1990–91 Liverpool F.C. season

Liverpool F.C.
1990–91 season
Manager	Kenny Dalglish (until 22 February) ; Ronnie Moran ; Graeme Souness
First Division	2nd
FA Cup	Fifth round
League Cup	Third round
FA Charity Shield	Title shared
Top goalscorer	League: Ian Rush (16) ; John Barnes (16); All: Ian Rush (26)
Home colours	Away colours

Liverpool F.C. did not manage to defend its league title, and would not reclaim the title for thirty years until the 2019-20 Premier League season.

Manager Kenny Dalglish resigned on 22 February 1991 following a dramatic 4–4 draw with local rivals Everton, citing personal reasons for his decision. With caretaker Ronnie Moran in charge, Liverpool failed to regain the lead of the First Division from Arsenal, who finished as champions having lost just one game all season. Still, they at least managed to secure a top-two finish for a record 10th season in succession. Graeme Souness was appointed manager on 16 April for the five last matches of the season, resulting in three wins and two defeats.

Captain Alan Hansen, out of action for a nearly a year, announced his retirement as a player not long after Dalglish's resignation.

The season had started very well for the Reds, who as defending league champions won their first eight league games, including a 4–0 victory over Manchester United at Anfield, and enjoyed a 15-match unbeaten start in the league.

It was also the final season at Anfield for striker Peter Beardsley, who enjoyed a fine start to his fourth season at the club but was then dropped in favour of new signing David Speedie halfway through the season. Both players left the club in the close season; Speedie to Blackburn Rovers and Beardsley to local rivals Everton. Also on their way out of Anfield that summer were defenders Gary Gillespie and Steve Staunton to Celtic and Aston Villa respectively. The close season saw Liverpool pay a national record £2.9million for Derby County striker Dean Saunders, who had been one of the First Division's top scorers in 1990-91 despite his team being relegated in bottom place. A further £2.5million went to the East Midlanders for England defender Mark Wright. An outlay of £1.25million also went on midfielder Mark Walters, who followed Souness to Anfield from Rangers.

Just weeks before his resignation, Dalglish invested for the future with a move for 17-year-old AFC Bournemouth midfielder Jamie Redknapp, while fellow teenage midfielder Steve McManaman made his first two senior appearances during the season. He also gave a senior debut to 18-year-old winger Steve McManaman just before Christmas.

Events of the season

August

Liverpool's defence of their record 18th top division league title began on 25 August 1990 at Bramall Lane, where they defeated newly promoted Sheffield United 3–1. A visit to Wembley a week earlier for the FA Charity Shield had seen Liverpool share the honour with FA Cup holders Manchester United in a 1–1 draw.

September

September ended with Liverpool top of the First Division, having won all of their seven opening league games, including a 3–2 win at Goodison Park in the Merseyside derby in which Peter Beardsley scored twice, and even more impressively a 4–0 demolition of Manchester United at Anfield in which Beardsley hit a hat-trick. Beardsley ended the month as the First Division's top goalscorer with seven goals in as many games.

October

Liverpool's winning start to the season reached an eighth successive game as they triumphed 2–0 at home to struggling Derby County, and in the next game they dropped points for the first time when Norwich City held them to a 1–1 draw at Carrow Road. The month ended in disappointment when Manchester United dumped them out of the Football League Cup with a 3–1 defeat at Old Trafford.

November

Peter Beardsley's excellent form continued as he reached the 10-goal mark in the First Division on 10 November, finding the net in a 4–0 home win over Luton Town. It was also a fine month for Ian Rush, who was on the scoresheet twice against both Luton Town and Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool remained comfortably in the lead at the top of the First Division as November ended.

December

Liverpool's unbeaten start to the season ended after 14 games when they crashed 3–0 to their nearest challengers Arsenal at Highbury on 2 December, but their lead of the First Division remained intact. The month ended with a second defeat at Crystal Palace, slowly emerging as outsiders in the title race, but also included wins over Sheffield United and Southampton.

January

The new year brought two significant signings for Liverpool, in the shape of experienced striker David Speedie from Coventry City and promising 17-year-old midfielder Jamie Redknapp from AFC Bournemouth. There were just three league games for the Reds this month, starting with a 3–0 win over Leeds United at Anfield on New Year's Day, followed by draws against Aston Villa at Wimbledon.

The FA Cup quest got off to a rocky start, with the Reds needing replays to see off Second Division competition in the shape of Blackburn Rovers in the third round and Brighton & Hove Albion in the fourth. However, Arsenal had overtaken the Reds as league leaders by the end of the month.

February

Kenny Dalglish stunned the football world on 22 February 1991 by suddenly announcing his resignation as Liverpool manager after nearly six years in charge, during which time he had guided them to three league titles, two FA Cups, and they had never finished lower than runners-up in the league. They were also in contention for the double when he handed in his resignation, having just forced a second replay against Everton in the fifth round following a goalless draw at Anfield and a 4–4 thriller at Goodison Park less than 48 hours before the bombshell was dropped. They had also beaten Everton in the league earlier in the month.

Long-serving coach Ronnie Moran was put in temporary charge of the first team until a permanent successor could be found. However, the month ended with Everton finally getting the better of the Reds in the second replay of the FA Cup fifth round.

March

Arsenal extended their lead over the Reds with a 1–0 win at Anfield on 3 March, but wins in the next three games (including a 7–1 demolition of bottom club Derby County at Anfield) kept the Reds in contention for a 19th league title.

April

13 goals and three straight wins meant that Liverpool ended the month still capable of catching Arsenal in the race for the league title, giving new manager Graeme Souness every chance of a dream return to the club he served so well as a player.

May

Successive defeats to Chelsea and Nottingham Forest ended Liverpool's hopes of another league title as the championship trophy headed back to Arsenal, who had seized it from Liverpool's grasp with the last kick of the season two years earlier. The last league action of the season was a 2–0 home win over Tottenham Hotspur, and the Reds at least had the consolation of a record 10th successive top two finish.[1]

Much speculation surrounded Anfield at the end of the season regarding who would be joining Liverpool and who might be leaving. The future of Peter Beardsley at Anfield was looking particularly bleak; after an excellent start to the season which saw him hit the back of the net 11 times in the league before the end of November, he had struggled to hold down his place in the first team due to competition from Ronny Rosenthal and then David Speedie for the position as Ian Rush's strike partner. There was also talk that David Speedie could soon be on his way out of Anfield just months after arriving as Souness looked to sign a new striker, with Mo Johnston of Rangers and Dean Saunders of Derby County being two names most strongly linked with a move to Anfield. Following the retirement of Alan Hansen in the centre of defence, Derby County's Mark Wright also became a transfer target. Midfielder Craig Johnston, who had announced his retirement from playing three years earlier in order to care for his sister following a serious accident, was offered the chance of reviving his career by Souness.[2]

Squad

Goalkeepers

Bruce Grobbelaar
Mike Hooper
Robbie Holcroft

Defenders

Midfielders

Attackers

First Division

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Arsenal (C)	38	24	13	1	74	18	+56	83[lower-alpha 1]	Qualified for the European Cup
2	Liverpool	38	23	7	8	77	40	+37	76	Qualified for UEFA Cup
3	Crystal Palace	38	20	9	9	50	41	+9	69
4	Leeds United	38	19	7	12	65	47	+18	64
5	Manchester City	38	17	11	10	64	53	+11	62

Source:
(C) League Champions.
Notes:

Arsenal deducted two points; Manchester United deducted one point due to a brawl in a game between both teams.

Matches

FA Charity Shield

18 August FA Charity Shield	Liverpool	1 – 1	Manchester United	London
	Barnes 51' (pen.)	Report	Blackmore 44'	Stadium: Wembley Stadium Attendance: 66,558 Referee: George Courtney

First Division

25 August 1	Sheffield United	1 – 3	Liverpool	Sheffield
	Deane 60'	Report	Barnes 59' Houghton 65' Rush 88'	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 27,009 Referee: Vic Callow

28 August 2	Liverpool	2 – 0	Nottingham Forest	Liverpool
	Rush 52' Beardsley 83'	Report		Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 33,363 Referee: Peter Tyldesley

1 September 3	Liverpool	2 – 1	Aston Villa	Liverpool
	Beardsley 12' Barnes 87'	Report	Platt 26'	Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 38,061 Referee: Keith Hackett

8 September 4	Wimbledon	1 – 2	Liverpool	London
	Cork 74'	Report	Barnes 27' Whelan 31'	Stadium: Plough Lane Attendance: 12,364 Referee: R. Groves

16 September 5	Liverpool	4 – 0	Manchester United	Liverpool
	Beardsley 11', 32', 81' Barnes 44'	Report		Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 35,726 Referee: Lester Shapter

22 September 6	Everton	2 – 3	Liverpool	Liverpool
	Hinchcliffe 71' McCall 84'	Report	Beardsley 36', 68' Barnes 37'	Stadium: Goodison Park Attendance: 39,847 Referee: Roger Milford

29 September 7	Sunderland	0 – 1	Liverpool	Sunderland
		Report	Houghton 44'	Stadium: Roker Park Attendance: 31,107 Referee: T. West

6 October 8	Liverpool	2 – 0	Derby County	Liverpool
	Houghton 37' Beardsley 85'	Report		Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 37,036 Referee: Terry Holbrook

20 October 9	Norwich City	1 – 1	Liverpool	Norwich
	Fox 7'	Report	Gillespie 2'	Stadium: Carrow Road Attendance: 21,275 Referee: John Moules

27 October 10	Liverpool	2 – 0	Chelsea	Liverpool
	Rush 3' Nicol 17'	Report		Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 38,463 Referee: Keren Barratt

4 November 11	Tottenham Hotspur	1 – 3	Liverpool	London
	Lineker 50'	Report	Rush 38', 48' Beardsley 67'	Stadium: White Hart Lane Attendance: 35,033 Referee: George Courtney

10 November 12	Liverpool	4 – 0	Luton Town	Liverpool
	Rush 5', 39' Mølby 9' (pen.) Beardsley 71'	Report		Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 35,207 Referee: Gerald Ashby

17 November 13	Coventry City	0 – 1	Liverpool	Coventry
		Report	Beardsley 73'	Stadium: Highfield Road Attendance: 22,571 Referee: Ken Redfern

24 November 14	Liverpool	2 – 2	Manchester City	Liverpool
	Rush 82' Rosenthal 86'	Report	Ward 62' Quinn 89'	Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 37,847 Referee: Philip Don

2 December 15	Arsenal	3 – 0	Liverpool	London
	Merson 21' Dixon 46' (pen.) Smith 88'	Report		Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 40,419 Referee: Allan Gunn

15 December 16	Liverpool	2 – 0	Sheffield United	Liverpool
	Barnes 61' Rush 75'	Report		Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 33,516 Referee: John Lloyd

22 December 17	Liverpool	3 – 2	Southampton	Liverpool
	Rosenthal 33', 43' Houghton 83'	Report	Wallace 18', 48'	Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 31,894 Referee: Robbie Hart

26 December 18	Queens Park Rangers	1 – 1	Liverpool	London
	Falco 67'	Report	Barnes 49'	Stadium: Loftus Road Attendance: 17,848 Referee: J. Martin

30 December 19	Crystal Palace	1 – 0	Liverpool	London
	Bright 44'	Report		Stadium: Selhurst Park Attendance: 26,280

1 January 20	Liverpool	3 – 0	Leeds United	Liverpool
	Barnes 7' Rosenthal 33' Rush 89'	Report		Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 36,975 Referee: Peter Tyldesley

12 January 21	Aston Villa	0 – 0	Liverpool	Birmingham
		Report		Stadium: Villa Park Attendance: 40,026 Referee: Jim Borrett

19 January 22	Liverpool	1 – 1	Wimbledon	Liverpool
15:00	Barnes 33'	Report	Barton 81'	Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 35,030 Referee: Howard King

3 February 23	Manchester United	1 – 1	Liverpool	Manchester
	Bruce 26'	Report	Speedie 39'	Stadium: Old Trafford Attendance: 43,690 Referee: Ray Lewis

9 February 24	Liverpool	3 – 1	Everton	Liverpool
	Mølby 17' Speedie 49', 53'	Report	Nevin 45'	Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 38,127 Referee: Lester Shapter

23 February 25	Luton Town	3 – 1	Liverpool	Luton
	Black 47' Dowie 55', 90'	Report	Mølby 13' (pen.)	Stadium: Kenilworth Road Attendance: 12,032 Referee: D. Ashworth

3 March 26	Liverpool	0 – 1	Arsenal	Liverpool
		Report	Merson	Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 37,221 Referee: Terry Holbrook

9 March 27	Manchester City	0 – 3	Liverpool	Manchester
		Report	Mølby 39' (pen.), 44' (pen.) Barnes 86'	Stadium: Maine Road Attendance: 35,150 Referee: George Courtney

16 March 28	Liverpool	2 – 1	Sunderland	Liverpool
	Rush 27' Owers 44' (o.g.)	Report	Armstrong 19'	Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 37,582 Referee: Keith Hackett

23 March 29	Derby County	1 – 7	Liverpool	Derby
	Saunders 19'	Report	Mølby 7' (pen.) Barnes 23', 47' Rush 39' Nicol 56', 63' Houghton 90'	Stadium: Baseball Ground Attendance: 20,531 Referee: Philip Don

30 March 30	Liverpool	1 – 3	Queens Park Rangers	Liverpool
	Mølby 64' (pen.)	Report	Ferdinand 10' Wegerle 45' Wilson 83'	Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 37,251 Referee: Mike Reed

1 April 31	Southampton	1 – 0	Liverpool	Southampton
	Le Tissier 4'	Report		Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 20,255 Referee: Allan Gunn

9 April 32	Liverpool	1 – 1	Coventry City	Liverpool
	Rush 20'	Report	Gynn 34'	Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 31,063 Referee: David Elleray

13 April 33	Leeds United	4 – 5	Liverpool	Leeds
	Chapman 68', 81', 88' Shutt 77'	Report	Houghton 11' Mølby 16' (pen.) Speedie 25' Barnes 28', 79'	Stadium: Elland Road Attendance: 31,460 Referee: Ken Redfern

20 April 34	Liverpool	3 – 0	Norwich City	Liverpool
	Barnes 31' Houghton 36' Rush 85'	Report		Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 37,065 Referee: Vic Callow

23 April 35	Liverpool	3 – 0	Crystal Palace	Liverpool
	Rush 41' Barnes 55' McGoldrick 88' (o.g.)	Report		Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 36,767 Referee: Keren Barratt

4 May 36	Chelsea	4 – 2	Liverpool	London
	Dixon 8', 77' Wise 32' (pen.) Durie 87'	Report	Speedie 62' Rosenthal 72'	Stadium: Stamford Bridge Attendance: 32,266 Referee: Stephen Lodge

6 May 37	Nottingham Forest	2 – 1	Liverpool	Nottingham
	Clough 13' Woan 64'	Report	Mølby 56' (pen.)	Stadium: City Ground Attendance: 26,151 Referee: J. Martin

11 May 38	Liverpool	2 – 0	Tottenham Hotspur	Liverpool
	Rush 41' Speedie 48'	Report		Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 36,192 Referee: Roger Milford

FA Cup

5 January 3rd Round	Blackburn Rovers	1 – 1	Liverpool	Blackburn
	Garner 46'	Report	Atkins 90' (o.g.)	Stadium: Ewood Park

8 January 3rd Round Replay	Liverpool	3 – 0	Blackburn Rovers	Liverpool
	Houghton 15' Rush 23' Beardsley 83' Staunton 82'	Report		Stadium: Anfield

26 January 4th Round	Liverpool	2 – 2	Brighton & Hove Albion	Liverpool
	Rush 48', 55'	Report	Small 72' Byrne 74'	Stadium: Anfield

30 January 4th Round Replay	Brighton & Hove Albion	2 – 3	Liverpool	Brighton
	Small 36' Byrne 98'	Report	McMahon 10', 114' Rush 106'	Stadium: Goldstone Ground

17 February 5th Round	Liverpool	0 – 0	Everton	Liverpool
		Report		Stadium: Anfield

20 February 5th Round Replay	Everton	4 – 4	Liverpool	Liverpool
	Sharp 48', 73' Cottee 89', 113'	Report	Beardsley 37', 71' Rush 77' Barnes 103'	Stadium: Goodison Park

27 February 5th Round 2nd Replay	Everton	1 – 0	Liverpool	Liverpool
	Watson 12'	Report		Stadium: Goodison Park

Football League Cup

25 September 2nd Round 1st Leg	Liverpool	5 – 1	Crewe Alexandra	Liverpool
	McMahon 30' Gillespie 31' Houghton 67' Rush 72', 85'	Report	Sussex 8'	Stadium: Anfield

9 October 2nd Round 2nd Leg	Crewe Alexandra	1 – 4	Liverpool	Crewe
	Sussex 86'	Report	Rush 18', 48', 74' Staunton 42'	Stadium: Gresty Road

31 October 3rd Round	Manchester United	3 – 1	Liverpool	Manchester
	Bruce 36' (pen.) Hughes 37' Sharpe 81'	Report	Houghton 83'	Stadium: Old Trafford

Top scorers

Ian Rush 16
John Barnes 16
Peter Beardsley 11
Jan Mølby 9
Ray Houghton 7
David Speedie 6
Ronnie Rosenthal 5

Recap

Competition	Result	Top Scorer
First Division	Runners-Up	John Barnes, 16 Ian Rush, 16
FA Cup	Fifth Round	Ian Rush, 5
League Cup	Third Round	Ian Rush, 5
Charity Shield	Title shared	John Barnes, 1
Overall		Ian Rush, 26

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References

"Archived copy". Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

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[table_hth_ARS0.046158324948586-3] Arsenal deducted two points; Manchester United deducted one point due to a brawl in a game between both teams.

[1] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)