It's an easy comparison to make but no less appropriate. When Liverpool were faced with an almost impossible task after losing 3-0 at Barcelona in their Champions League semi-final seven years ago, the unavailable Mohamed Salah rocked up for the Anfield return wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the message: "Never give up."
We all know what happened next. Fast forward to Saturday, however, and Virgil van Dijk, sifting through the wreckage of a dismal 4-0 FA Cup quarter-final reverse at Manchester City, admitted the Reds were guilty of throwing in the towel at the Etihad.
With a plethora of appearances and honours under his belt, and as the only player to feature in both matches, Van Dijk's comments should carry greater resonance than most.
A campaign of unprecedented hurdles and regular setbacks has undoubtedly sapped the energy, enthusiasm and self-belief of a Liverpool side that too often have been their own worst enemy.
And while there will quite rightly be much alarm at Van Dijk's assertion the fight left Liverpool at the weekend and how poorly that reflects on Arne Slot's squad, arguably of greater immediate importance is how the Reds found themselves in such a position in the first place.
That Barcelona win wasn't the only notable comeback during Jurgen Klopp's reign, continuing a trend that has been long established in Liverpool's history of unlikely revivals.
This season, though, that appetite for reconstruction has been lost, Liverpool behind in 18 games and only avoiding defeats with draws at home to Sunderland and away at Fulham in the Premier League along with their sole victory when coming from behind to win at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.
In fairness, they did overturn a first-leg deficit to eliminate Galatasaray in the same competition last month. And while Europe has offered a balm from the domestic pain, Wednesday's quarter-final trip to holders Paris Saint-Germain appears not to offer much immediate solace from events at the weekend.
Character is the bedrock of any successful team and remained very much apparent for Liverpool during the dominant Premier League title triumph under Slot last season.
But much of that is demonstrated behind the scenes at the training ground with what happens on the pitch merely the public reflection of the work and ethic that is applied every other day.
It isn't always the flashiest who provide that foundation. Certainly, it hasn't passed unnoticed that many of those lamenting the lack of a James Milner or Jordan Henderson in the squad are the same people who were quick to usher the duo out of the door in pursuit of new big-money signings that would supposedly improve the squad.
There's no doubt the overhaul of last summer has seen Liverpool lose a host of strong, established personalities from the squad. And even though the Reds can still boast a significant number of national team captains, some, such as Andy Robertson and Wataru Endo, haven't featured prominently this season, while others like Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have seen the onset of age inevitably diminish their contributions.
Indeed, of other senior players, Alisson Becker has understandably been preoccupied by fitness concerns while Ibrahima Konate has surely been affected by the uncertainty surround his long-term future. The leaders have, for various reasons, been lacking in the Liverpool squad.
And with so many new signings having their own individual adaptations, it has been difficult for Liverpool to consistently provide the "togetherness" Van Dijk has deemed imperative for the Reds to salvage anything tangible from the campaign.
Players can always build character and many will emerge stronger from this season's experiences. But that may come too late for Slot, with the onus on the Reds boss to mend brittle self-confidence, motivate his charges and manufacture a tactical approach that can give his team the best chance of, at the very least, securing Champions League qualification.
Have some of the players lost faith in Slot? It's not implausible. But their own professional pride should have meant they didn't down tools at the Etihad and instead retain hope of some reward from the season.
That so many matchgoing supporters departed the Etihad long before the final whistle will not have passed unnoticed by Fenway Sports Group. The owners want to give Slot every chance to atone for his campaign but their patience is not limitless, and the actions of those who pay their hard-earned to watch the Reds will have some influence.
Liverpool may be lacking in character and mentality at present but that can be no excuse for the surrender at City at the weekend, the club's heaviest defeat in a standalone FA Cup game in 128 years.
What happens next could determine more than just the future of the beleaguered Slot. Other Anfield careers may now be on the line.
Ian Doyle has covered Liverpool for more than 25 years, following them across Europe in multiple Champions League and Europa League finals and as far afield as Thailand, Singapore, the United States, Hong Kong and Qatar, and has reported on the Reds winning every major honour. He previously also covered Everton for 18 years and has followed England, reporting on the European Championships and World Cup final. Once had to tell Jude Law he does not drive a Mini.
