Two late goals sensationally kept Liverpool's Champions League dream alive as the Reds came back from the brink of defeat to steal the points in a dramatic 2-1 victory over Charlton Athletic.
Sami Hyypia and Steven Gerrard were our heroes, netting a goal apiece in the closing stages to cancel out Shaun Bartlett's opening goal just after half-time and clinch a priceless win.
With spirits lifted following Saturday's derby win and with their Champions League destiny now in their own hands this was must win game for Gerard Houllier's men and they refused to be beaten.
As expected, captain Sami Hyypia made an instant return to the starting line-up after sitting out the derby through suspension. The big Finn came back at the expense of Igor Biscan, while El Hadji Diouf was recalled in place of Milan Baros.
Way back in dark December Liverpool suffered a demoralising 2-0 defeat against Alan Curbishley's side at The Valley. At that point the Addicks looked a good outside bet to be in contention for European qualification come this time of the season, while Liverpool were stuck in the middle of a rut that saw them toppled from the Premiership summit in spectacular fashion.
But going into this game the morale in both camps could not have provided a starker contrast. Charlton arrived at Anfield on the back of a dismal run of five defeats in their last six Premiership matches that has seen them slip rapidly down the table and quash any dreams of Europe.
Gerard Houllier's derby heroes entered the arena to a rousing reception and buoyed by their victory across the park they began confidently enough. The visitors however, had not read the script and looked nothing like the pushovers we expected.
With the front two of Lisbie and Bartlett causing more than a few anxious moments in the Reds defence an air of apprehension quickly engulfed Anfield. Addicks keeper Dean Kiely was not called into meaningful action until the quarter hour mark and even then he saved comfortably when diving to his low to his left to gather a shot from Michael Owen.
Steven Gerrard then drilled a long-range free kick narrowly wide of the upright and John Arne Riise stung the fingers of Kiely with a fierce drive following a corner on the right.
This was the best Liverpool managed to throw at Charlton during a low-key opening half and Gerard Houllier responded by replacing Emile Heskey with Milan Baros at half-time.
Baros was on the pitch no than a minute though when disaster struck for Liverpool. Djimi Traore unfortunately lost his footing on the edge of the area and South African striker Bartlett capitalised by firing the Londoners into an unlikely lead.
As the minutes ticked by the tension grew and you could sense the desperation, on the pitch and in the stands, as Liverpool strove to keep their dream alive. Smicer and Cheyrou were thrown on in a last throw of the dice but it looked to all be in vain until returning skipper Hyypia got the final touch amid a mad goalmouth scamble to draw Liverpool level four minutes from time.
That was dramatic enough but the drama was still not over and in the final minute Gerrard swept past two Charlton defenders before sending Anfield into raptures with a belting finish.
With fellow Champions League chasers Newcastle dropping two points at home to Aston Villa the enormity of this victory cannot be underestimated.
The mathematics are simple. Three wins from our remaining three games and Champions League football will return to Anfield for a third season in succession.
Who said this was our worst season in living memory?
Teams
Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Riise, Hyypia (captain), Traore, Hamann, Gerrard, Murphy, Diouf, Owen, Heskey. Subs - Arphexad, Baros, Diao, Cheyrou, Smicer.
Charlton Athletic: Kiely, Kishishev, Powell (captain), Rufus, Parker, Jensen, Bartlett, Konchcesky, Young, Lisbie, Fortune. Subs - Roberts, Euell, Robinson, Johansson, Bart-Williams.
Referee: S Dunn
Conditions: Overcast
Attendance: 42,010
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Steven Gerrard.
Match Highlights
Match Report courtesy of Liverpool FC's Official Website
15:01 GMT: Match Starts
1 mins: Charlton kick-off attacking the Kop.
2 mins: Lisbie attempts to catch out Dudek with a looping header but the big Pole recovers his footing well and handles with ease.
4 mins: Gerrard lets fly with an audacious effort that unfortunately ends up in row Z of the Anfield Road stand.
8 mins: Diouf shoots straight at Kiely with an angled drive.
12 mins: Fortune goes down in a crumpled heap following a challenge by Diouf and requires treatment from the Charlton physio.
15 mins: Owen shoots low across goal inside the Charlton box and forces Kiely into a diving save.
17 mins: Gerrard drills a 30-yard free-kick through the Charlton wall and narrowly wide of the upright.
27 mins: Crowd growing apprehensive as Charlton pile on the pressure.
28 mins: Gerrard's teasing centre is deflected over the bar by Rufus and from the subsequent corner Riise stings the fingers of Kiely with a shot from the right.
33 mins: A great tackle by Young stops Owen in his tracks as he attempts to dribble his way to the Charlton goal.
35 mins: Heskey heads over from a Murphy corner.
44 mins: The fourth official indicactes that two minutets of added time will be played.
14:48 GMT: Half Time Reached
15:06 GMT: Second Half Begins
46 mins: Substitution: Milan Baros for Emile Heskey:
46 mins: Murphy sends a dipping volley just over the bar
47 mins: GOAL! Shaun Bartlett: Awful error by Traore and Bartlett scores off the far post
48 mins: Baros crosses from the right and the ball is headed behind for a corner
50 mins: Fortune scythes down Baros on the goal-linee but escapes a yellow card
51 mins: Riise wastes the resulting free kick with a wild effort over the bar
53 mins: More good play from Baros on the wing as the Reds pile on the pressure
54 mins: Murphy drills in a cross which just eludes Gerrard at the far post
55 mins: Owen sets up Riise for a left footed drive over the bar
56 mins: Charlton break swiftly down the left but Parker is caught offside
57 mins: Riise blasts a 30 yard free kick into the Charlton wall
58 mins: Parker's pass finds Lisbie but Carragher covers well
60 mins: Diouf's shot from 20 yards is deflected wide for a corner
60 mins: Baros heads Gerrard's header wide of the target
62 mins: Owen goes to ground in the area but the penalty claims are waved away
64 mins: Powell wins a corner for Charlton at the Anfield Road End
65 mins: Diouf crosses from the right but the ball is cleared inside the box
66 mins: Gerrard shoots from 30 yards but Kiely saves low down
67 mins: Murphy pokes the ball into space but no Liverpool player is there to collect
68 mins: Brilliant tackle from Traore to deny Bartlett on the edge of the area
69 mins: Baros shoots on the volley but directs it straight at Kiely
73 mins: Gerrard blasts well over from 30 yards
73 mins: Substitution: Vladimir Smicer for Danny Murphy:
73 mins: Substitution: Bruno Cheyrou for El-Hadji Diouf:
77 mins: Substitution: Jason Euell for Shaun Bartlett:
79 mins: Charlton win a succession of corners in front of their own fans
80 mins: Booking: Jonathon Fortune:
80 mins: Smicer heads just over from a well flighted corner
81 mins: Huge appeals for a Liverpool penalty turned down
82 mins: Brilliant cross from Baros but no-one at the back post to turn it in
83 mins: Substitution: John Robinson for Scott Parker:
84 mins: Owen hits it wide from 30 yards
85 mins: Baros wins another corner for the Reds at the Kop end
86 mins: GOAL! Sami Hyypia: Close range effort after Gerrard headed on Riise's corner
87 mins: Smicer's cross is turned behind for a corner which comes to nothing
88 mins: Euell's drive is deflected for a corner
89 mins: Sensational Dudek save from Euell's goalbound header
90 mins: GOAL! Steven Gerrard: Great run and brilliant low shot into the corner
90 mins: Substitution: Jonatan Johansson for Kevin Lisbie:16:55 GMT: Match Over
