Continuing the series
where I look back at my five favourite wins the Liverpool’s next
opponents. This weekend Liverpool play
against Tottenham at Anfield. Here are
my five favourite wins from past encounters, with some of them packed full of
goals.
2nd September 1978
LIVERPOOL (3) 7 (Dalglish
8, 20, R.Kennedy 28, Johnson 48, 58,
Neal pen 64, McDermott 76)
TOTTENHAM (0) 0
LIVERPOOL: Clemence; Neal, Thompson, Hughes (Johnson), A.Kennedy; Case,
McDermott, Souness, R.Kennedy; Dalglish, Heighway
TOTTENHAM: Daines; McAllister, Perryman, Lacy, Naylor; Ardiles,
Hoddle, Villa, McNab; Duncan, Taylor
After winning
back-to-back League titles in 1976 and 1977, Liverpool lost out to Brian Clough’s
Nottingham Forest in 1978. They returned
for the new season in determined mood, having won all three of their opening
matches, 2-1, 3-0 & 4-1. Today they
were to go more than one better.
Tottenham had just
returned to the Division One having spent a season in Division Two and had
shocked the football world by signing two players from Argentina’s victorious
World Cup winning squad. Ossie Ardiles
and Ricardo Villa had inspired Spurs to claim a 1-1 draw at defending
Champions, Forest, on the opening day.
They were then brought down to earth by Aston Villa winning 4-1 at White
Hart Lane. But today, Spurs discovered
what it was really like playing at the top level as they attempted to do
something no Spurs side had done since 1912 – win at Anfield.
Kenny Dalglish, who’d
scored in every game so far this season, got the home side off and running
after just 8 minutes. Jimmy Case had
mishit his shot and it fell to Dalglish on the penalty spot with his back to
goal. With a turn, which was to become a
trademark of the man, he lost his marker, Lacy, and fired a left-foot shot past
Daines. After 20 minutes, Dalglish
doubled his, and his sides, tally.
Heighway set McDermott away on the right, and his cross was poorly dealt
with by the visitors allowing Dalglish to find Ray Kennedy at the far post. His shot was stopped by Perryman almost on the
line and bounced out to Souness to played it back for Case to drive it from
just outside the area. Once again, Case
misdirected his shot but Dalglish was able to turn it in. Then just before half-time the lead was
three. McDermott, wide on the right, hit
a long cross to the far post where Ray Kennedy got up to head in the
third. The visitors went in completely
shell-shocked, but worse was to come for them.
In the second half
Liverpool completely took their opponents apart and it only took three minutes
for them to add to their lead. David
Johnson had come on as a first half substitute for Emlyn Hughes and the change
in formation was to their advantage.
McDermott was again involved down the right and his low cross found
Dalglish on the edge of the area. Some
great one-touch play saw Dalglish knock it back to Johnson, who then found
Souness and he in turn clipped it over Lacy for Dalglish to try and beat Daines
from the right-hand edge of the 6-yard box.
Daines managed to block the shot but it bobbled clear for Johnson to
fire a low shot past three Spurs defenders for 4-0. Ten minutes later and Johnson was at it
again. This move began on the left as
Ray Kennedy found Dalglish in the inside-left position. He waited for Johnson to make a diagonal run
and his pass was perfect to allow Johnson to fire another low shot through
Daines legs for 5-0.
John Duncan produced a
miraculous clearance off the line to deny a 6th goal but then
tripped Heighway in the area to give Phil Neal the simple task of beating an
already demoralised Daines to confirm the 6-0 scoreline. Then came the goal which is still talked
about today. It has to be one of my
favourite goals of all-time and unfortunately I cannot find a clip which
includes enough of the build-up to qualify it as such a classic.
Tottenham have a corner
on the right and defending the near post is Terry McDermott. This is important to picture this in
isolation as it gives you a full appreciation of what follows. The kick is defended and the ball comes to
Dalglish who is about 30 yards from his own goal. Cue a trademark McDermott run. Once you watch the clip you just pick up
McDermott behind Dalglish to his right, with both Argentinians between
them. Dalglish plays a ball to Johnson
who is just inside the Liverpool half, who controls it and hits a right-foot
pass out to Heighway wide on the left wing.
As Johnson plays the pass, McDermott is now just behind him having made
it to the centre circle. The ball from
Johnson is played ahead of Heighway enabling him to run onto and hit a first
time cross into the area where it is met superbly at the back post by
McDermott, who had literally run the full length of the pitch. McDermott met it perfectly to head in the 7th
goal and easily the best of the day. It
was a classic goal and epitomised that Liverpool side and the confidence they
had in their own, and each other’s, ability.
This was record season
for Liverpool as they broke a number of records such as most points, most
goals, fewest goals conceded at home and most clean-sheets on their way to
winning the title. For Tottenham they
recovered to finish 11th.
15th May 1982
LIVERPOOL (0) 3 (Lawrenson
51, Dalglish 55, Whelan 87)
TOTTENHAM (1) 1 (Hoddle 27)
LIVERPOOL: Grobbelaar; Neal, Thompson, Hansen, A.Kennedy; Lee,
Souness, Lawrenson, Whelan; Rush, Dalglish
TOTTENHAM: Clemence; Perryman, Miller, Roberts, Hughton; Brooke,
Hazard, Hoddle, Villa; Crooks (Price), Falco
As 1978-79 had been a
reaction to the disappointment in the League the previous season, so the
1981-82 season had been a reaction to finishing 5th the season
before. When they lost to Manchester
City at home on Boxing Day, Liverpool were back in 12th having
already lost 3 times at Anfield. But
they would lose just twice more as they won an incredible 20 of their final 25
matches. When Tottenham, in 4th,
arrived at Anfield, Liverpool knew a win would see them win the title. Liverpool had already been successful against
Spurs when they came from behind to beat them at Wembley in the League Cup
Final. This season had seen Bob Paisley
make some difficult, but necessary changes to the squad personnel as Ray
Clemence, Ray Kennedy and Jimmy Case departed with youngsters such as Ronnie
Whelan, Ian Rush, Craig Johnston and Bruce Grobbelaar coming in to right a new
chapter in the club’s history.
Tottenham stunned The Kop
as Glenn Hoddle scored a stunning opening goal, but the home side didn’t panic. The visitors had the lead at the break and
then came one of the proudest moments I can recall in a football ground. As Tottenham came out for the second half
they were defending the Kop end. As Ray
Clemence, a former Anfield favourite, was greeted by a standing ovation from the
home crowd .
But pretty soon all
pleasantries were put aside as Liverpool had a Championship to win. A corner from the right was met by Mark
Lawrenson and the scores were level. Then
barely four minutes later, Kenny Dalglish was involved in the build-up which
saw Whelan loop the ball over the defence and Dalglish was one-on-one with
Clemence, and he made no mistake. As Tottenham
managed a couple of chances to try and equalise, news was coming in that
Ipswich were losing at home to Nottingham Forest and then Ronnie Whelan, who’d
broken Spurs hearts at Wembley, scored the third and it was party time at
Anfield. Grobbelaar launched a long-kick
which was poorly dealt with by Miller on the edge of his own area and it fell
to Whelan, who chested it down and as the Spurs defence parted like the Red
Sea, the Irishman was able to fire past Clemence to confirm the win and the
title.
28th September
1985
LIVERPOOL (1) 4 (Lawrenson
44, Rush 56, Molby pen, 61,
pen 67)
TOTTENHAM (0) 1 (Chiedozie 46)
LIVERPOOL: Grobbelaar; Neal, Hansen, Lawrenson, Beglin; Johnston,
McMahon (MacDonald), Molby, Whelan; Rush, Dalglish
TOTTENHAM: Clemence; Thomas, Perryman, Roberts, Hughton; Allen,
Ardiles (Mabbutt), Hoddle; Chiedozie, Falco, Waddle
At the beginning of the
1985-86 season Liverpool were facing a determined challenge from Manchester
United who had won all of their 9 matches.
Liverpool, beaten just once, were in 2nd and keen to win back
their title lost to Everton the previous season. Tottenham were 5th having won their
last 4 matches.
Tottenham had finally
ended their dismal run when they won at Anfield the previous season, for the
first time since 1912, and were keen to make it a double. The first half was a tough affair with
McMahon and Whelan determined to halt any progress the visitors might
make. Then as half-time approached,
Lawrenson ran along the bye-line to beat Clemence from the tightest of angles. But soon after the break, Chiedozie equalised
for Tottenham when he fired a shot high over Grobbelaar. Just over ten minutes later, Beglin’s
measured pass beat the Tottenham defence and Rush shot past Clemence from about
15 yards out. Then just after the hour
Liverpool were awarded two penalties. The
first was for a trip from Hughton on Whelan, and the second was for a foul by
Roberts on Ian Rush. Jan Molby took both
kicks and, unsurprisingly, didn’t miss with either.
A comprehensive win for a
Liverpool side who went onto do ‘the double’.
Liverpool won the title by 2pts from Everton and then beat them 3-1 in
the FA Cup Final. Tottenham finished 10th
in the League.
8th May 1993
LIVERPOOL (2) 6 (Rush 20, 88, Barnes 45, 89, Nethercott
og 49, Walters pen 85)
TOTTENHAM (0) 2 (Sheringham 46,
Sedgeley 77)
LIVERPOOL: Grobbelaar; Jones, Nicol, Wright, Burrows; Walters,
Hutchison, Redknapp, Harkness; Rush, Barnes
TOTTENHAM: Walker; McDonald, Mabbutt, Ruddock, van den Hauwe
(Nethercott); Anderton, Hill, Sedgeley, Watson (Dearden); Sheringham , Allen
The inaugural season of
the Premier League had been a frustrating one for Liverpool as Graeme Souness
had kicked out experienced players and brought in several dubious
replacements. But the final day would
prove to be a classic. Liverpool were
lying in 8th at the start of the day, ahead of Tottenham on goal
difference. They had lost their last two
matches, at Norwich and Oldham and their tally of 15 defeats is one of their
worst records in the top flight.
In the opening stages
Paul Allen rattled the Liverpool crossbar with a header but then on 20 minutes,
Ian Rush opened the scoring. A diagonal ball
from the left found Rush in the area and he fought off Ruddock to fire past Ian
Walker to bring up his 300th goal for the club. As half-time approached Bruce Grobbelaar
pleased the crowd with a customary foray out of his area as he broke down a
Spurs attack and then Redknapp swept the ball out to the right where Mark
Walters showed pace to get to the bye-line.
His cross found Barnes in the area he headed Liverpool into a 2-0 lead.
Some fans had barely
taken their seats for the second period when a ball over the top saw Sheringham
run clear and he slotted it past Grobbelaar to give the visitors some hope. Within minutes, though, the home side
restored their two-goal advantage.
Redknapp on the left wing played it inside to Steve Harkness who fired
past Walker, although this was later credited to Stuart Nethercott as an own
goal. Then as the game moved into the
final quarter of an hour, Anderton, on the right, helped the ball onto Steve
Sedgeley in the area and he managed to beat Mark Wright before his left-foot
shot was too hot for Grobbelaar to handle and Spurs were back in it at 2-3.
But then with five
minutes to go, Barnes cross from the left saw Nethercott foul Rush and Walters
stepped up to fire the penalty under Walker.
Minutes later Spurs made a mess of breaking up another Liverpool attack and
Redknapp pounced on a loose pass to run to the bye-line, pull it back where
Rush bundled in his 2nd of the day to make it 5-2. Then Redknapp was again involved in the
build-up which saw the ball played out to Walters on the right and his cross was
helped on by Rush for Barnes to nod in from close range and Liverpool had
completed an impressive 6-2 win.
Liverpool eventually
finished up 6th with Tottenham in 8th.
10th March
2013
LIVERPOOL (1) 3 (Suarez 21, Downing 66, Gerrard
pen 82)
TOTTENHAM (1) 2 (Vertonghen 45, 53)
LIVERPOOL: Jones; Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Enrique; Downing,
Lucas, Gerrard, Coutinho (Allen); Sturridge (Henderson), Suarez
TOTTENHAM: Lloris; Walker, Vertonghen, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto
(Carroll); Livermore (Holtby), Parker, Dembele, Bale, Sigurdsson; Defoe
In Brendan Rodgers first
season at Liverpool, they were still harbouring hopes of securing European
football when Tottenham arrived in March.
Spurs themselves had an eye on a Champions League place. They were unbeaten in 12 and fresh from a win
in the North London derby. Liverpool,
who’d won 1 of their first 7 matches, were coming off the back of 5-0 and 4-0
wins over Swansea and Wigan, respectively.
Twenty minutes in and Coutinho
found Jose Enrique on the edge of the Spurs area and then ran round him to
receive the return pass and thenthe Uruguayan finished from a tight angle. A the break approached and with Liverpool
keen to close out the half, Tottenham attacked down the right. The ball was played back to Gareth Bale and
his left-foot ball swept into the area found Vertonghen at the back post and
his header left Jones stranded. It was a
frustrating goal for the home side to concede as Johnson didn’t do enough to
challenge the Belgian. Eight minutes
after the break and Bale’s free-kick was floated into the area and as the home
defence failed to clear, the ball dropped for Vertonghen who fired the visitors
into the lead. 1-2.
Liverpool came back,
though, when Kyle Walker on the halfway line played an inexplicable wayward
pass to the edge of his own area where Lloris had to come out and try and
intercept it. But he was beaten to it by
Downing and he ran onto beat Vertonghen on the line to equalise. It was a crazy goal to concede and came soon
after Sigurdsson should’ve put them 2-goals clear. Then, as the game moved into the final 10
minutes, Defoe made a hash of a clearance from a Gerrard free-kick and Suarez
was brought down by Assou-Ekotto and the ref pointed to the spot. Steven Gerrard stepped up to send Lloris the
wrong way and for only the second time that season, Liverpool had come back to
win after going behind.
Liverpool ended the
season in 7th with Tottenham missing out on Champions League football
to Arsenal, finishing in 5th.
HEAD TO HEAD at Anfield
Matches: 50
Liverpool win: 44
Tottenham win: 6
Draws: 20
Liverpool goals: 136
Tottenham goals: 57
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