Five Favourite Wins Against - Everton away

Continuing the series where I look back at my five favourite wins against Liverpool’s next opponents.  This weekend Liverpool travel across Stanley Park for the Merseyside derby to meet Everton and here are my five favourite wins from past encounters.

27^th March 1982

EVERTON   (1)   1   (Sharp 24)

LIVERPOOL   (1)   3   (Whelan 21, Souness 57, Johnston 81)

EVERTON: Southall; Borrows, Higgins, Wright, Ratcliffe; Irvine, McMahon, Ross, Richardson; Heath, Sharp

LIVERPOOL: Grobbelaar; Neal, Lawrenson, Thompson, Kennedy; Lee, Johnston, Souness, Whelan; Rush, Dalglish

Liverpool arrived at Goodison Park in March 1982 having suffered defeat in the League there only once since 1971.  As defending League Champions they were sitting well placed in the League, 4pts behind the leaders, Southampton but with 4 games in hand.  Everton were back in 12^th and on a run of 1 defeat in their last 6 league games, although they’d also only won 1 of those matches too.  Liverpool had won the derby 3-1 at Anfield in November and were in good form having won 4 of their last 5 league games, conceding just twice. 

The game was played at a typically frenetic pace, with tackles flying in everywhere in an era when challenges like that were still allowed.  20 minutes in and Liverpool attacked with Johnston’s header coming back off the bar.  Rush was unable to convert the chance but it fell to Ronnie Whelan to hit a shot through a crowd of players and past Southall for the opening goal.  Everton were determined to get back into the game immediately and their pressure forced a corner taken on the left by Kevin Richardson.  Grobbelaar’s punch failed to clear the danger and Graeme Sharp stabbed the ball home for the equaliser barely 3 minutes after Whelan’s goal.  Adrian Heath then had a chance he should’ve hit the target with and then a good move on the right from Liverpool, saw Dalglish and Whelan combine to give Phil Neal a chance to convert but the England right-back was reluctant to use his left foot and his shot went wide.  Rush finished off the chances in the first half after a good bustling run from Alan Kennedy, but he dragged his shot wide of the post.

Early in the second half Graeme Souness had a shot from outside the area go just over the bar after Brian Borrows had failed to clear a Dalglish cross.  But then as the hour approached, Lee found Dalglish on the right edge of the area and his customary shielding of the ball allowed Souness to fire a right foot shot into the Everton net to restore the visitors lead.  The game was still being played at a blistering pace and in one moment, Liverpool turned defence into attack with three great passes from Kennedy to Dalglish to Rush, who put Johnston through but his shot went over.  Everton were trying to force their way back into the game as Grobbelaar was called upon to save well from Trevor Ross and then Graeme Sharp, who both had long range efforts denied.  Then as the game entered the final 10 minutes, Souness played Rush in on the left of the area and his ball into the area was turned in by Craig Johnston who floated his shot over Southall’s despairing outstretched left hand.  That effectively killed off any threat the home side could muster and Liverpool had done the double over their nearest rivals.  This game became the 3^rd in a run of 11 straight wins as Liverpool powered their way to another title.  Everton ended 8^th as Howard Kendall was beginning to have the makings of a side which would become dominant in English football in years to come.

6^th November 1982

EVERTON   (0)   0

LIVERPOOL   (1)   5   (Rush 11, 51, 71, 85, Lawrenson 55)

EVERTON: Southall; Borrows, Wright, Keeley, Bailey; King, McMahon, Sheedy; Heath, Johnson (Richardson), Sharp

LIVERPOOL: Grobbelaar; Neal, Thompson, Hansen, Kennedy; Lee, Lawrenson, Souness, Johnston; Rush, Dalglish (Hodgson)

The following November, Liverpool were at Goodison Park having just knocked HJK Helsinki out of the European Cup in midweek.  Their League form had seen them beaten just twice in 12 matches, whereas Everton had suffered 5 such setbacks already.  Everton were unbeaten at home, though, winning 4 of their 6 matches at Goodison.  Over 52,000 packed into the ground and witnessed a goalscoring masterclass.

On a windy Saturday in November, Billy Wright should’ve given the home side the lead when he failed to keep his header down, despite being unchallenged.  Just after 10 minutes gone and Alan Hansen intercepted a pass from Andy King in midfield and started out on a familiar charge forward.  He slipped one challenge in the centre circle and then played a perfectly weighted pass for Ian Rush to run onto and he calmly slotted the ball past Southall to give the visitors the lead.  Within minutes a ball forward on the right from Sammy Lee found Rush clear of the defence again, but his shot hit the bar.  Everton were getting torn apart by the sheer pace of Rush.  Southall was being let down by his defence and one such chance saw him pull off a great reaction save from a Dalglish header.  A ball cleared out of defence was again clumsily dealt with by Glenn Keeley, allowing Rush to put Dalglish in but his shot narrowly went over.  The game was not yet at the halfway mark and yet Liverpool could’ve had 5.  In a controversial moment, Dalglish headed Liverpool further in front only to find the linesman had put his flag up for offside.  The referee initially ignored it but Everton’s protests were enough to persuade him to consult his assistant and the goal was chalked off.  Back then replays weren’t shown from all angles, but looking at the footage again the flag was definitely down when the ball was played.  Soon after, Hansen’s ball from the back saw Dalglish get clear of Keeley but the Everton defender, on loan from Blackburn, pulled him back and gave the referee no option but to send him off.  It was Keeley’s first appearance for the Blues and he’d now left his side completely in the lurch.  From the resulting free-kick, Sammy Lee’s shot hit the wall but as it bounced around he had another go and hit the bar with the ball bouncing back off Southall, agonizingly wide of the post.  Liverpool were relentless and even Mark Lawrenson got in on the act but his header was just wide.  The pace had again been frenetic and somehow there was only 1 goal in it at half-time although Everton looked shell-shocked.

Early in the second period Hansen again brought the ball out from the back and found Rush, about 30 yards out.  He ran forward and then hit a shot which got deflected, leaving Southall stranded.  Finally Liverpool had doubled their lead.  Lawrenson, playing in midfield, then charged forward releasing Rush on the left.  His looping cross was headed just wide by Dalglish.  But it wasn’t long before another goal came.  Lee took a quick throw on the right and Everton were caught sleeping, as Dalglish was clear.  His ball across the face of the goal was turned in at the far post by Lawrenson.  Ten minutes later and a wonderful quick passing move involving Souness, Dalglish and Rush ended with the Welshman converting the chance, only to see the linesman had raised his flag for offside.  Dalglish was orchestrating things and during one move he played a ball out to Rush on the right from the centre-circle, and was then on hand to receive it back on the edge of the area only to find his shot was straight at Southall.

With 20 minutes still remaining, Dalglish again put Rush through and he was clear of the defence, but his shot hit the post.  As it came back Rush had time to fire the rebound back in past Southall for his hat-trick, the first in a Merseyside derby since 1935 (thanks Motty!).  With 5 minutes to go the game resembled a training ground outing as Lee was given too much time in midfield and as he watched for the runs ahead of him, he picked out Rush and yet again he was clear of the defence and he neatly pushed the ball past Southall and then passed it into the net for his 4^th goal.  It was a horror show for the home side but Rush hit the headlines on a day when Liverpool could’ve hit double figures.

In Paisley’s final year as manager they picked up the League again and the League Cup again.  Everton finished 7^th in the League, denying another double for Liverpool with a 0-0 draw at Anfield.

23^rd September 1989

EVERTON   (1)   1   (Newell 18)

LIVERPOOL   (1)   3   (Barnes 33, Rush 62, 64)

EVERTON: Southall; Snodin, Ratcliffe, Watson, Pointon (McDonald); Nevin, McCall, Sheedy; Newell, Sharp, Whiteside (Rehn)

LIVERPOOL: Grobbelaar; Nicol, Hysen, Hansen, Burrows; Venison, McMahon, Whelan; Beardsley, Rush, Barnes

For the first Merseyside derby in the 1989-90 season, Everton were top of the table with Liverpool in second.  Liverpool were unbeaten in the League having recently put 9 past Crystal Palace, with Everton having won 4 of their last 5.

In front of 41,000, Everton were really up for this one.  Sheedy had a shot from a free-kick saved by Grobbelaar and then a ball through by Nevin found Newell in on goal and he managed to squirt it past the Liverpool keeper to give the home side the lead.  Liverpool then hit back as Venison’s ball into the area was headed against the post by Rush.  Meanwhile, down at the other end, Sheedy’s free-kick from the right was headed against the bar by Sharp as both sides threatened to increase the scoring.  Then just after the half hour, good work on the right by Beardsley saw his find some space to cross and John Barnes headed the equaliser.  The game was poised level at half-time with the home side having the better of the first half exchanges, but midway through the second period Liverpool pounced and put the game beyond them.

Beardsley was again the instigator as he swept the play from right to left to find Barnes on the wing.  He skinned Snodin and then his low cross was turned in by Ian Rush.  Before Everton had managed to re-group, Beardsley was again on the ball and waited until the right moment to put Rush away again.  His shot bounced up off Southall and Rush was able to bundle it over the line for his second in two minutes and Liverpool were now 3-1 up.  Southall was called upon to deny Rush yet another hat-trick but Liverpool were comfortable winners in the end.  Liverpool were again Champions that season, winning the title by 9pts.  Everton finished 6^th as Liverpool once again did the double over their nearest rivals.

16^th April 2001

EVERTON   (1)   2   (Ferguson 42, Unsworth pen 83)

LIVERPOOL   (1)   3   (Heskey 5, Babbel 58, McAllister 90)

EVERTON: Gerrard; Watson (Pistone), Gough (Alexandersson), Weir, Unsworth, Ball; Xavier, Nyarko, Gemmill; Campbell, Ferguson

LIVERPOOL: Westerveld; Babbel, Hyypia, Henchoz, Carragher; Smicer, Hamann, Biscan, McAllister; Heskey, Fowler (Vignal)

When Liverpool turned up at Goodison Park in 2001 they were chasing honours on three front.  They had already picked up the Worthington Cup beating Birmingham on penalties, and were still in the UEFA and FA Cups.  They were also chasing a top four finish for Champions League qualification.  Everton were back in 15^th and desperate for points to continue their Premier League status.  The fixture pile-up was such for Liverpool that they were embarking on 5 games in 12 days.  They’d have a UEFA Cup Semi-Final 2^nd leg against Barcelona coming up three days after this clash.

Just 5 minutes into the game a ball knocked forward by Hamann saw Heskey able to run clear of the defence and as Gerrard came out, Heskey finished in style for the opening goal of the game.  Both sides has chances to add to the scoring but it took until just before half-time when Ferguson headed on a long ball from midfield and as Hyypia and Henchoz combined to stop Scott Gemmill, the ball broke for Ferguson to drill it home for the equaliser.  1-1 at the break and the game was getting tense.  Midway through the second half, Everton had a free-kick which Liverpool kept out and the ball dropped to Hamann who turned and sent Fowler away down the left and his ball into the box was missed by Smicer and there was Markus Babbel up from right back to fire the ball home to put the visitors back in front.  Liverpool had just been beaten by Leeds United to find themselves 6pts behind them in the chase for 4^th place and they were desperate for the points.

Liverpool attacked again on the hour and Smicer tried to play Fowler in, but he appeared to be impeded by Gough.  Referee Jeff Winter pointed to the spot, for what appeared to be a dubious penalty.  Fowler took responsibility for the kick but hit the post.  Everton pressed forward as they needed the points too, and as one cross came in, Hyypia was penalised for holding Ferguson and Winter again pointed to the spot.  There were just 7 minutes left and David Unsworth made no mistake from the spot and Liverpool were looking like they’d thrown it away.  Liverpool were desperate for a way to force a win but chance after chance went begging.  Deep into injury time, Gregory Vignal surged forward to be held back by Alexandersson and Liverpool were awarded a free-kick about 45 yards out.  McAllister elected to take it as the players grouped around the edge of the box on the right-hand side.  McAllister looked for all the world like he would float a ball into the area, and with the Everton keeper, Gerrard, expecting just that, he hit a dipping shot straight inside the keeper’s right-hand post for a dramatic winner in the 4^th minute of stoppage time.

It was a spiteful game with Everton having 6 players booked and Liverpool had Biscan receive his marching orders after 78 minutes.  But the points were crucial as Liverpool went onto the claim 3rd place, as well as win the FA Cup and UEFA Cup in a memorable season.  Everton ended two places above the relegation zone although their margin of 8pts gave them more comfort than the position would suggest.

30^th August 2003

EVERTON   (0)   0

LIVERPOOL   (1)   3   (Owen 38, 52, Kewell 79)

EVERTON: Wright; Pistone, Stubbs, Unsworth (Gravesen), Yobo; Watson, Pembridge, Linderoth (Ferguson), Naysmith; Rooney, Radzinski

LIVERPOOL: Dudek; Biscan, Hyypia, Carragher, Finnan; Smicer, Gerrard, Kewell; Diouf, Owen, Baros

The 2003-04 season was only two weeks old when these two heavyweights clashed at Goodison.  Liverpool had yet to register a win in their three league outings so far this season.  Everton had a win, loss and draw under their belts.

Everton could consider themselves unlucky in this game although Liverpool’s finishing was far more clinical and ultimately, that’s what made the difference.  Steven Gerrard was immense in this game, driving his side forward and encouraging Smicer, Kewell and Diouf to have their better performances in a red shirt.  Rooney had chances for the home side but was probably short of match fitness to make a telling contribution.

Seven minutes before half-time and Michael Owen finally broke the deadlock.  Kewell played a through ball for Owen to run onto and he deftly touched it past Simonsen and then rolled it in off a post.  That gave the visitors a half-time lead and then seven minutes into the second half and Owen had doubled his, and his side’s, lead.  Baros was involved this time and Owen finished in style to grab his second when he’d hardly had more chances up to that point.

Rooney had chances immediately after each of Owen’s strikes and Ferguson curled a free-kick against the underside of the bar to frustrate the home fans further.  Then as the game moved towards its final 10 minutes, Simonsen came out to try and thwart Owen but the England striker’s cross found Kewell who drove past the despairing Naysmith on the line.  It was Kewell’s first goal for Liverpool and crowned a fine win.  Liverpool manager, Gerard Houllier became the first Liverpool manager to win four times in a row at Goodison Park.

Liverpool ended the season 4^th with Everton struggling again down in 17^th.

HEAD TO HEAD at Goodison Park

Matches: 108

Liverpool win: 39

Everton win: 40

Draws: 29

Liverpool goals: 132

Everton goals: 136

Five Favourite Wins Against - Fulham at Anfield

Continuing the series where I look back at my five favourite wins by Liverpool against their upcoming opponents.  This weekend Liverpool play against Fulham at Anfield.  Here are my five favourite wins from past encounters.

23^rd September 1986, League Cup Second Round, 1^st leg

LIVERPOOL   (4)   10   (Rush 8, 76, Wark 10, 63, Whelan 28, McMahon 44, 66, 71, 79, Nicol 83)

FULHAM   (0)   0  

LIVERPOOL: Grobbelaar; Gillespie, Lawrenson, Hansen, Beglin; Nicol, Wark, McMahon, Whelan; Rush Dalglish

FULHAM: Vaughan; Marshall, Scott, Hoddy, Cottington; Achampong, Lewington, Barnett, Parker; Coney, Kerrins

This series has solely concentrated on First Division/Premier League meetings since 1975.  However, there haven’t been as many games between these two at Anfield during that time, as other fixtures.  So, I’ve included a couple of League Cup meetings.  The first is a classic encounter from the 1986-87 season.

The League Cup, sponsored by Littlewoods, had reached the Second Round which was over two legs.  However, after the first 45 minutes the tie was effectively over.  Liverpool, who were double winners the season before had just been beaten at Southampton in the League.  Fulham were in the Third Division (now League One) having suffered relegation the season before, had just won games against Bolton and Notts County and in buoyant mood.  But it was all to come crashing down around them.

Only 13,498 turned up at Anfield but those who did were in for a real treat.  Fulham could’ve taken the lead but Dean Coney miscued his shot and the chance had gone begging.  Then 8 minutes in and Ian Rush put the home side in front.  Two minutes later and John Wark had doubled the lead.  Ronnie Whelan grabbed the third goal before Steve McMahon made it 4-0 just before half-time.  McMahon was to end up with the man-of-the-match award to cap a memorable night for Dalglish’s first signing as manager.  In the second half was when the home side ran riot but they didn’t add to their tally until after the hour when John Wark scored his 2^nd of the night.  Three minutes later and McMahon got his 2^nd as well as Liverpool moved into a 6-0 lead.  Liverpool were then awarded a penalty, which McMahon took to try and complete his hat-trick – he missed.  But it didn’t take him long to make amends as McMahon got his third on 71 minutes.  Ian Rush, who started it all, then scored his 2^nd of the night to make it 8-0, before McMahon netted his 4^th of the night to make it 9-0.  With still 7 minutes on the clock, Steve Nicol became the 5^th scorer of the night and Liverpool had reached double figures.  10-0 is still a record in the League Cup and was just one of those nights when everything went right for the home side and wrong for the visitors.

Ian Rush later described their finishing as ‘razor-sharp’ and said the keeper ‘didn’t stand a chance’.  He also reckoned he could’ve had 4 goals himself but had to settle for just 2.  Liverpool went onto win the 2^nd leg 3-2 for an easy aggregate win, 13-2.  They reached the Final of the competition but lost to Arsenal, 1-2 in the first game they had lost when Ian Rush scored.  They would also finish 2^nd in the League to Everton.  Fulham finished 18^th in the Third Division, just 3 places off another relegation.

5^th October 1993, League Cup Second Round, 2^nd Leg

LIVERPOOL   (2)   5   (Fowler 13, 21, 47, 55, 70)

FULHAM   (0)   0  

LIVERPOOL: Grobbelaar; Jones, Wright, Ruddock, Dicks; Stewart, Clough, Redknapp, Hutchisonn; Fowler, Rush

FULHAM: Stannard; Morgan, Angus, Ferney, Pike; Eckhardt, Thomas, Onwere, Kelly (Jupp); Farrell, Brazil

Seven years after suffering their worst defeat back in 1986, Fulham were drawn against Liverpool again in the League Cup Second Round.  Fulham were still in the third tier of English football and had beaten Colchester to get here.  Another sparse crowd for a League Cup match turned up and witnessed a goalscoring sensation come of age.  The game was all about one man, Robbie Fowler.

Liverpool had won the 1^st leg, 3-1 with Fowler scoring the third goal.  It was his debut for the club, which made his exploits in the 2^nd leg all the more reason to take notice.  Within the opening 15 minutes of the 2^nd leg, he’d extended Liverpool’s aggregate lead.  Rob Jones hit a powerful shot from about 30 yards which Fulham keeper, Jim Stannard could only parry, and the 18 year old Fowler pounced to open the scoring.  Soon after, Liverpool had a free-kick in the penalty area, and instead of blasting the ball at the wall, Ruddock played it square where Fowler fired it into the net for his 2^nd of the night.  2-0 it was at half-time but the second half belonged to Fowler.  Within two minutes of the re-start, Fowler completed his hat-trick as Rob Jones joined the attack on the right and squared the ball for Fowler to score from close range.  Before then, Grobbelaar had been called upon to make a double save to deny the visitors but that was really the last they were able to muster by way of a challenge.

Ten minutes into the second half and Fowler had his 4^th goal as he headed in a Julian Dicks cross.  Liverpool were now rampant as the visitors suffered for the their first-half efforts and with still 20 minutes of the game remaining, Jamie Redknapp played a great through ball for Fowler to run onto and slotted the ball past Stannard for his 5^th goal of the night.  He became the 5^th Liverpool player to score 5 goals or more in the same game, and had announced himself on the stage with a bang.  5 goals, one with his head, one with his right and the other three with his left.

This was a disappointing season for both clubs.  Liverpool finished 8^th in the League.  They went out in Round Four of the League Cup losing to Wimbledon in a penalty shootout and then suffered the embarrassment of being dumped out in the FA Cup at home to Bristol City.  For Fulham, this season represented a nadir as they were relegated to English football’s basement.

15^th March 2006

LIVERPOOL   (2)   5   (Fowler 16, Brown og 34, Morientes 70, Crouch 89, Warnock 90)

FULHAM   (1)   1   (John 25)

LIVERPOOL: Reina; Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Traore; Garcia, Gerrard, Hamann, Kewell (Warnock); Morientes (Crouch), Fowler (Cisse)

FULHAM: Warner; Knight, Rosenior, Pearce, Bridge; Pembridge, Brown, Malbranque, Radzinski; Boa Morte, John

Twelve and a half years after Robbie Fowler tormented Fulham in the League Cup, he was back at Anfield in his second spell with the club.  He’d had a goal disallowed on his first game back against Birmingham but had yet to find the net after his dream move back to the place where he made his name.  It was almost as if he was waiting for Fulham, as 16 minutes into the game he gave the home side the lead.

Harry Kewell took a corner on the left which was flicked on by Luis Garcia and Fowler was at the far post to head the ball in.  The crowd went wild and Fowler had now drawn level with Kenny Dalglish in the all-time goalscoring list for the club with 172 goals.  Ten minutes later and Collins John had equalised for the visitors as he ran onto a good ball from Boa Morte.  Fulham were sitting in 16^th place in the Premier League, which illustrated how far the club had come since the ‘Fowler-game’ in 1993.  After 34 minutes Liverpool restored their lead when Fowler and Garcia combined to put Kewell away on the right and his cross was turned into his own net by Michael Brown.

In the second half Luis Garcia was unlucky to hit the angle of the post and bar and then in the 70^th minute Cisse’s header was palmed out by former Liverpool reserve keeper, Tony Warner, and Fernando Morientes was on hand to turn the ball in for his first goal for three months.  As full time approached, Benitez sent on Peter Crouch to replace Morientes and he scored Liverpool’s 4^th.  Cisse’s cross into the area was volleyed back across by Gerrard and Crouch converted the opportunity.  Soon after, in injury time, Steve Finnan’s close range shot was blocked by Warner only for Stephen Warnock to score his first goal for Liverpool and complete the scoring.  5-1 probably flattered the home side as Fulham had done well to repel them for most of the game but the night belonged to Fowler.

Liverpool ended the season 3^rd in the table and won the FA Cup beating West Ham on penalties.  Fulham finished the season in 12^th comfortably clear of relegation.

9^th December 2006

LIVERPOOL   (0)   4   (Gerrard 54, Carragher 60, Garcia 66, Gonzalez 90)

FULHAM   (0)   0 

LIVERPOOL: Reina; Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Riise; Garcia (Fowler), Gerrard, Alonso; Pennant, Kuyt (Gonzalez), Bellamy (Crouch)

FULHAM: Lastuvka; Knight, Volz, Pearce, Rosenior; Boa Morte, Jensen, Brown, Diop (Christanval); McBride (John), Radzinski

Fulham’s next visit to Anfield was another blow to their goal difference.  Liverpool were in 5^th after 16 matches and still unbeaten at home.  Fulham were down in 13^th with just 1 win on the road.  Liverpool had just returned from Turkey in their latest Champions League group match where they would eventually reach the Final.

Both sides had chances in the first half with Pennant and Kuyt going close for the home side and McBride being denied by a great save from Reina.  The first half ended goalless, more due to Liverpool’s lack of a cutting edge in front of goal, than a determined Fulham defensive display, although there was no doubt they were making it difficult.

Ten minutes into the second period and Liverpool were awarded a penalty.  Ian Pearce blocked a shot from Dirk Kuyt and the referee had no doubt about the decision.  Steven Gerrard stepped up and hit it low to the keeper’s left, but Lastuvka saved it only for Gerrard to score from the rebound.  This seemed to be the breakthrough Liverpool required as they now stormed the Fulham goal.  Gerrard took a corner on the left which Agger flicked on and at the far post, Jamie Carragher arrived to stab the ball home.  It was Carragher’s first goal since he scored in the 7-1 win over Southampton in January 1999.  Six minutes later and Kuyt took a throw on the left wing to Alonso who turned back onto his right foot and his cross was converted by Luis Garcia with a glancing header and Liverpool were 3-0 up having scored 3 in 12 minutes.

Fulham were now just playing out time but Liverpool weren’t finished as Benitez sent on Gonzalez, Crouch and Fowler.  It was Fowler who was brought down just outside the area by Boa Morte as he ran at the Fulham defence.  From the resulting free-kick, Mark Gonzalez stepped up and curled the ball beautifully past Lastuvka to complete the scoring.  Fulham must’ve been getting fed-up with Anfield as they’d turned up twice in 2006 and conceded 9.

Liverpool ended the season in 3^rd in the League and were beaten finalists in the Champions League.  Fulham finished 16^th just 1pt above the relegation zone.

22^nd December 2012

LIVERPOOL   (2)   4   (Skrtel 8, Gerrard 36, Downing 52, Suarez 90)

FULHAM   (0)   0

LIVERPOOL: Reina; Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Enrique; Gerrard, Lucas (Carragher); Suso (Sterling), Shelvey (Allen), Downing; Suarez

FULHAM: Schwarzer; Riether, Hangeland, Hughes, Riise; Kacaniklic (Rodallega), Baird, Karagounis, Richardson (Frei); Dejagah, Berbatov

As Christmas 2012 approached these two clubs were next to each other in the table with Liverpool 12^th and Fulham 13^th.  After recovering from a poor start, Liverpool had begun to find some form under Brendan Rodgers but were brought back down to earth the week before when Aston Villa comfortably beat them at Anfield.  Fulham, though, were in worse shape as they’d only won 1 of their previous 9 coming into this fixture.

These were still early days of the new Rodgers-regime at Anfield and you were never really sure what you were going to get.  But from a Steven Gerrard corner on the right the ball dropped to Martin Skrtel who thumped it into the back of the net, to give the home side an 8^th minute lead.  Liverpool then doubled their lead 10 minutes before the break from a lovely flowing move.  Shelvey began things in the centre-circle, finding Glen Johnson alone on the right touchline.  Johnson took the ball down with his chest and ran at the Fulham defence, eventually cutting inside to lay the ball back to Stewart Downing.  Downing had just spotted a diagonal run from Gerrard and he played a beautifully weighted ball past three defenders for the Liverpool captain to run onto and he finished in style in the bottom corner.  Downing’s brief Liverpool career looked to at an end as the manager had made it very clear he doubted the England winger’s value to the team.  But this game was to delay his execution to the end of the season.

Seven minutes into the second half and Downing showed more evidence of his talent as Gerrard found him on the right wing and as he reached the area, he cut onto his left foot and unleashed a fierce shot which went inside the keeper’s near post.  It was Downing’s first Premier League goal since arriving at the club in July 2011 and Liverpool were now comfortably in a three goal lead.  Fulham’s keeper, Mark Schwarzer, did his best to keep the score down but in injury time great work from Jose Enrique down the left, saw him pull the ball back from the bye-line and Luis Suarez scored to give Liverpool their biggest win of the season at Anfield thus far.  Of Downing, Rodgers said after that he would consider keeping the player if he continued to put in performances like that.  Downing was able to delay his eventual transfer to the summer when he moved to West Ham.

Liverpool eventually found some consistency with their play and ended 7^th in the League.  Fulham were rarely away from mid-table for the rest of the season as they ended 12^th.

HEAD TO HEAD at Anfield

Matches: 30

Liverpool win: 22

Fulham win: 1

Draws: 7

Liverpool goals: 81

Fulham goals: 17