RAFA'S EPIC GLORY

There’s an audacity and cheekiness about Liverpool’s Champions League conquests.

Their uninspired league campaigns lull the continent into a false sense of security. The contrast between Liverpool the domestic kitten and Benitez’s European beast is as exhilarating as it is baffling.

Ringmaster

It’s as if eight months of Premier League duty is little more than a preparation for the main event of knockout drama in spring, when the Spanish coach is never found wanting.

Tuesday night underlined why Liverpool fans were prepared to march to save their manager when their Euro ambitions were dangling by the thinnest of threads last November.

He’s the ringmaster on occasions such as this. Prior to his arrival, an underwhelming quarter-final was all the club had to show for 20 years of European Cup frustration.

Now Benitez has replicated the feats of the great Milan and Real Madrid sides, leading the same club to the last four in three out of four years. Not even Anfield God Bob Paisley could manage that.

Tactically, Benitez has proven himself the most astute coach in Europe. The CV is too compelling to ignore.

Too often he’s sprung surprises which have paid off - the cannot be written off as fortunate.

Last night’s inclusion of Peter Crouch didn’t look so clever after 30 minutes of Arsenal dominance, but the switches later in the game which allowed Ryan Babel to steal victory out-witted Arsene Wenger.

When Theo Walcott raced through to set up Emmanuel Adebayor six minutes from time, it was Wenger who thought the accolades would flow his way.

Sadly for the Frenchman, while Babel’s arrival was lauded as a masterstroke, Gunners’ fans find themselves asking why their teenager wasn’t used sooner, and why hasn’t he been seen more often.

While Liverpool have saved their season, and threaten to cleanse one of the grubbiest off-field campaigns in their history with on-field majesty, Arsenal face another trophyless year.

Such miserable finales are becoming too frequent at The Emirates. Their performance typified their season. Confident, fluid and rewarding to begin with, but ultimately flawed due to their inability to last the pace.

Wenger faces some tough choices in the summer as he decides if the side he’s assembled will ever match its style with substance.

Benitez, meanwhile, has surely saved himself from the ignominy of being shown the Anfield exit.

After this, there wouldn’t be a protest if his board decided to remove him from office - there would be a riot. And if he leads Liverpool to victory over Chelsea in the semi-final and Manchester United in Moscow?

As far as The Kop is concerned, it truly would rank as ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’.

Liverpool broke the hearts of Wenger’s side, who led early on through Abou Diaby before Sami Hyypia’s equaliser.

Fernando Torres put Liverpool ahead with a sensational right-foot strike but Emmanuel Adebayor’s goal just seven minutes from time, after a brilliant fun from Theo Walcott, appeared to have put the Gunners through on away goals.

But Steven Gerrard’s penalty, won by substitute Ryan Babel, and then a breakaway fourth from the flying Dutchman set the seal on the victory, which many old time Liverpool fans will see as revenge for Arsenal’s 1989 injury-time title triumph on this same ground.

Positive

Benitez said: “I was delighted with the belief of my players, particularly in the second half. We had been so poor before the break, but so much better in the second period.

“It was a tremendous game for our fans, there were six goals and we played so well.

“I hear Steven Gerrard has said it was a poor game by him, but I was satisfied. He scored a crucially important penalty for us when it really mattered, that was positive from him to take it so well.

“Now we have Chelsea again in the semi-final. Again it will be a very, very tough game against an excellent side. But like tonight, we have enough experience of such matches and clearly the belief to succeed again.

“And when we went to 2-2 so near the end, my players showed tremendous character and desire to get up off the ground to win the tie.”

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger considered the penalty that swung the game late on was “dodgy” and his side had been the victim of bad decisions in both legs.

At the Emirates last week Arsenal were denied a spot-kick when Dirk Kuyt pulled back Alex Hleb, and in this match Liverpool were awarded a spot-kick for a foul on Babel by Kolo Toure.

Wenger said: “I felt at that stage the game was over at 2-2. Then there was a dodgy penalty and we started to lose concentration.

“Over the two games this is hard to swallow. The big decisions over penalties in both matches have gone against us.

“It is difficult to take, the players in the dressing room are very down because they believe week after week the decisions are going against them.

“It was not a penalty tonight, I have seen the replay. But we were denied a clear penalty last week. That was a real penalty, this one wasn’t.

"And even at 2-2 we had a great chance to kill the game off. But we lacked experience and made big mistakes. “We conceded a goal from a corner and gave Fernando Torres too much room when he scored.

“It will be hard now, we have to go to Manchester United next at the weekend, but we will try to finish strongly. But we still feel a great sense of injustice.”