Rosenthal's role in the title run-in was crucial, his seven goals in the last seven games fending off Aston Villa. He is the overlooked hero of the club's last championship.
Villa's manager in 1990, Graham Taylor, never forgot Rosenthal's spectacular contribution. "You killed my title dream," he told the Israeli. Given the affable Taylor was trying to sign him, it was not the most tempting sales pitch but it is a reminder of Rosenthal's place in Anfield history.
"It was 10 years later and Graham was Watford manager," Rosenthal says. "We were walking around the pitch at Vicarage Road and he told me, 'I was leading the table and I was furious when the FA gave Liverpool permission for the work permit to play you'.
"I wasn't going to join a club outside the Premier League but he convinced me [to join Watford, then of League One] and I signed for three years. Graham was a great manager. I really liked him."
This week, Rosenthal celebrated the anniversary of his hat-trick against Charlton which turned the title Liverpool's way. Seventeen days before the championship was won — three days after Liverpool's shock 4-3 FA Cup semifinal defeat by Crystal Palace — Rosenthal scored his perfect hat-trick at Charlton: left foot, right foot and header.
With Rush injured and Peter Beardsley off form, Liverpool needed Rosenthal to hit the ground running — or, in his case, sprinting — and he proved his value.
"The Charlton game is the most memorable but I made my debut as a sub in the league game before. We were playing Southampton and were 2-1 down with 20 minutes left. I did well and we won 3-2. That was the start. Then I was not even on the bench for the FA Cup semifinal. I did not understand why. Even the day of the Charlton game, I was not sure I'd be involved. An hour before, Kenny [Dalglish] told me I was starting."
Rosenthal often watches the footage, although an abiding memory of the day is the coach ride home.
"There were no mobile phones, of course, but I was desperate to speak to my friends and family. There was a phone on the coach, so I asked the driver if I could use it. Kenny said to me, 'talk as much as you want'. I called Israel for over an hour. The bill came to over £1000. The club was so happy with me, nobody said anything."
Rosenthal was an unlikely signing. After moving to Belgian football from Maccabi Haifa, he was travelling Europe hunting for games at 25.
Here comes the irony. Liverpool's last title owes a debt to a Manchester United legend.
A year before the club's former winger Jimmy Ryan returned to Old Trafford to assist Sir Alex Ferguson's glorious era, he was Luton's manager.
"Jim wanted to sign me for Luton and I wanted to join, but could not agree a deal," explains Rosenthal. "Pini Zahavi told Kenny about me. Pini had a good relationship with Liverpool [the agent had earlier taken another Israeli, Avi Cohen, to the club] so Kenny called Jim.
"He gave Kenny the confidence to give me a try, but Liverpool were not sure. There was no option to buy in the loan deal, so they took a risk. I am not sure how they got the work permit. There were not many foreign players in England then."
Liverpool's dressing room, full of winners and suspicious of players they had never heard of, was intimidating.
"I was not sure how much of a chance I would get but I was confident. John Aldridge had just left but they had Ian [Rush] and Peter Beardsley up front.
"People knew nothing about me and I was joining a club of stars. I was quiet and my English was not so good. The respect started in training. As soon as you played well, everyone would want to know more about you.
"I had arrived in an important situation. Liverpool started the season well and then dropped points around Christmas. Kenny left out Beardsley to give me my chance."
Alongside Player of the Year Barnes, Rosenthal's dynamic running rejuvenated the club. His goals against Nottingham Forest and tonight's opponents Chelsea edged Liverpool closer, as did another crucial cameo at Arsenal.
"I had a good run scoring the first in games," says Rosenthal. He was paired with Rush for the decisive victory over QPR.
"It was tense nailing the league," says Rosenthal. "We celebrated with champagne in the bath but I could never recover well after a game and I can remember not having the energy to celebrate. People thought I was lazy or did not work hard enough, but that was not it. I just struggled at the end of games."
After snubbing a rival bid by Arsenal and signing permanently for £1 million, it would never get any better than this immediate impact, despite fleeting glimpses.
Rosenthal believes the modern world caught up with Liverpool.
"When I signed, Liverpool were able to get all the best players and they had a system that brought success," he says. "When the Premier League arrived, football started changing. Clubs improved scouting, more foreign players arrived and the game became more tactical. Everyone else got better and there were things Liverpool lacked.
"To me, the Liverpool team today is the best Liverpool team ever. I know you will say look at what all those teams won. Yes, they were the best of their time. But the game has changed. There is more athleticism now, more tactical understanding and speed, so these players are better. But that does not mean they will be remembered the same. To do that, they must win and put a stamp on it."
