Liverpool 9–0 Crystal Palace (1989)
Encyclopedia
On September 12, 1989, Liverpool
faced Crystal Palace
in the fifth game of the 1989-90
season. Crystal Palace were newly promoted to the Division
, while Liverpool had been narrowly pipped
to the League Title
by Arsenal
last season
. Liverpool won the match 9–0, recording their biggest ever top-flight win, and inflicting Palace's heaviest ever defeat. Eight different players scored for Liverpool, the only time this has happened in English football history
.
dribbled towards the Crystal Palace area, but found himself blocked before Ronnie Whelan
played a pass out to the right, from where Steve Nicol
finished coolly. The second goal came from Steve McMahon
, who advanced onto a through-ball, spotted 'keeper Perry Suckling
off his line, and chipped the ball into the net from distance. The third goal came from interplay between Barnes, David Burrows
and Peter Beardsley. Beardsley began a mazy dribble into the penalty area, and no sooner was he tackled then Ian Rush
was on hand to convert from close range.
Liverpool went in at half–time 3-0 up, but there was more to come. In the 56th minute, a Beardsley corner was flicked on by Barnes, and headed home by Gary Gillespie
. Beardsley himself made it 5, running onto a layoff from Rush, and slamming the ball past Suckling from the edge of the area. Liverpool won a penalty in the 66th minute, and by this time they could afford to make a sentimental decision. The crowd called for the introduction of John Aldridge
, who about to leave the club to join Real Sociedad
; manager Kenny Dalglish
obliged, and replaced Beardsley with Aldridge. Aldridge converted the penalty with his first touch, to loud cheers. Palace were awarded a penalty of their own, but Geoff Thomas
missed his chance to score a consolation, and not long afterwards it was 7–0, with Barnes scoring a curling, chipped free-kick from the edge of the area. Barnes set up the eighth goal too, his corner being headed home by defender Glen Hysén, scoring his first goal for the club. The scoring was rounded off in the last minute, Burrows cross from the left went behind Aldridge, only for Steve Nicol to side-foot it into the net, finishing the scoring just as he had started it.
as Champions
, their 18th and to date last title. Palace survivived relegation, finishing 15th, and were able to inflict revenge on Liverpool later in the season, beating them 4–3 in an FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park
. They went on to lose the Final
against Manchester United
after a replay. Their goalkeeper Perry Suckling
's career never quite recovered from conceding nine - he soon lost his place to new signing Nigel Martyn
, and left the club in 1992, joining Watford
(where he replaced a Liverpool-bound David James
), before drifting into lower and non-league football.
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CRYSTAL PALACE:
|
GK
1
Perry Suckling
RB
2
John Pemberton
LB
3
David Burke
CM
4
Andy Gray
CB
5
Jeff Hopkins
CB
6
Gary O'Reilly
LM
7
Eddie McGoldrick
CM
8
Geoff Thomas
CF
9
Mark Bright
CF
10
Ian Wright
RM
11
Alan Pardew
Substitutes:
DF
12
Richard Shaw
MF
14
Alex Dyer
Manager:
Steve Coppell
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...
faced 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...
in the fifth game of the 1989-90
1989-90 in English football
-European competitions:English clubs were still banned from competing in European competitions following the Heysel Stadium disaster.- First Division :...
season. Crystal Palace were newly promoted to the Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
, while Liverpool had been narrowly pipped
Liverpool 0–2 Arsenal (26 May 1989)
The final match of the 1988–89 English Football League season was contested on 26 May 1989, between Liverpool and Arsenal, at Liverpool's Anfield ground. By sheer coincidence, it was the match between the top two teams in the First Division and the teams were close enough on points for the match to...
to the League Title
English football champions
The English football champions are the winners of the highest league in English football, which is currently the Premier League. Teams in bold are those who won the double of League Championship and FA Cup, or the European Double of League Championship and European Cup in that season.Following the...
by 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...
last season
1988-89 in English football
The 1988–89 season was the 109th season of competitive football in England.-Hillsborough disaster:On 15 April, a crowd crush at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough killed 94 people and injured more than 300. A 95th Liverpool supporter died in hospital...
. Liverpool won the match 9–0, recording their biggest ever top-flight win, and inflicting Palace's heaviest ever defeat. Eight different players scored for Liverpool, the only time this has happened in English football history
History of English football
The History of English football is a long and detailed one, as it is not only the national sport but England was where the game was developed and codified. The modern global game of Football was first codified in 1863 in London. The impetus for this was to unify English public school and university...
.
Match
Liverpool opened the scoring in the 7th minute - John BarnesJohn 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...
dribbled towards the Crystal Palace area, but found himself blocked before 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...
played a pass out to the right, from where 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...
finished coolly. The second goal came from Steve McMahon
Steve McMahon
Stephen Joseph McMahon is an English former football midfielder who most notably played for Liverpool in the late 1980s...
, who advanced onto a through-ball, spotted 'keeper Perry Suckling
Perry Suckling
Perry Suckling is an English former footballer. He is currently Academy Goalkeeping Coach at Tottenham Hotspur....
off his line, and chipped the ball into the net from distance. The third goal came from interplay between Barnes, 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...
and Peter Beardsley. Beardsley began a mazy dribble into the penalty area, and no sooner was he tackled then 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...
was on hand to convert from close range.
Liverpool went in at half–time 3-0 up, but there was more to come. In the 56th minute, a Beardsley corner was flicked on by Barnes, and headed home by 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:...
. Beardsley himself made it 5, running onto a layoff from Rush, and slamming the ball past Suckling from the edge of the area. Liverpool won a penalty in the 66th minute, and by this time they could afford to make a sentimental decision. The crowd called for the introduction of John Aldridge
John Aldridge
John William Aldridge is a former Republic of Ireland international footballer and football manager...
, who about to leave the club to join Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in the city of San Sebastián, Basque Country, founded on 7 September 1909...
; manager Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
obliged, and replaced Beardsley with Aldridge. Aldridge converted the penalty with his first touch, to loud cheers. Palace were awarded a penalty of their own, but Geoff Thomas
Geoff Thomas
Geoff Thomas born Manchester, England is a former English footballer, who won nine caps for the full England team and captained Crystal Palace to the FA Cup final in 1990...
missed his chance to score a consolation, and not long afterwards it was 7–0, with Barnes scoring a curling, chipped free-kick from the edge of the area. Barnes set up the eighth goal too, his corner being headed home by defender Glen Hysén, scoring his first goal for the club. The scoring was rounded off in the last minute, Burrows cross from the left went behind Aldridge, only for Steve Nicol to side-foot it into the net, finishing the scoring just as he had started it.
Aftermath
Liverpool ended the seasonLiverpool F.C. season 1989-90
The 1989–90 season was the 98th season in Liverpool F.C.'s existence, and their 27th consecutive year in the top-flight. This article covers the period from 1 July 1989 to 30 June 1990....
as Champions
English football champions
The English football champions are the winners of the highest league in English football, which is currently the Premier League. Teams in bold are those who won the double of League Championship and FA Cup, or the European Double of League Championship and European Cup in that season.Following the...
, their 18th and to date last title. Palace survivived relegation, finishing 15th, and were able to inflict revenge on Liverpool later in the season, beating them 4–3 in an FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park
Villa Park
Villa Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
. They went on to lose the Final
1990 FA Cup Final
The 1990 FA Cup Final was a football match contested by Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium, London, England. The match finished 3–3 after extra time. Bryan Robson and Mark Hughes scored for United; Gary O'Reilly and Ian Wright for Palace...
against 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...
after a replay. Their goalkeeper Perry Suckling
Perry Suckling
Perry Suckling is an English former footballer. He is currently Academy Goalkeeping Coach at Tottenham Hotspur....
's career never quite recovered from conceding nine - he soon lost his place to new signing Nigel Martyn
Nigel Martyn
Antony Nigel Martyn , more commonly known as Nigel Martyn, is a retired English football goalkeeper. He played for Crystal Palace where he became the first £1million goalkeeper in British football and also won the Full Members Cup. Martyn then left to spend six seasons at Leeds United. He went on...
, and left the club in 1992, joining Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
(where he replaced a Liverpool-bound David James
David James (footballer)
David Benjamin James is an English footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Bristol City.On 14 February 2009, he achieved the all-time Premier League appearance record with 536 appearances, overtaking Gary Speed. He held this record until being overtaken by Ryan Giggs on the 14th May 2011...
), before drifting into lower and non-league football.
Match details
| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> | LIVERPOOL | |||
| GK | 1 |  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... |
||
| CB | 2 |  Glen Hysén |
||
| LB | 3 | 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... |
||
| RM | 4 |  Steve NicolSteve 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... |
||
| CM | 5 | 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... |
||
| CB | 6 | Alan Hansen Alan Hansen Alan David Hansen is a Scottish former football player and BBC television football pundit. He played as a central defender for Partick Thistle, Liverpool and Scotland... (c) |
||
| CF | 7 | 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... |
||
| RB | 8 | 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:... |
||
| CF | 9 | 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... |
||
| LM | 10 | 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... |
||
| CM | 11 | Steve McMahon Steve McMahon Stephen Joseph McMahon is an English former football midfielder who most notably played for Liverpool in the late 1980s... |
||
| Substitutes: | ||||
| FW | 12 | John Aldridge John Aldridge John William Aldridge is a former Republic of Ireland international footballer and football manager... |
||
| MF | 14 |  Jan MølbyJan Mølby Jan Mølby is a Danish former international footballer who spent much of his professional football career at English club Liverpool.- Club career :... |
||
| Manager: | ||||
| Kenny Dalglish Kenny Dalglish Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and... |
||||
Perry SucklingPerry Suckling
Perry Suckling is an English former footballer. He is currently Academy Goalkeeping Coach at Tottenham Hotspur....
John PembertonJohn Pemberton (footballer)
John Pemberton is an English former footballer who made more than 300 appearances in the Football League and Premier League playing as a defender for Rochdale, Crewe Alexandra, Crystal Palace, Sheffield United and Leeds United...
David BurkeDavid Burke (footballer)
David Ian Burke is an English former professional footballer. He played as a left-back.Burke began his career at Bolton Wanderers in 1977, making his league debut as an 18-year-old on September 2, 1978, in a 2-2 draw at Birmingham...
Andy GrayAndy Gray (footballer born 1964)
Andrew Arthur Gray is an English former footballer who played in the centre of midfield or as a striker during his career, before going into International management...
Jeff Hopkins Gary O'ReillyGary O'Reilly
Gary O'Reilly is a former professional English footballer who played for Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace and Grays Athletic as a central defender....
Eddie McGoldrickEddie McGoldrick
Edward John Paul "Eddie" McGoldrick is a former Irish footballer whose clubs included most notably Northampton Town, Crystal Palace, Arsenal and Manchester City...
Geoff ThomasGeoff Thomas
Geoff Thomas born Manchester, England is a former English footballer, who won nine caps for the full England team and captained Crystal Palace to the FA Cup final in 1990...
Mark BrightMark Bright
Mark Abraham Bright is a former English footballer who is now a sports pundit and BBC London's sport presenter, as well as a coach at Crystal Palace....
Ian WrightIan Wright
Ian Edward Wright, MBE is a retired English footballer turned television and radio personality.Wright enjoyed success with London clubs Crystal Palace and Arsenal, spending six years with the former and seven years with the latter. With Arsenal he has lifted the Premier League title and both major...
Alan PardewAlan Pardew
Alan Scott Pardew is an English football manager and former player, currently the manager of Newcastle United....
Richard ShawRichard Shaw (footballer)
Richard Shaw is an English former professional football player, and currently a coach for Millwall....
Alex Dyer Steve CoppellSteve Coppell
Stephen James "Steve" Coppell is an English former footballer and manager, currently without a club.As a player, he was a highly regarded right winger known for his speed and work rate. He won domestic honours with Manchester United and represented England at the World Cup...