Five Favourite Wins Against - Tottenham away

Continuing the series where I look back at my five favourite wins the Liverpool’s next opponents.  This weekend Liverpool travel to the White Hart Lane to meet Tottenham and here are my five favourite wins from past encounters.

13^th December 1975

TOTTENHAM   (0)   0  

LIVERPOOL   (1)   4   (Keegan 43, Case 54, Neal 74, Heighway 86)

TOTTENHAM: Jennings; Naylor, Osgood, Young, McAllister; Perryman, Pratt, McNab, Neighbour; Duncan (Walford), Jones

LIVERPOOL: Clemence; Smith, Thompson, Hughes, Neal; Case, Cormack (Fairclough), Callaghan; Keegan, Toshack, Heighway

Tottenham turned entertained Liverpool at White Hart Lane in December 1975 with a record of never beating Liverpool in a League game since Martin Chivers and Martin Peters scored in a 2-0 win in September 1971.  They’d picked up just 1pt in the four meetings since between the clubs since then.

Tottenham were managed by Terry Neill, who would last the season before Arsenal recruited him.  In the Spurs side that day were three players who would follow him to Highbury, Pat Jennings, Willie Young and Steve Walford.  Liverpool were sitting in second place behind QPR on goal average (a method then used by the league to separate sides on the same points).  Their form had slipped slightly in recent weeks without a win from their last 4 matches.  Tottenham were lying in 13^th but had suffered just 1 defeat in their last 13 outings, having started the season with 4 defeats in their opening 7 games.

Liverpool had won the corresponding fixture at Anfield in August when they came back from 0-2 down to win 3-2.  Keegan, Case and Heighway scored the goals that day, and were again on the scoresheet this time round.  It was Keegan who opened the scoring two minutes before half-time.  Liverpool, who were keen to get back to winning ways before QPR visited Anfield a week later, then went 2-0 up inside 10 minutes after the break when Jimmy Case grabbed the second goal.  Case had scored a hat-trick in midweek when they disposed of Slask Wroclaw of Poland on their way to the UEFA Cup Final.

Phil Neal then made the win fairly certain when he scored Liverpool’s third as the game reached its final quarter of an hour.  The scoring was completed by Heighway with four minutes to go and Liverpool were comfortable winners.  It was an important victory as QPR dropped a point at home to Derby the same day.

Liverpool won the League that season with a final game victory over Wolves as QPR had waited nervously for the result, having finished their campaign 10 days earlier.  Liverpool also picked up the UEFA Cup that year too.  Tottenham ended the season in 9^th, but were relegated the following season.

8^th March 1980, FA Cup Sixth Round

TOTTENHAM   (0)   0 

LIVERPOOL   (1)   1   (McDermott 38)

TOTTENHAM: Daines; McAllister, Perryman, Miller, Hughton; Yorath, Ardiles, Hoddle, Villa (Pratt); Armstrong, Falco

LIVERPOOL: Clemence; Neal, Thompson, Hansen, A. Kennedy; Case, McDermott, Souness, R. Kennedy; Johnson, Dalglish

Although this series concentrates on League matches, it was impossible to leave this game out if only for the goal that won it.

The FA Cup had reached the Quarter-Finals stage as Liverpool had progressed without conceding a goal, having seen off Grimsby (5-0), Nottingham Forest (2-0) and Bury (2-0).  Tottenham had needed replays to get past Manchester United and Swindon before beating Birmingham (3-1) in the Fifth Round. 

Liverpool were top of the League at the time, and had just won the Merseyside derby 2-1 at Goodison Park.  Tottenham were down in 13^th although they’d recently beaten Coventry and Leeds United and a capacity crowd were hopeful they could keep this cup run going.

Terry McDermott scored some wonderful goals in his career at Anfield.  You can log onto youtube and spend a whole evening watching many of them.  In fact, a top 10 of his best goals would still find you leaving out some which would get into other player’s top 10s.  Having opened the season with two classy goals in the Charity Shield against Arsenal, his return of 16 for the season was the first time he’d hit double figures in his career.  He would go onto better that in the next two seasons but his goal in this game will be remembered by many who enjoyed his particular brand of midfield play.

These days pundits and graphics innovators would be relishing tracking his movement around the pitch and much of his success was down to his ability to anticipate the play.  With Dalglish often playing a deeper role than other strikers, this allowed McDermott to find space in penalty areas with defenders otherwise occupied.

But this goal was another of McDermott’s trademarks.  A shot from outside the box.  Tottenham were defending down near their left corner flag as Ardiles desperately tried to clear the danger, but his ball aimlessly played to the inside right position had been anticipated by McDermott and he was first to react.  Using the pace of the ball, McDermott flicked it up with his right foot before volleying it past Daines into the top corner.  He was about 25 yards out and the ball flew into the net to leave everybody gasping.

It would later go on to be voted Goal of the Season.

It was a goal worthy of winning any football match and had won Liverpool a place in the Semi-Finals where they were involved in a titanic tussle with Arsenal, who would eventually go on to reach the Final, where they were beaten by a rare Trevor Brooking header.

For Tottenham it would prove to be the last FA Cup match they lost until Everton beat them in February 1983.  A run of 19 matches.

4^th November 1990

TOTTENHAM   (0)   1   (Lineker 50)

LIVERPOOL   (1)   3   (Rush 38, 48, Beardsley 67)

TOTTENHAM: Thorstvedt; Bergsson (Thomas), Sedgeley, Mabbutt, van den Hauwe; Stewart, Allen, Gascoigne, Howells; Nayim (Walsh), Lineker

LIVERPOOL: Grobbelaar; Burrows, Hysen, Gillespie, Staunton, Ablett; Nicol, McMahon, Molby; Rush, Barnes (Beardsley)

Liverpool arrived at White Hart Lane in November 1990 in scintillating form.  They were unbeaten from the start of the season, winning 10 of their 11 games so far.  Only 5 clubs had managed to score against them.  Tottenham too, were unbeaten although they’d only managed to win 6 of their matches, but had only conceded 4 goals up to this point.  Liverpool were the defending League Champions.

Liverpool manager, Kenny Dalglish, outwitted his counterpart, Terry Venables, with a formation which nullified Spurs most attacking options.  David Burrows did such a good marking job on Paul Gascoigne that the England man resorted to fouls to vent his frustration.  Liverpool suffered an early blow when John Barnes suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury.  Beardsley was his replacement and would have a hand in an impressive victory.

McMahon and Nicol combined well on the right and then Molby produced an impudent chip to release Ian Rush.  The home defence hesitated and Rush made them pay with the opening goal 7 minutes from the break.  Early in the second half, Rush doubled the lead with his 10^th goal of the season.  The move was started by Beardsley and again involved Molby with Burrows too in evidence.  Tottenham hit back almost immediately as Lineker pounced on a loose ball in the area and his low shot was too hot for Grobbelaar to keep out. 

But the home side were unable to make any further impression as Liverpool were in complete control, and Bruce Grobbelaar, making his 500^th appearance for Liverpool, was untroubled.  Rush then turned provider as he laid on a chance for Beardsley and the little striker tucked the ball away to give Liverpool a 3-1 win.  Liverpool restored their 4pt lead at the top, but would be ultimately disappointed in a tempestuous season which saw the resignation of Kenny Dalglish.  Arsenal won the League by 7pts from Liverpool in 2^nd place and Tottenham finished down in 10^th, although they had the FA Cup to celebrate when they beat Nottingham Forest.

16^th March 2003

TOTTENHAM   (0)   2   (Tarrico 49, Sheringham 87)

LIVERPOOL   (0)   3   (Owen 51, Heskey 72, Gerrard 82)

TOTTENHAM: Keller; Carr, Perry, Thatcher, Tarrico (Freund); Davies, Poyet, Doherty (Slabber), Etherington, Bunjevcevic; Sheringham

LIVERPOOL: Dudek; Traore, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise; Gerrard, Hamann (Diao), Murphy; Diouf, Owen, Heskey

With just 9 games to go in the 2002-03 season, Liverpool were 6^th in the table looking to move above Chelsea if they could win at White Hart Lane.  Tottenham were down in 10^th, although could move to within a point of their opponents if they could prevail.

This was the season when Liverpool, managed by Gerard Houllier, suffered one of the worst runs in living memory when they went 11 games without a win.  Up to this match they had lost once in their last 7 and were still pushing for a Champions League place.  Tottenham had won just once in their previous 5 as they were beginning to drop away from the Europe places.

The game was all about two players.  Jerzy Dudek and El-Hadji Diouf.  Diouf had just come from his disgusting spitting incident at Celtic in the UEFA Cup in the week.  Predictably, he was booed from the start and it seemed that Spurs defender, Mauricio Taricco, was intent in winding him up to get another reaction from the African.  It was Taricco who put the home side in front early in the second half when his shot from 25 yards squirmed under Dudek’s body and rolled over the line.  Dudek later claimed to be ‘surprised by the trajectory’ but this mistake was becoming an all-too familiar occurrence for the visiting fans.

Liverpool responded almost immediately as Steven Gerrard was heavily involved in setting up Michael Owen to score from close range.  Dudek was seen to punch the air in celebration and was no doubt a very relieved man.  In the 72^nd minute it was the Spurs keeper’s turn to make a mistake.  Kasey Keller’s clearance was intended for Matthew Etherington but it went to Jamie Carragher who then slipped it to Gerrard.  Gerrard’s cross from the right was headed it by Heskey at the far post and Liverpool had come from behind to lead.  Inside the final 10 minutes and Liverpool extended their lead when the visitors broke quickly from a Tottenham corner and Danny Murphy’s great pass to Gerrard allowed him to beat Ben Thatcher for pace and score with a low drive.

Spurs pulled a goal back when Teddy Sheringham hit a low shot past Dudek, but the home side were well beaten.  In the end, Liverpool finished in 5^th, 3pts behind Chelsea but they had the Worthington Cup to celebrate when they beat Manchester United in the Final in Cardiff.  Tottenham finished down in 10^th.

11^th May 2008

TOTTENHAM   (0)   0

LIVERPOOL   (0)   2   (Voronin 69, Torres, 74)

TOTTENHAM: Cerny; Gilberto, Dawson (Bent), Woodgate, Hutton; O’Hara (Huddlestone), Jenas (Tainio), Zokora, Malbranque; Berbatov, Keane

LIVERPOOL: Reina; Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Insua; Kuyt (Lucas), Gerrard, Mascherano, Babel (Benayoun); Voronin (Finnan), Torres

The last time Liverpool won at White Hart Lane.  It was the final day of the 2007-08 season and Liverpool had already secured 4^th place, and travelled to London to meet a Spurs side who were down in 11^th.  Spurs, managed by Juande Ramos, had endured a frustrating season. They’d finally lifted some silverware when they won the Carling Cup, but their League form had been patchy.  They came into the game unbeaten in 5 yet had won just once in their past 6.  Liverpool were unbeaten in 7 and had been beaten once in their previous 15.  They had also narrowly lost in the Champions League Semi-Final to Chelsea.

The game, and much of Liverpool’s season, was about Fernando Torres.  He stood one goal away from breaking Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record for most goals by a foreign player in their first season in English football.  The £21.5m Spanish striker had repaid the fee with interest as his goals had lit up the Premier League and given Liverpool fans hope of a much missed League title.

A goalless first half with few chances had seen the visitors as the more inventive but early in the second period, Torres almost got his goal as Cerny, in the Spurs goal, managed to keep the shot out with his feet.  With just over 20 minutes to go, Arbeloa played a ball forward from the halfway line, Torres got the flick on and Voronin scrambled the ball past the keeper for the opening goal.  Voronin had a difficult time at Liverpool, struggling to justify Benitez’s faith in him.  This was his 6^th and final goal for the club. 

Berbatov forced Reina into a fine save as Tottenham created a rare chance but Liverpool were soon back in their stride as Benayoun was given far too much space in midfield, and he found Torres on the left-hand edge of the area.  Torres had Dawson for company but he bamboozled him and then as Cerny came out, he just poked the ball past him with the outside of his right foot for the sort of classy finish Liverpool had got used to.

It was a record breaking goal and a remarkable season for a player who was being compared alongside the likes of Rush, Fowler, Hunt, Aldridge and Owen.  Ultimately, his Liverpool career tailed off and ended in disappointment and acrimony, but you can never erase the memories of his performances this season.

Liverpool were comfortable winners at 2-0.  They’d secured Champions League football for another year, but for Tottenham they were looking for a new manager just 6 months later as Ramos was sacked.

HEAD TO HEAD at White Hart Lane

Matches: 70

Liverpool win: 20

Tottenham win: 35

Draws: 15

Liverpool goals: 83

Tottenham goals: 105

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