lead
MATT LAWTON
Liverpool 4 Barcelona 0 (May 2019)
Until this week I would have always said Manchester United in that remarkable climax to the ’99 Champions League final.
But Liverpool’s performance against Barcelona this week supersedes that, United in Turin, Steven Gerrard and Co in Istanbul and even Tottenham the night after.
And why? Because it was the best performance; a complete team effort against a side boasting the finest footballer in history. It will take some beating.
Lionel Messi was left humbled by Barcelona’s crushing 4-0 defeat by Liverpool
CRAIG HOPE
Newcastle 4 Leicester 3 (February 1997)
The Magpies were trailing 3-1 with 13 minutes remaining and St James’ Park was starting to empty when they won a free-kick 20 yards out.
Alan Shearer shoved Tino Asprilla out of the way to take responsibility and duly smashed low and hard through the wall for 2-3. Six minutes later and Shearer had somehow worked an angle for a shot through the legs of a defender and the ball nestled in the bottom corner.
Entering stoppage-time it looked like Newcastle would have to settle for what was a valiant point. Rob Lee and Shearer had other ideas and the former burst clear in the area before squaring for the latter to turn in from close range for his first black and white hat-trick – and what a way to get it.
Alan Shearer celebrates after completing his hat-trick in a thrilling Newcastle victory
MIKE KEEGAN
Liverpool 4 Barcelona 0 AND Ajax 2 Tottenham 3 (May 2019)
I can’t split the two from this week.
For Liverpool to have come back with their strongest XI would have been incredible but to do it with no Mo Salah or Roberto Firmino and with Andy Robertson off at half-time was a footballing miracle. James Milner at left-back, Divock Origi, Xherdan Shaqiri – are you kidding me?
As for Spurs, it is rare in football for good things to happen to good people. Mauricio Pochettino is one of the finest managers to ever grace these shores and one of the nicest blokes.
For his side to do what they did in 45 minutes without Harry Kane was astonishing. I was almost crying with him at the end!
Divock Origi scored twice to lead Liverpool to victory against Barcelona on Tuesday
JOE BERNSTEIN
Tottenham 3 Manchester City 4 (February 2004)
Manchester City hadn’t won a league game for three months and not only trailed Spurs 3-0 at half-time, they had also lost their best player, Nicolas Anelka, to injury after 27 minutes and were reduced to 10 men when Joey Barton got sent off.
So what happened? They fought back to win 4-3 with Jon Macken scoring the unlikeliest of winners in the last minute. It could only have been pulled off by a Kevin Keegan team.
The only comeback greater than Liverpool fighting back from 3-0 down against Barcelona minus Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino,
CHRIS WHEELER
Manchester United 2 Bayern Munich 1 (May 1999)
As we approach the 20th anniversary of Manchester United’s Champions League win over Bayern Munich this month, we shouldn’t forget that Sir Alex Ferguson’s side went from losers to winners in the space of three minutes of injury time.
It wasn’t a classic but it was the final and United won the European Cup without the need for extra-time or penalties. As comebacks go, it ranks above Liverpool’s sensational victory over Barcelona on Tuesday night and even their heroics in Istanbul.
It was 20 years ago that Manchester United beat Bayern Munich 2-1 at the Nou Camp
IAN HERBERT
Liverpool 3 AC Milan 3 Liverpool win on pens (May 2005)
Yes, of course, Barcelona was beyond phenomenal. Something incredibly beautiful. BUT – despite the views of the many who put it on a level beyond any other – I just can’t agree that it was as great a comeback as Liverpool in Istanbul in 2005.
Not only did Rafa Benitez’s side have only 45 minutes to reverse the 3-0 deficit back then but they had to do so in the final – in the arena: the ultimate stage – AND by doing so, had to overcome the huge psychological barrier of having been cut apart in the first half against AC Milan.
The evisceration of Barcelona at Anfield was a better performance. The greatest technical display I’ve seen from a British team. But Istanbul was the football’s greatest comeback.
Liverpool fought back from 3-0 down to win the Champions League final in 2005
ROB DRAPER
QPR 5 Newcastle 5 (September 1984)
Obviously the defining comeback by which all comebacks are judged is QPR’s 5-5 draw with Newcastle in September 1984 at Loftus Road. A Chris Waddle hat-trick and Neil McDonald goal put Newcastle 4-0 up at half time. Cue the usual mayhem: tearing up of season-tickets, fans storming out. QPR hauled it back to 4-3 only for Kenny Wharton to make it 5-3 on 84 minutes.
Never have I been more deflated. Like they say, it’s the hope that kills you. But what’s this? QPR go up the other end and make it 5-4 immediately from a Steve Wicks header? Gary Micklewhite added the coup de grace – otherwise known as the equaliser – which, as should always be the case in a classic comeback, came in the 90th minute (I was pleased to see Tottenham observed that convention. Liverpool lose marks for having it all wrapped up on 79 minutes).
Chris Waddle pictured scoring for Newcastle in their stunning 5-5 draw with QPR
I was in Istanbul, I was at Anfield on Tuesday and I was at Ajax on Wednesday and nothing tops that (OK. If you insist, they both topped it. And, simply because of the standard of the opposition I’d marginally say Liverpool’s comeback was more extraordinary. But, really, I just want to enjoy both.).
As a footnote, that was a Newcastle side with Waddle and Peter Beardsley. So not all that bad. And with Jack Charlton as manager. That’s a post-match dressing-room debrief I’d pay good money to watch.
LAURIE WHITWELL
Manchester United 2 Bayern Munich 1 (May 1999)
I was there in the Nou Camp 20 years ago so have to say that was the best from a personal perspective. Desperation to elation in a couple of minutes.
This season I was at Aston Villa v Sheffield United, when Dean Smith’s side came back from 3-0 down with 10 minutes left. Crazy.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer celebrates scoring United’s second against Bayern Munich
RIATH AL-SAMARRAI
Manchester United 2 Bayern Munich 1 (May 1999)
The context of a final cannot be matched. Nor can the scale of a comeback when it features two game-changing goals in stoppage time. Still the benchmark.