By PHIL THOMAS
MICHAEL LAUDRUP put the boot in on Liverpool once again — nearly 30 years after a first kick in the ghoulies.
In 1983, teen star Laudrup shook hands on joining the Reds from Brondby.
But the deal collapsed at the last minute and he headed to Italian giants Juventus instead.
Last night he finally sampled that famous atmosphere first hand — and boy, didn’t he make it a nightmare on Halloween for old Swans boss Brendan Rodgers.
Goals from Chico, Nathan Dyer and a last-gasp clincher from Jonathan De Guzman were enough to dump out the holders.
Yet Kop boss Rodgers was not about to use his weakened team as an excuse — and admitted the Swans were good value for their first Anfield win since 1964.
He said: “It is disappointing but you can only really say it hurts when you were the better team — and we weren’t.
“I know the size of the job here and this is another lesson for me, after giving players a chance.
“I can’t keep playing Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez. It just wasn’t what I’d expect from a team I set up to be dynamic.”
Rodgers had stuck with only Joe Allen and Brad Jones from those who had started Sunday’s 2-2 derby draw at Everton. It never looked like coming off.
So much so that at half-time, with Swans good value for the towering 34th-minute Chico header which had given them the lead, Suarez and Gerrard came on.
The response was immediate, yet it was the Welshmen who nicked a second.
Outstanding duo Michu and Pablo Hernandez combined to give Dyer a 72nd-minute tap-in.
Suarez’s glancing header raised hopes four minutes later and Swans keeper Gerhard Tremmel produced his share of heroics. But a first quarter-final place ever in this competition was no more than the Swans merited.
They sealed the win as Michu rolled another ball over from the left and De Guzman had the simplest of finishes in added time.
Laudrup said: “It’s my first time ever in this stadium as player or manager and it’s started well.
“It’s a fantastic achievement for us, beating Liverpool at Anfield and reaching the quarter-finals for the first time.
“Our players won’t be in the Champions League but that doesn’t mean they can’t get to Wembley — everyone has a final dream.”
Singing in the Valleys? They’ll be drinking them dry after this.
