Steven Gerrard today urged Liverpool fans to cram into Anfield long before kick-off on Thursday night and generate a ferocious atmosphere that will help the Reds overturn a two-goal deficit against Zenit St Petersburg.
A veteran of so many momentous, whirlwind European nights in front of the Kop, Gerrard knows as well as anyone the impact supporters can have when Anfield is awash with red and all four corners of the ground are in full voice.
Such support will be crucial again on Thursday night, according to the skipper, as the Reds look to overcome the 2-0 lead the Russian champions hold from last week's first leg.
Gerrard told Liverpoolfc.com: "I already know they will be up for the game but if I could urge them to get into the ground as early as they can and make as much noise as they can, then it will make our job an awful lot easier on Thursday because they are so important.
"I'd tell them to remember all of those players and all of those managers who have been quoted down the years as saying how difficult, hostile and good our crowd can be on their night.
"We know we can expect noise, passion, commitment. Hopefully there'll be a top team performance from us - that's how we want it to pan out.
"The fans have got a massive part to play. They are called the 12th man and this is an occasion that the players need them more than ever - especially after the result we got in the first leg."
Liverpool will need to win by a three-goal-or-greater margin in order to overturn the defeat sustained at the Petrovsky Stadium a week ago.
Gerrard will lead the Reds out at Anfield as they go in search of goals against the Russians and as he emerges from the tunnel, he'll be greeted by a familiar, rousing tune.
"You'll Never Walk Alone is even more special to me now than when I first walked out at Anfield," admitted the captain. "You understand what it means the older you get and how important it is to the club and to the fans.
"I still get the tingles down the back of my neck when I hear it. The hairs still stand up - especially on occasions like this when the flags are out and it's a big European night and you know that you are fighting for your last trophy. That's when you feel it even more.
"But nights like this are not just about the one song, it's about the noise level. And when it comes from four sides of the ground, that's when you know the fans are up for it and you feel that the result or the challenge ahead is going to be that bit easier.
"So many players and managers have been intimidated by the atmosphere in our stadium.
"There's no doubt about it - the fans have got a big part to play and if they can create that hostile atmosphere, like they have done many times before, it won't be easy for Zenit."
Gerrard was the hero when Liverpool struck three second-half goals to stage a dramatic comeback against Olympiakos at Anfield in December 2004.
The skipper also slotted a last-gasp penalty against Arsenal to edge Rafael Benitez's Reds back in front in a gut-wrenching Champions League quarter-final in front of the Kop in 2008.
But for Gerrard, one particular European night at Anfield remains peerless in terms of the sheer noise and emotion that cascaded down from the stands - and that was May 3, 2005.
"The one that sticks out to me is the Chelsea game," said the 32-year-old. "I know the fans try and get into the ground early to create an atmosphere.
"But against Chelsea in 2005, about 45 minutes before that game, as we were going out to do our warm-up, the noise was deafening and you could feel the ground shaking. If I had to pick-out one performance from our supporters, it would be that night.
"If we can get anywhere close against Zenit, then their players are going to find it very difficult to play against us on Thursday night.
"There's also Olympiakos and if you look even further back, the Roma game when we had to turn that round. Hopefully Zenit can join that list of comebacks."
A veteran of so many momentous, whirlwind European nights in front of the Kop, Gerrard knows as well as anyone the impact supporters can have when Anfield is awash with red and all four corners of the ground are in full voice.
Such support will be crucial again on Thursday night, according to the skipper, as the Reds look to overcome the 2-0 lead the Russian champions hold from last week's first leg.
Gerrard told Liverpoolfc.com: "I already know they will be up for the game but if I could urge them to get into the ground as early as they can and make as much noise as they can, then it will make our job an awful lot easier on Thursday because they are so important.
"I'd tell them to remember all of those players and all of those managers who have been quoted down the years as saying how difficult, hostile and good our crowd can be on their night.
"We know we can expect noise, passion, commitment. Hopefully there'll be a top team performance from us - that's how we want it to pan out.
"The fans have got a massive part to play. They are called the 12th man and this is an occasion that the players need them more than ever - especially after the result we got in the first leg."
Liverpool will need to win by a three-goal-or-greater margin in order to overturn the defeat sustained at the Petrovsky Stadium a week ago.
Gerrard will lead the Reds out at Anfield as they go in search of goals against the Russians and as he emerges from the tunnel, he'll be greeted by a familiar, rousing tune.
"You'll Never Walk Alone is even more special to me now than when I first walked out at Anfield," admitted the captain. "You understand what it means the older you get and how important it is to the club and to the fans.
"I still get the tingles down the back of my neck when I hear it. The hairs still stand up - especially on occasions like this when the flags are out and it's a big European night and you know that you are fighting for your last trophy. That's when you feel it even more.
"But nights like this are not just about the one song, it's about the noise level. And when it comes from four sides of the ground, that's when you know the fans are up for it and you feel that the result or the challenge ahead is going to be that bit easier.
"So many players and managers have been intimidated by the atmosphere in our stadium.
"There's no doubt about it - the fans have got a big part to play and if they can create that hostile atmosphere, like they have done many times before, it won't be easy for Zenit."
Gerrard was the hero when Liverpool struck three second-half goals to stage a dramatic comeback against Olympiakos at Anfield in December 2004.
The skipper also slotted a last-gasp penalty against Arsenal to edge Rafael Benitez's Reds back in front in a gut-wrenching Champions League quarter-final in front of the Kop in 2008.
But for Gerrard, one particular European night at Anfield remains peerless in terms of the sheer noise and emotion that cascaded down from the stands - and that was May 3, 2005.
"The one that sticks out to me is the Chelsea game," said the 32-year-old. "I know the fans try and get into the ground early to create an atmosphere.
"But against Chelsea in 2005, about 45 minutes before that game, as we were going out to do our warm-up, the noise was deafening and you could feel the ground shaking. If I had to pick-out one performance from our supporters, it would be that night.
"If we can get anywhere close against Zenit, then their players are going to find it very difficult to play against us on Thursday night.
"There's also Olympiakos and if you look even further back, the Roma game when we had to turn that round. Hopefully Zenit can join that list of comebacks."
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