Five Favourite Wins Against - Tottenham at Anfield

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.

2^nd 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 6^th 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 7^th 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 11^th.

15^th 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 5^th the season before.  When they lost to Manchester City at home on Boxing Day, Liverpool were back in 12^th 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 4^th, 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.

28^th 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 2^nd and keen to win back their title lost to Everton the previous season.  Tottenham were 5^th 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 10^th in the League.

8^th 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 8^th 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 300^th 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 2^nd 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 6^th with Tottenham in 8^th.

10^th 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 7^th with Tottenham missing out on Champions League football to Arsenal, finishing in 5^th.

HEAD TO HEAD at Anfield

Matches: 50

Liverpool win: 44

Tottenham win: 6

Draws: 20

Liverpool goals: 136

Tottenham goals: 57

Five Favourite Wins Against - Man Utd away

Continuing the series where I look back at my five favourite wins the Liverpool’s next opponents.  This weekend Liverpool travel to Old Trafford for one of the biggest fixtures in British football to meet Manchester United and here are my five favourite wins from past encounters.

26^th December 1978

MAN UTD   (0)   0

LIVERPOOL   (2)   3   (Kennedy R 5, Case 25, Fairclough 67)

MAN UTD: Bailey; Greenhoff B, Buchan, McQueen, Connell; Coppell, McIlroy, Thomas; Greenhoff J, Ritchie, Macari

LIVERPOOL: Clemence; Neal, Thompson, Hansen, Hughes; Case, McDermott, Souness, Kennedy R; Fairclough, Dalglish

Boxing Day 1978 and Liverpool were top of the table, a point ahead of Everton.  Liverpool had been denied a hat-trick of League titles by Nottingham Forest the year before, and were determined to fight back.  This was their record breaking season and they were especially impressive in defence.  Man United were back in 7^th and managed by Dave Sexton, whose QPR side had run Liverpool close to the title in 1976.

Liverpool had actually hit a bit of a rough patch with 2 defeats in their last 3 matches, against Arsenal and, surprisingly, Bristol City.  Those disappointments were sandwiched between a 2-0 win over Champions, Nottingham Forest.  United had just lost at Bolton, ending a run of 3 straight wins.

The home side were off to a great start when Ray Kennedy opened the scoring after just 5 minutes.  Kennedy won goal of the season for his excellent strike against Derby and this season was his best ever in the League for Liverpool.  Midway through the first half and Jimmy Case made it 2-0.

Liverpool were in complete control in the game as United struggled to find any sort of grip on the game.  Their dominance was underlined when David Fairclough scored the 3^rd goal.  He only managed to net twice that season as he struggled to find a place in an increasingly dominant side who swept all before them.  The result was rarely in doubt and it was the start of a run where Liverpool would win 16 of their final 22 matches, losing only once.  They won the title by 8pts from Forest with United back in 9^th.  United did get their own back in beating Liverpool in the FA Cup Semi-Final after a replay.

In the United side this day was a young Northern Irish defender, Tom Connell.  He’d made his debut in the Bolton defeat, where United lost 0-3.  Three days later he retained his place for another 0-3 defeat and was never seen again.

7^th April 1982

MAN UTD   (0)   0

LIVERPOOL   (0)   1   (Johnston 63)

MAN UTD: Bailey; Duxbury, Moran (Grimes), Buchan, Albiston; Coppell, Robson, Moses, Wilkins; McGarvey, Stapleton

LIVERPOOL: Grobbelaar; Neal, Thompson, Lawrenson, Kennedy A; Lee, Johnston, Souness (McDermott), Whelan; Rush, Dalglish

As with the 1978-79 match Liverpool arrived at Old Trafford in a season where they were determined to win their League title back having lost it to Aston Villa the season before.  They were in great form too, having won their last 5 matches.  They were top of the table, ahead of Ipswich on goal difference with 11 games to go.  United were in 5^th, 5pts off the lead.

Seven minutes into the game and United were awarded a penalty.  Frank Stapleton stepped up to take it but Bruce Grobbelaar saved it.  This endeared the Zimbabwean to many Liverpool fans early on in his career and years later Bruce explained how it came about.

“I was sitting in the dressing room reading the programme.  In there was a sequence of photographs of where Frank Stapleton put his last home penalty.  I took this on board and I thought nothing of it.  Sure enough they got a penalty.  There goes Mr. Frank Stapleton to take the penalty.  I shimmied the opposite way and then I went the way they showed me in the book and I managed to save the penalty.”

This was Grobbelaar’s first season and he’d struggled for the first 4-5 months but a ‘gentle’ word from Bob Paisley turned things round after Liverpool were 12^th at Christmas.  After a Boxing Day defeat at home to Manchester City they lost just once more that season.

In the second half Craig Johnston broke the deadlock with what proved to be the only goal of the game.  It was a crucial victory as Ipswich were being held at Sunderland on the same night.  Things got even better three days later as Johnston was again on the scoresheet as they thumped Manchester City, 5-0 as a Glenn Hoddle goal gave Tottenham a win against Ipswich.  Liverpool were 5pts clear at the top and never looked back.

Liverpool won their 13^th title and the 5^th under Bob Paisley in 8 years.  United finished 3^rd but were 9pts behind the winners.  Liverpool also won the League Cup beating Tottenham 3-1.

18^th March 1990

MAN UTD   (0)   1   (Whelan og 83)

LIVERPOOL   (1)   2   (Barnes 15, pen 55)

MAN UTD: Leighton; Anderson (Duxbury), Bruce, Pallister, Phelan; Blackmore, Phelan, Ince; Wallace (Beardsmore), McClair, Hughes

LIVERPOOL: Grobbelaar; Venison, Hansen, Hysen, Staunton; Houghton, McMahon, Whelan; Beardsley, Rush, Barnes

)

Liverpool travelled to Old Trafford in 1990 on an unbeaten run of 12 matches but still 5pts behind leaders Aston Villa.  United were struggling down in 16^th, just 2pts above the drop-zone.  They won just 2 of their past 15 matches and things were decidedly unsettled around Old Trafford.

Despite their dominance during the 1980’s it had been eight years since Liverpool last won at Old Trafford and United had lost only 2 of their previous 20 League games against Liverpool.

United could’ve taken an early lead but for Steve Staunton’s excellent interception when McClair looked to have a free shot on goal.  But Liverpool were soon into their stride and 15 minutes in they had made the breakthrough.  Venison dispossessed Martin, fed Houghton who then drilled his pass to Beardsley.  The diminutive Beardsley, ever industrious, then instinctively found Barnes marauding his way down the left.  Barnes ran most of the United half unchallenged before sliding the ball under Jim Leighton.  It was a goal of simplicity made possible by players who just knew where each other would be at any given time.

United then had a couple of chances to equalise but the visitors always looked the more likely to score.  Then early in the second half Liverpool pounced on some sloppy United passing and Houghton played the ball forward to Beardsley, just outside the United area.  McMahon was also involved in the play which saw Viv Anderson’s clumsy attempt to halt Rush’s progress bring about a penalty.  John Barnes stepped up and sent Leighton the wrong way for a 2-goal lead.

The second half then slipped into a pattern of Liverpool creating, then spurning, several chances but they looked comfortable for a victory until the game took a rather odd turn which brought about a much more tense finish than the previous 80 minutes had promised.  Bruce played a long ball from the back but Hysen got up to nod the ball down where it fell to Ronnie Whelan, about 25 yards from his own goal.  Whilst facing his own goal, Whelan presumably intended to play the ball back to Grobbelaar to take the sting out of the attack but unbelievably he met the ball on the half-volley and it looped over the Liverpool keeper for a shock goal.

It was one of the strangest own-goals and possibly one of the longest and it brought about a strange period when Liverpool seemed slightly uncertain of their own ability to see the game out.  They did, though, and moved to within 2pts of Villa and still a game in hand.

Both Liverpool and United were expected to meet in the FA Cup Final too, as they were both in the Semi-Finals by this stage, but Liverpool were beaten in a dramatic Semi-Final by Crystal Palace, who themselves were minutes from beating United in the Final.  Had they done that, then the next 23 years could have been completely different.

Liverpool won the title by 9pts from Aston Villa and just missed out on another double by losing the FA Cup Semi-Final.  United finished in 13^th, just 5pts from relegation, but won the FA Cup in a replay against Crystal Palace.

17^th December 2000

MAN UTD   (0)   0

LIVERPOOL   (1)   1   (Murphy 43)

MAN UTD: Barthez; Neville G, Brown, Silvestre, Irwin (Chadwick); Beckham, Butt (Greening), Keane, Scholes, Giggs; Solskjaer

LIVERPOOL: Westerveld; Babbel, Hyypia, Henchoz, Carragher; Gerrard, Murphy (McAllister), Biscan, Barmby; Heskey, Owen (Smicer)

)

When Liverpool arrived at Old Trafford just before Christmas 2000, they were lying in 6^th having already lost 6 of their 17 matches.  United were top of the table, having lost just once, at Arsenal, and had picked up 25pts from a possible 28pts since then.

At this stage, Liverpool hadn’t won at Old Trafford since 1990, when they last won the League, and had not beaten United home or away in the Premier League for five years.  During this match they displayed defensive qualities which had been absent on numerous occasions that season.  Gerrard was immense in midfield, well supported by Biscan.  United seemed complacent, possibly underestimating their opponents.

The game turned just before half-time.  In fact, it wasn’t until the 42^nd minute that Liverpool had their first meaningful chance on goal when Scholes cleared off the line from Heskey.  A minute later Gary Neville inexplicably chose to punch the ball just outside his own area and Liverpool were awarded a penalty.  Danny Murphy stepped up and curled it perfectly into the top right-hand corner of the net leaving Barthez stranded.

Liverpool were able to defend their lead throughout the second half by a combination of working extremely hard as well as the confusion around United’s attacking options.  Ferguson had started with Scholes playing off Solskjaer but then changed that to move Giggs there, but neither combination bore fruit.  Without Cole, Yorke or Sheringham they were fairly impotent but nothing should be taken away from the effort put in by the visitors.  Liverpool’s previous league game had been a home defeat to Ipswich for which Houllier received strong criticism.  But now the Frenchman received deserved praise for his tactics.  Ferguson’s attacking plight was summed up when he brought on two youngsters, Greening and Chadwick, only to see the latter get sent-off in the last minute.  It was the first time a United player had been sent-off at Old Trafford since April 1998.

In this series I have tended to mostly enjoy games where Liverpool has crushed their opponents in a shower of goals, but this victory was special as it ended the long unbeaten home record of United.  As the Liverpool Echo put it -  “After 3,240 minutes, 296 fouls, 28 bookings and 133 goals, United lose at Old Trafford”.

Liverpool were up to 5^th and when they beat Arsenal the following week were now just 2pts off 2^nd place.  They ended the season 3^rd in the League as United won the title, but Liverpool pulled off a unique treble by winning the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup.

14^th March 2009

MAN UTD   (1)   1   (Ronaldo pen 23)

LIVERPOOL   (2)   4  (Torres 28, Gerrard pen 44, Aurelio 77, Dossena 90)

MAN UTD: van der Sar; O’Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Anderson (Berbatov), Carrick (Scholes), Park (Giggs); Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez

LIVERPOOL: Reina; Skrtel, Hyypia, Carragher, Aurelio; Gerrard (El Zhar), Lucas, Mascherano, Riera (Dossena); Kuyt, Torres (Babel)

)

A truly memorable day for many a Liverpool fan.  Rafa Benitez had enjoyed success in the tactical battle against Alex Ferguson before, but this was a day when they just ground their opponents into the dirt.  This was United’s biggest league defeat for 17 years and one which saw their acclaimed boss running scared of the post-match interviews.

Liverpool came into the game with just 1 defeat in their last 17 matches, and were 3^rd in the table level on points with Chelsea and 7pts behind the leader, United.  United had won 11 straight matches coming into this one and were unbeaten in their last 16.  It had been over a year since United fans saw their side beaten at home and their hopes of continued success seemed boosted as Liverpool’s plans were thrown into chaos just before kick-off when Arbeloa withdrew through injury.

23 minutes into the game and Ji-Sung Park was put through by Tevez into the area and as he pushed the ball passed Reina, he made sure he left a trailing leg for Reina to slide into and the referee, Alan Wiley, had no hesitation in signalling for a penalty.  Cristiano Ronaldo made no mistake from the spot and United were in front. 

This season United had gone from mid-November to mid-February without conceding a goal in the league, and so were expecting to maintain their lead.

Five minutes later and with the ball in Liverpool’s right hand corner of their half, Martin Skrtel launched a ball forward where Torres was marked by both Ferdinand and Vidic.  Vidic made the cardinal error of letting the ball bounce and this allowed Torres to nick the ball off him and as van der Sar came out, Torres just dinked the ball over him for the equaliser.

As half-time approached Torres threaded a ball through for Gerrard to run onto and he had the better of Patrice Evra whose late challenge brought down the Liverpool captain and Wiley signalled to the spot again.  Gerrard stepped up to take it and beat van der Sar to give the visitors a half-time lead.

In the second half United came at Liverpool and Ronaldo hit the post with a cross, then Tevez just failed to turn the ball into the net but things soon turned sour as Vidic hauled down Gerrard.  Ferguson had just completely changed his midfield by using all three subs and now Vidic was sent-off for a desperate challenge when adjudged to be the last man.  Once everything had died down and the home players got used to one of theirs being sent-off at home, Fabio Aurelio stepped up and calmly curled the ball inside van der Sar’s near post.  Liverpool were 3-1 up and only the second side to score at least 3 goals against United since Chelsea almost three years previously.

Gerrard then blasted the ball over the bar from 10 yards out but as the final whistle loomed, Reina’s goal-kick bounced all the way through to the edge of the United box and Dossena, a second half substitute for Riera, lobbed the ball over van der Sar.  Old Trafford was already emptying out before the 4^th goal went in but the travelling Liverpool fans were having the time of their life.

For Liverpool, this game was one of 11 wins from their final 12 matches but they were still 4pts short of Champions, United.

Extra

1^st October 1995

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This wasn’t a victory but contained two unforgettable goals from Robbie Fowler.  United fans may point to the return of Eric Cantona after his lengthy ban for attacking a supporter, but for many of us Fowler’s 2^nd goal where he barges Gary Neville out of the way before deftly chipping Schmeichel, with live long in the memory.

HEAD TO HEAD at Old Trafford

Matches: 80

Liverpool win: 15

Man Utd win: 40

Draws: 25

Liverpool goals: 78

Man Utd goals: 144