1991–92 Liverpool F.C. season
Encyclopedia
1991-92 was the first full season as manager of Liverpool F.C.
for Graeme Souness
. The manager needed heart surgery in April, only to be present at Liverpool won the final
of the FA Cup the following month. However, it was a disappointing season in the league for Liverpool, whose sixth place finish was their first outside the top two since 1981.
Souness reshaped his side substantially over the close season. Out went older players including Peter Beardsley
, David Speedie
and Gary Gillespie
as well as the young Steve Staunton
, and in came £2.9million national record signing Dean Saunders
from Derby County
along with his Derby colleague, defender Mark Wright
. He also forked out for Rangers midfielder Mark Walters
and blooded in young talent in midfield in the shape of Steve McManaman
and Jamie Redknapp
, and just after the season began he drafted in Rob Jones from Fourth Division Crewe Alexandra
, and within a few months the player, barely in his twenties, was representing England at senior level.
On his way out of Anfield
halfway through the season was winger Steve McMahon
to Manchester City, followed by defender Barry Venison
to Newcastle United
at the end of it.
prepared for his first full season as manager of Liverpool, a number of significant changes were made. The biggest stories of the summer were the arrival of Dean Saunders
, the Derby County
and Wales
striker, for a national record fee of £2.9million,and Derby's centre-half Mark Wright
for £2.2million.He bolstered the midfield with a £1.25million move for Rangers
midfielder Mark Walters
, bringing the 27-year-old Birmingham
born player back to England
four years after he left Aston Villa
to move north of the border.Leaving the club were strikers David Speedie
to Blackburn Rovers
and Peter Beardsley
to Everton
.A surprise sale came when highly promising 22-year-old defender Steve Staunton
moved to Aston Villa
10 days before the start of the season.
on 17 August 1991, where they beat Oldham Athletic (in the top flight for the first time since 1923) 2-1 in the opening First Division game. The next game was a disappointment as they lost 2-1 to Manchester City
at Maine Road
, but highly rated 19-year-old midfielder Steve McManaman
managed to score his first goal for the club in this game.
Record signing Dean Saunders
found the net for the first time on 27 August, scoring the only goal of a 1-0 home win over Queen's Park Rangers.
The month ended on a high as the Reds triumphed 3-1 over Everton
in the Merseyside derby
at Anfield.
, drawing with Aston Villa
and Sheffield Wednesday
, and only managing a narrow win at newly promoted relegation favourites Notts County
.
There was more success on the European front, as Liverpool marked the end of their six-year ban by defeating Kuusysi Lahti 6-1 in the UEFA Cup
first round first leg at Anfield, with Dean Saunders scoring four goals and Ray Houghton
scoring twice.
On 23 September, winger John Barnes
, a key part in Liverpool's successes since his arrival in 1987, was told that he would be out of action until at least January due to an achilles tendon injury. Although he did make a brief return to the side in the new year, he was soon out of action again.
£300,000 for full-back Rob Jones. Jones, who turned 20 a month after arriving at Anfield
, broke into the Liverpool first team almost instantly, and was capped by England after just four months of First Division football.
Liverpool's disappointing league form continued throughout October as they were held to draws by Manchester United
and Chelsea
and could only scrape a 1-0 win over struggling Coventry City
, though there was better news in the cup competitions as they progressed to the next stage of the UEFA Cup and the League Cup, though they were held to a draw by Second Division
strugglers Port Vale
]] in the League Cup third round, and were left with an uphill struggle in the UEFA Cup after losing 2-0 to Auxerre
of France
in the second round first leg.
in Austria
. The Reds also overcame Port Vale in the League Cup by winning the replay 4-1 at Vale Park
.
However, there was little improvement in the league as a defeat by Crystal Palace
and goalless draws at West Ham United
and Wimbledon
- both struggling at the wrong end of the First Division - left a league title win looking unlikely for this season. Their only league win of the month came when they beat Norwich City
2-1 at Anfield.
in the fourth round, losing 1-0 to the Third Division
underdogs at London Road
.
They did, however, progress to the last eight of the UEFA Cup, beating Swarovski Tirol 4-0 in the third round second leg at Anfield with Dean Saunders scoring a hat-trick, taking his European tally to nine goals.
December brought little change in Liverpool's league fortunes, however. They went through the month unbeaten in the First Division, managing wins over Nottingham Forest
and Tottenham Hotspur but being held to draws by Southampton
(in a game where 18-year-old midfielder Jamie Redknapp
scored his first Liverpool goal), Manchester City
, QPR and last of all Everton
in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park
. They ended 1991 in sixth place, with their great north western rivals Manchester United top of the pack with a two-point advantage and two games in hand over a resurgent Leeds United
.
as they travelled to Gresty Road to take on Fourth Division Crewe Alexandra, winning 4-0 and with John Barnes
making an explosive - though ultimately brief - comeback from his absence by scoring a hat-trick.
Liverpool ended the month in third place, just eight points behind leaders Manchester United and six points behind second placed Leeds United, suggesting that they might still be able to win the title.
for a clash with Ipswich Town
- Second Division promotion contenders - which ended in a goalless draw. Once again, Liverpool won the Anfield replay, but it was also a narrow victory as they needed extra time to manage a 3-2 win as the score stood at 1-1 with 90 minutes on the clock.
After an excellent series of league results in January had raised hopes of a late run to the title, February was a disaster which effectively killed off talk of Liverpool winning the last old First Division title - as the top flight of English football would become the FA Premier League
from the start of the 1992-93 season
. The month began with a 2-1 home defeat by Chelsea
, followed by a goalless draw at relegation threatened Coventry City
and a 3-0 hammering at fellow strugglers Norwich City
. The month ended with another struggling side, Southampton
, paying a visit to Anfield, but neither side could find the net and the match ended as a goalless draw. The Reds ended the month fifth in the league, but were now 13 points adrift of leaders Manchester United with 12 games to go. It was now looking as though Liverpool would finish outside the top two for the first time since 1981, as 11 points separated them from second placed Leeds United.
of Italy
in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals ended Liverpool's hopes of a glorious return to European football, but their last hope of silverware was kept alive when recently signed midfielder Michael Thomas
- whose last minute goal against them for former club Arsenal
had deprived them of title glory in 1989 - scored the only goal for a quarter-final win over Aston Villa in the FA Cup
.
Liverpool's league form improved as they managed wins over West Ham United, Notts County and Tottenham Hotspur, but were defeated by Crystal Palace and Sheffield United, ensuring that they ended the month no higher than fourth in the league. The title was still a mathematical possibility as they trailed leaders Manchester United by 12 points with seven games remaining at the end of the month, but it now appeared a practical impossibility and Liverpool's efforts were now better focused on FA Cup success.
, and the game was still deadlock with 90 minutes on the clock. The Hampshire
side went ahead in extra time, and only a late equaliser by Ronnie Whelan
prevented a defeat which would have sent Portsmouth through to the first non top division final to take on fellow Second Division side Sunderland.
Hours after the game, Liverpool manager Graeme Souness was rushed to hospital for an emergency triple heart bypass operation. He was still recovering in hospital eight days later when coach Ronnie Moran
took charge of Liverpool for the FA Cup semi final replay, in which Portsmouth held the Reds to a goalless draw to force a penalty shoot-out which the Reds won.
By April, everyone at Liverpool appeared to have conceded the league title for this season, and focused their minds on winning the FA Cup. After a five-match winless run in the league, the month ended with a 2-0 home win over Manchester United - a result which handed the title to Leeds United.
for the FA Cup final. Their opponents were Sunderland
, the unfashionable Second Division side who had been unremarkable in the league but performed wonders in the FA Cup under interim manager Malcolm Crosby
. There were hopes among Sunderland fans that they could achieve a repeat of their famous 1973 win over Leeds United and achieve a shock victory, but these were dispelled as goals from Ian Rush and Michael Thomas gave the Reds a 2-0 victory and their fifth FA Cup triumph.
Mike Hooper Robbie Holcroft
Defenders Gary Ablett David Burrows
Rob Jones Glenn Hysén
Steve Nicol
Barry Venison
Nick Tanner
Mark Wright
Midfielders Don Hutchison
Barry Jones
Steve McMahon
Steve McManaman
Ronnie Whelan
Ray Houghton
Mike Marsh
Jan Mølby
Jamie Redknapp
Jimmy Carter
Steve Harkness
Michael Thomas István Kozma Mark Walters
Attackers Ian Rush
John Barnes
Ronnie Rosenthal Dean Saunders
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
for Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
. The manager needed heart surgery in April, only to be present at Liverpool won the final
1992 FA Cup Final
The 1992 FA Cup Final was contested by Liverpool and Sunderland at Wembley. Liverpool won 2–0, with goals from Michael Thomas and Ian Rush....
of the FA Cup the following month. However, it was a disappointing season in the league for Liverpool, whose sixth place finish was their first outside the top two since 1981.
Souness reshaped his side substantially over the close season. Out went older players including Peter Beardsley
Peter Beardsley
Peter Andrew Beardsley MBE is an English former footballer who played between 1979 and 1999. He once set a record transfer fee in the game and represented his country 59 times between 1986 and 1996, once as captain...
, David Speedie
David Speedie
David Robert Speedie is a retired Scottish footballer who played for several clubs in England during the 1980s and 1990s, most notably Chelsea, Coventry City, Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers. He accumulated more than 500 football league appearances and scored almost 150 goals in a 14 year...
and Gary Gillespie
Gary Gillespie
Gary Thompson Gillespie was a defender who played football for Liverpool through much of their dominant period of the 1980s.-Early career:...
as well as the young Steve Staunton
Steve Staunton
Stephen "Steve" Staunton is an Irish association football manager and former professional footballer, who was most recently manager of Darlington...
, and in came £2.9million national record signing Dean Saunders
Dean Saunders
Dean Nicholas Saunders is a former Wales international footballer who played as a striker in a professional career which lasted from 1982 until 2001. He is the manager of Doncaster Rovers....
from Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
along with his Derby colleague, defender Mark Wright
Mark Wright
Mark Wright may refer to:*Mark Wright , English footballer and manager*Mark Wright , English footballer...
. He also forked out for Rangers midfielder Mark Walters
Mark Walters
Mark Everton Walters is a retired professional footballer from Birmingham, England.-Aston Villa:Walters began his career as an apprentice at Aston Villa on leaving school in the summer of 1980, turning the professional a year later - just after Villa's Football League First Division title triumph...
and blooded in young talent in midfield in the shape of Steve McManaman
Steve McManaman
Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most...
and Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Frank Redknapp is a retired English footballer who was active from 1989 until 2005. He is now a football pundit with Sky Sports, and an editorial columnist with the Daily Mail....
, and just after the season began he drafted in Rob Jones from Fourth Division Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
, and within a few months the player, barely in his twenties, was representing England at senior level.
On his way out of Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
halfway through the season was winger Steve McMahon
Steve McMahon
Stephen Joseph McMahon is an English former football midfielder who most notably played for Liverpool in the late 1980s...
to Manchester City, followed by defender Barry Venison
Barry Venison
Barry Venison is a retired English footballer who enjoyed a successful playing career from 1981 to 1997. He later worked as an television pundit.-Sunderland:...
to Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
at the end of it.
| Competition | Result | Top Scorer |
|---|---|---|
| First Division The Football League 1991-92 The 1991–1992 season was the 92nd completed season of The Football League.- First Division :The last-ever league championship before the creation of the Premier League was won by Leeds United who overhauled Manchester United thanks to the efforts of players like Gordon Strachan, Lee Chapman, David... |
6th |  Dean SaundersDean Saunders Dean Nicholas Saunders is a former Wales international footballer who played as a striker in a professional career which lasted from 1982 until 2001. He is the manager of Doncaster Rovers.... , 10 |
| FA Cup FA Cup 1991-92 The 1991–92 FA Cup was the 111th season of the world's oldest knockout football competition, The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short. Liverpool beat Sunderland 2–0 in the final to take the cup... |
Winners |  Steve McManamanSteve McManaman Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most... , 3 |
| League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
Fourth Round | Steve McManaman Steve McManaman Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most... , 3 Ian RushIan Rush Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield... , 3 |
| UEFA Cup | Quarter Finals | Dean Saunders Dean Saunders Dean Nicholas Saunders is a former Wales international footballer who played as a striker in a professional career which lasted from 1982 until 2001. He is the manager of Doncaster Rovers.... , 9 |
| Overall 1991-92 in English football - First Division :The last-ever league championship before the creation of the Premier League was won by Leeds United who overhauled Manchester United thanks to the efforts of, among others, Gordon Strachan, Lee Chapman, David Batty, Gary Speed and Gary McAllister... |
Dean Saunders Dean Saunders Dean Nicholas Saunders is a former Wales international footballer who played as a striker in a professional career which lasted from 1982 until 2001. He is the manager of Doncaster Rovers.... , 23 |
Pre season
As manager Graeme SounessGraeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
prepared for his first full season as manager of Liverpool, a number of significant changes were made. The biggest stories of the summer were the arrival of Dean Saunders
Dean Saunders
Dean Nicholas Saunders is a former Wales international footballer who played as a striker in a professional career which lasted from 1982 until 2001. He is the manager of Doncaster Rovers....
, the Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
and Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
striker, for a national record fee of £2.9million,and Derby's centre-half Mark Wright
Mark Wright
Mark Wright may refer to:*Mark Wright , English footballer and manager*Mark Wright , English footballer...
for £2.2million.He bolstered the midfield with a £1.25million move for Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
midfielder Mark Walters
Mark Walters
Mark Everton Walters is a retired professional footballer from Birmingham, England.-Aston Villa:Walters began his career as an apprentice at Aston Villa on leaving school in the summer of 1980, turning the professional a year later - just after Villa's Football League First Division title triumph...
, bringing the 27-year-old Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
born player back to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
four years after he left Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
to move north of the border.Leaving the club were strikers David Speedie
David Speedie
David Robert Speedie is a retired Scottish footballer who played for several clubs in England during the 1980s and 1990s, most notably Chelsea, Coventry City, Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers. He accumulated more than 500 football league appearances and scored almost 150 goals in a 14 year...
to Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
and Peter Beardsley
Peter Beardsley
Peter Andrew Beardsley MBE is an English former footballer who played between 1979 and 1999. He once set a record transfer fee in the game and represented his country 59 times between 1986 and 1996, once as captain...
to Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
.A surprise sale came when highly promising 22-year-old defender Steve Staunton
Steve Staunton
Stephen "Steve" Staunton is an Irish association football manager and former professional footballer, who was most recently manager of Darlington...
moved to Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
10 days before the start of the season.
August
Liverpool's centenary season began at AnfieldAnfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
on 17 August 1991, where they beat Oldham Athletic (in the top flight for the first time since 1923) 2-1 in the opening First Division game. The next game was a disappointment as they lost 2-1 to Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
at Maine Road
Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England that was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003...
, but highly rated 19-year-old midfielder Steve McManaman
Steve McManaman
Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most...
managed to score his first goal for the club in this game.
Record signing Dean Saunders
Dean Saunders
Dean Nicholas Saunders is a former Wales international footballer who played as a striker in a professional career which lasted from 1982 until 2001. He is the manager of Doncaster Rovers....
found the net for the first time on 27 August, scoring the only goal of a 1-0 home win over Queen's Park Rangers.
The month ended on a high as the Reds triumphed 3-1 over Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in the Merseyside derby
Merseyside derby
The Merseyside derby is the name given to any football match contested between Everton and Liverpool football clubs, the two most successful clubs from the city of Liverpool in England...
at Anfield.
September
September saw Liverpool disappoint in the league, losing at Leeds UnitedLeeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
, drawing with Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
and Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
, and only managing a narrow win at newly promoted relegation favourites Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
.
There was more success on the European front, as Liverpool marked the end of their six-year ban by defeating Kuusysi Lahti 6-1 in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
first round first leg at Anfield, with Dean Saunders scoring four goals and Ray Houghton
Ray Houghton
Raymond James "Ray" Houghton is a retired Scottish-born footballer who represented the Republic of Ireland at international level, qualifying through his Irish father...
scoring twice.
On 23 September, winger John Barnes
John Barnes (footballer)
John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is an English football manager and former player.During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times...
, a key part in Liverpool's successes since his arrival in 1987, was told that he would be out of action until at least January due to an achilles tendon injury. Although he did make a brief return to the side in the new year, he was soon out of action again.
October
Graeme Souness pulled off one of the biggest transfer bargains of the season when he paid Crewe AlexandraCrewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
£300,000 for full-back Rob Jones. Jones, who turned 20 a month after arriving at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
, broke into the Liverpool first team almost instantly, and was capped by England after just four months of First Division football.
Liverpool's disappointing league form continued throughout October as they were held to draws by Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
and Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
and could only scrape a 1-0 win over struggling Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
, though there was better news in the cup competitions as they progressed to the next stage of the UEFA Cup and the League Cup, though they were held to a draw by Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
strugglers Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
]] in the League Cup third round, and were left with an uphill struggle in the UEFA Cup after losing 2-0 to Auxerre
Auxerre
Auxerre is a commune in the Bourgogne region in north-central France, between Paris and Dijon. It is the capital of the Yonne department.Auxerre's population today is about 45,000...
of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the second round first leg.
November
November began on a high note as Liverpool overturned Auxerre's 2-0 lead in the UEFA Cup to win the second leg 3-0. Their hopes of a quarter-final appearance were boosted at the end of the month when they won the third round first leg 2-0 win over Swarovski TirolFC Tirol Innsbruck
FC Tirol Innsbruck was an Austrian association footballclub from Innsbruck, Tyrol which existed between 1993 and 2002, when bankruptcy was declared....
in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. The Reds also overcame Port Vale in the League Cup by winning the replay 4-1 at Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
.
However, there was little improvement in the league as a defeat by Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
and goalless draws at West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
and Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
- both struggling at the wrong end of the First Division - left a league title win looking unlikely for this season. Their only league win of the month came when they beat Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
2-1 at Anfield.
December
December began on a humiliating note for the Reds as they suffered a shock League Cup exit at the hands of Peterborough UnitedPeterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
in the fourth round, losing 1-0 to the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
underdogs at London Road
London Road
-England:There are countless London Roads in the UK. Only those significant outside their local area are listed here:* London Road, Brighton; for which a railway station is named* London Road, Guildford; for which a railway station is named...
.
They did, however, progress to the last eight of the UEFA Cup, beating Swarovski Tirol 4-0 in the third round second leg at Anfield with Dean Saunders scoring a hat-trick, taking his European tally to nine goals.
December brought little change in Liverpool's league fortunes, however. They went through the month unbeaten in the First Division, managing wins over Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
and Tottenham Hotspur but being held to draws by Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
(in a game where 18-year-old midfielder Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Frank Redknapp is a retired English footballer who was active from 1989 until 2005. He is now a football pundit with Sky Sports, and an editorial columnist with the Daily Mail....
scored his first Liverpool goal), Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, QPR and last of all Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
. They ended 1991 in sixth place, with their great north western rivals Manchester United top of the pack with a two-point advantage and two games in hand over a resurgent Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
.
January
As the new year dawned, Liverpool began an upturn in league fortunes as they won all four of their games. There was also good news in the FA CupFA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
as they travelled to Gresty Road to take on Fourth Division Crewe Alexandra, winning 4-0 and with John Barnes
John Barnes (footballer)
John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is an English football manager and former player.During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times...
making an explosive - though ultimately brief - comeback from his absence by scoring a hat-trick.
Liverpool ended the month in third place, just eight points behind leaders Manchester United and six points behind second placed Leeds United, suggesting that they might still be able to win the title.
February
Liverpool managed to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals, but not without difficulty. The fourth round visit to Second Division underdogs Bristol Rovers saw them held to a 1-1 draw, and the replay at Anfield brought a narrow 2-1 win. The fifth round saw them travel to SuffolkSuffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
for a clash with Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
- Second Division promotion contenders - which ended in a goalless draw. Once again, Liverpool won the Anfield replay, but it was also a narrow victory as they needed extra time to manage a 3-2 win as the score stood at 1-1 with 90 minutes on the clock.
After an excellent series of league results in January had raised hopes of a late run to the title, February was a disaster which effectively killed off talk of Liverpool winning the last old First Division title - as the top flight of English football would become the FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
from the start of the 1992-93 season
1992-93 in English football
The 1992–1993 season was the 113th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:This season saw the birth of the FA Premier League. This meant a break-up of the 104-year-old Football League that had operated until then with four divisions....
. The month began with a 2-1 home defeat by Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, followed by a goalless draw at relegation threatened Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
and a 3-0 hammering at fellow strugglers Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
. The month ended with another struggling side, Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
, paying a visit to Anfield, but neither side could find the net and the match ended as a goalless draw. The Reds ended the month fifth in the league, but were now 13 points adrift of leaders Manchester United with 12 games to go. It was now looking as though Liverpool would finish outside the top two for the first time since 1981, as 11 points separated them from second placed Leeds United.
March
A 4-1 aggreggate defeat by GenoaGenoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals ended Liverpool's hopes of a glorious return to European football, but their last hope of silverware was kept alive when recently signed midfielder Michael Thomas
Michael Thomas
Michael Lauriston Thomas is a former football player from England. He is best remembered for scoring a last-minute goal in injury time during the final match of the 1988-89 season, which allowed Arsenal to claim the First Division title over Liverpool...
- whose last minute goal against them for former club Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
had deprived them of title glory in 1989 - scored the only goal for a quarter-final win over Aston Villa in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
.
Liverpool's league form improved as they managed wins over West Ham United, Notts County and Tottenham Hotspur, but were defeated by Crystal Palace and Sheffield United, ensuring that they ended the month no higher than fourth in the league. The title was still a mathematical possibility as they trailed leaders Manchester United by 12 points with seven games remaining at the end of the month, but it now appeared a practical impossibility and Liverpool's efforts were now better focused on FA Cup success.
April
It had been a long and hard route for Liverpool in the FA Cup, but they finally did get to the FA Cup final. The semi-final draw paired them with Second Division PortsmouthPortsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
, and the game was still deadlock with 90 minutes on the clock. The Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
side went ahead in extra time, and only a late equaliser by Ronnie Whelan
Ronnie Whelan
Ronald Andrew "Ronnie" Whelan is a former Irish football midfielder, and sometimes defender, who was an integral part of the dominant Liverpool side of the 1980s...
prevented a defeat which would have sent Portsmouth through to the first non top division final to take on fellow Second Division side Sunderland.
Hours after the game, Liverpool manager Graeme Souness was rushed to hospital for an emergency triple heart bypass operation. He was still recovering in hospital eight days later when coach Ronnie Moran
Ronnie Moran
Ronnie Moran is a former Liverpool captain and coach, who has twice served as caretaker manager...
took charge of Liverpool for the FA Cup semi final replay, in which Portsmouth held the Reds to a goalless draw to force a penalty shoot-out which the Reds won.
By April, everyone at Liverpool appeared to have conceded the league title for this season, and focused their minds on winning the FA Cup. After a five-match winless run in the league, the month ended with a 2-0 home win over Manchester United - a result which handed the title to Leeds United.
May
On 9 May 1992, Liverpool travelled to Wembley StadiumWembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
for the FA Cup final. Their opponents were Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, the unfashionable Second Division side who had been unremarkable in the league but performed wonders in the FA Cup under interim manager Malcolm Crosby
Malcolm Crosby
Malcolm Crosby is an English former footballer and manager.-Playing career:Born in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, Crosby played his football for Aldershot, making 258 appearances between 1971 and 1980 and netting 21 goals. In an exchange deal involving Ian MacDonald he moved to York City and was a...
. There were hopes among Sunderland fans that they could achieve a repeat of their famous 1973 win over Leeds United and achieve a shock victory, but these were dispelled as goals from Ian Rush and Michael Thomas gave the Reds a 2-0 victory and their fifth FA Cup triumph.
Squad
Goalkeepers Bruce GrobbelaarBruce Grobbelaar
Bruce David Grobbelaar is a former football goalkeeper and manager.He played for a number of clubs in a career which spanned for more than 20 years at professional level, most notably Liverpool during their dominant period in the 1980s and early 1990s.-Early years:In his teenage years, Grobbelaar...
Mike Hooper Robbie Holcroft
Defenders Gary Ablett David Burrows
David Burrows (footballer)
David Burrows is an English former footballer. During his career he played for West Bromwich Albion, Liverpool, West Ham United, Everton, Coventry City, Birmingham City and Sheffield Wednesday as well as the England Under-21 and B teams...
Rob Jones Glenn Hysén
Glenn Hysén
Glenn Ingvar Hysén is a football manager and former player who played for leading Dutch, Italian and English clubs and won 68 caps for Sweden...
Steve Nicol
Steve Nicol
Stephen "Steve" Nicol is a Scottish former professional footballer. A utility player who played in the all-conquering Liverpool team of the 1980s, he was most recently coach of New England Revolution, and was the longest-tenured head coach in MLS to coach a single club.As a player, Nicol was a...
Barry Venison
Barry Venison
Barry Venison is a retired English footballer who enjoyed a successful playing career from 1981 to 1997. He later worked as an television pundit.-Sunderland:...
Nick Tanner
Nick Tanner (footballer)
Nick Tanner is a former footballer who played non league football for Mangotsfield United before playing professionally for Bristol Rovers, Liverpool, Norwich City and Swindon Town...
Mark Wright
Midfielders Don Hutchison
Don Hutchison
Donald Hutchison is a Scottish ex-footballer who generally played in midfield but sometimes as a forward. He was a much travelled player with spells at both Liverpool and Everton as well as Sheffield United, Sunderland and West Ham United twice...
Barry Jones
Barry Jones (footballer)
Barry Jones is an English former footballer. He is a defender who played over 300 Football League games for Wrexham and York City, having begun his professional career with Liverpool. He played 36 games and scored two goals for Southport in the Northern Premier League in the 2003–04 season...
Steve McMahon
Steve McMahon
Stephen Joseph McMahon is an English former football midfielder who most notably played for Liverpool in the late 1980s...
Steve McManaman
Steve McManaman
Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most...
Ronnie Whelan
Ronnie Whelan
Ronald Andrew "Ronnie" Whelan is a former Irish football midfielder, and sometimes defender, who was an integral part of the dominant Liverpool side of the 1980s...
Ray Houghton
Ray Houghton
Raymond James "Ray" Houghton is a retired Scottish-born footballer who represented the Republic of Ireland at international level, qualifying through his Irish father...
Mike Marsh
Mike Marsh (footballer)
Mike Marsh is a footballer and now a coach, who came through the ranks at Liverpool and was part of their 1992 FA Cup-winning side.-Professional career:...
Jan Mølby
Jan Mølby
Jan Mølby is a Danish former international footballer who spent much of his professional football career at English club Liverpool.- Club career :...
Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Frank Redknapp is a retired English footballer who was active from 1989 until 2005. He is now a football pundit with Sky Sports, and an editorial columnist with the Daily Mail....
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter (footballer)
Jimmy Carter is an English former footballer. During his career, he played for Millwall, Liverpool, Arsenal, Oxford United, Portsmouth and then Millwall for a second spell....
Steve Harkness
Steve Harkness
Steven "Steve" Harkness is a former footballer who played for several clubs, most notably Liverpool.-Playing career:...
Michael Thomas István Kozma Mark Walters
Mark Walters
Mark Everton Walters is a retired professional footballer from Birmingham, England.-Aston Villa:Walters began his career as an apprentice at Aston Villa on leaving school in the summer of 1980, turning the professional a year later - just after Villa's Football League First Division title triumph...
Attackers Ian Rush
Ian Rush
Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
John Barnes
John Barnes (footballer)
John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is an English football manager and former player.During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times...
Ronnie Rosenthal Dean Saunders
Dean Saunders
Dean Nicholas Saunders is a former Wales international footballer who played as a striker in a professional career which lasted from 1982 until 2001. He is the manager of Doncaster Rovers....
Starting 11
- Only considering First Division starts.
| No. | Pos. | Name | Starts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK |  Zimbabwe |
37 |
| 2 | DF Defender (association football) Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking.... |
England |
28 |
| 3 | DF Defender (association football) Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking.... |
England |
30 |
| 4 | DF Defender (association football) Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking.... |
 Scotland |
34 |
| 5 | DF Defender (association football) Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking.... |
England |
21 |
| 6 | DF Defender Defender usually refers to a position in association football .Defender or The Defender may also refer to:-Film and television:* The Defender or The Bodyguard from Beijing, a film starring Jet Li... |
England |
32 |
| 7 | FW | Wales |
36 |
| 8 | MF Midfielder A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role... |
36 | |
| 9 | MF Midfielder A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role... |
England |
26 |
| 10 | MF Midfielder A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role... |
 Denmark |
25 |
| 11 | MF Midfielder A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role... |
England |
19 |
| . |