1996–97 Liverpool F.C. season

During the 1996–97 English football season, Liverpool F.C. competed in the FA Premier League (known as the FA Carling Premiership for sponsorship reasons).

Competition Result Top scorer
Premier League 4th Robbie Fowler, 18
UEFA CWC Semi-finals Robbie Fowler, 7
FA Cup Fourth round Stan Collymore, 2
League Cup Fifth round Robbie Fowler, 5
Overall Robbie Fowler, 31

Liverpool
1996–97 season
ChairmanDavid Moores
ManagerRoy Evans
Premier League4th
FA CupFourth round
League CupFifth round
Cup Winners' CupSemi-finals
Top goalscorerLeague:
Robbie Fowler (18)

All:
Robbie Fowler (31)
Average home league attendance38,436

Season summary

Liverpool led the Premiership for much of the season, and established a five-point lead at the top before New Year's Day 1997. However, the team were overtaken by Manchester United in the latter stages of the season, and it was United who ultimately won the league, though Liverpool squandered several more chances to reclaim the top position.[1] The side were marred both by the rise of the "Spice Boys" culture, as well as by defensive aberrations; dropping points at their previously impregnable Anfield home. A 2–1 home defeat against bottom of the table Coventry City denied Liverpool the chance to return to top spot with six games to go, United having lost at home to Derby the previous day.[2] Indeed, a win over United at Anfield in April would have put Liverpool top with just three matches to go, but United won 3–1 to effectively clinch the title.[3] The title lost, Liverpool still went into the final match of the season in second place with a two-point lead over Newcastle and Arsenal, but a 1–1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday meant they ended up finishing 4th on goal difference, thus missing out on a place in the newly expanded UEFA Champions League[4] and leaving Roy Evans and his team with a UEFA Cup place as scant consolation for a season which had promised much and giving rise to the phrase "finishing fourth in a two horse race".

In the cups there was more disappointment. Liverpool's UEFA Cup Winners' Cup campaign ended in the semi-finals with a 3–2 aggregate defeat to Paris St Germain. In the FA Cup they lost 4–2 to eventual winners Chelsea in the fourth round, having led 2–0 at half-time and squandered chances to extend their lead. Liverpool were knocked out in the Coca-Cola Cup quarter-finals by eventual finalists Middlesbrough.

The side were nevertheless praised for their attractive attacking style of football. Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler continued to excel for the club, and Fowler continued his prolific strike partnership with Stan Collymore, scoring 47 goals between them. Fowler's suspension for the final four games was a big blow and effectively ended any lingering hopes of title glory. Fowler also received a UEFA Fair Play award, for protesting that he had not been fouled by Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman when the referee awarded a penalty kick. The season also saw the debut of teenage prodigy Michael Owen.

Former defender Mark Wright stated in an interview that this was the season in the 1990s that the Liverpool team truly had the talent and opportunity to win the title but threw it away:[5] "We did come close to winning the league a few times and we finished fourth one season when we were the best team. We were better than Manchester United, better than everyone, and we finished joint second but ended up fourth because of goal difference. That was the season we should have won the title and we all know that. I remember some of the games we lost and the way we dropped points against certain sides. David James dropped a few clangers and I remember them because in certain games he didn't have anything to do, then all of a sudden he thinks he's got to be involved in the game. He would come rushing out and all of a sudden you would be 1–0 down", he said.

Final league table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
2 Newcastle United 38 19 11 8 73 40 +33 68 Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round
3 Arsenal 38 19 11 8 62 32 +30 68 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round[lower-alpha 1]
4 Liverpool 38 19 11 8 62 37 +25 68
5 Aston Villa 38 17 10 11 47 34 +13 61
6 Chelsea 38 16 11 11 58 55 +3 59 Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round[lower-alpha 2]
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
  1. Aston Villa was rewarded entry to the UEFA Cup through UEFA Fair Play ranking.
  2. Chelsea qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as FA Cup winners.

First-team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  ENG David James
2 DF  ENG Rob Jones
3 DF  ENG John Scales
3 DF  NOR Bjorn Kvarme
4 DF  IRL Jason McAteer[notes 1]
5 DF  ENG Mark Wright
6 DF  IRL Phil Babb[notes 2]
7 MF  ENG Steve McManaman
8 FW  ENG Stan Collymore
9 FW  ENG Robbie Fowler
10 MF  ENG John Barnes[notes 3]
11 MF  ENG Jamie Redknapp
12 DF  ENG Steve Harkness
No. Pos. Nation Player
13 GK  ENG Tony Warner[notes 4]
14 DF  ENG Neil Ruddock
15 MF  CZE Patrik Berger
16 MF  ENG Michael Thomas
18 FW  ENG Michael Owen
19 DF  IRL Mark Kennedy
20 DF  NOR Stig Inge Bjørnebye
21 DF  ENG Dominic Matteo[notes 5]
22 MF  ENG Jamie Cassidy
23 DF  ENG Jamie Carragher
24 FW  WAL Lee Jones
25 MF  ENG David Thompson
26 GK  DEN Jørgen Nielsen

Transfers

In

# Pos Player From Fee Date
15MF Patrik Berger Borussia Dortmund£3,250,0001 August 1996
28MF Nick Rizzo Sydney OlympicFree1 September 1996
3DF Bjørn Tore Kvarme RosenborgFree10 January 1997

Out

# Pos Player To Fee Date
27GK Stephen Pears Hartlepool UnitedFree1 June 1996
18MF Phil Charnock Crewe AlexandraFree6 December 1996
3DF John Scales Tottenham Hotspur£2,600,00011 December 1996

Results

Premier League

17 August 1996 1Middlesbrough3–3LiverpoolMiddlesbrough, North Yorkshire
15:00 Ravanelli  26' (pen.), 36', 81' Report Bjørnebye  4'
Barnes  29'
Fowler  65'
Stadium: Riverside Stadium
Attendance: 30,039
19 August 1996 2Liverpool2–0ArsenalLiverpool, Merseyside
20:00 BST McManaman  68', 74' Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 38,103
Referee: Gary Willard
24 August 1996 3Liverpool0–0SunderlandLiverpool, Merseyside
15:00 Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 40,503
4 September 1996 4Coventry City0–1LiverpoolCoventry, West Midlands
19:45 Babb  68' Stadium: Highfield Road
Attendance: 23,021
7 September 1996 5Liverpool2–1SouthamptonLiverpool, Merseyside
15:00 Collymore  39'
McManaman  89'
Magilton  68' Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 39,189
15 September 1996 6Leicester City0–3LiverpoolLeicester, Leicestershire
15:00 Berger  58', 77'
Thomas  61'
Stadium: Filbert Street
Attendance: 20,987
21 September 1996 7Liverpool5–1ChelseaLiverpool, Merseyside
15:00 Fowler  15'
Berger  42', 49'
Myers  45' (o.g.)
Barnes  57'
Leboeuf  85' Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 40,739
29 September 1996 8West Ham United1–2LiverpoolNewham, London
15:00 Bilić  15' Collymore  3'
Thomas  55'
Attendance: 25,064
12 October 1996 9Manchester United1–0LiverpoolTrafford, Greater Manchester
11:15 Beckham  23' Stadium: Old Trafford
Attendance: 55,128
27 October 1996 10Liverpool2–1Derby CountyLiverpool, Merseyside
16:00 Fowler  47', 51' A. Ward  89' Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 39,515
3 November 1996 11Blackburn Rovers3–0LiverpoolBlackburn, Lancashire
15:00 Sutton  3' (pen.), 56'
Wilcox  24'
Stadium: Ewood Park
Attendance: 29,598
16 November 1996 12Leeds United0–2LiverpoolLeeds, West Yorkshire
15:00 Ruddock  13'
McManaman  90'
Stadium: Elland Road
Attendance: 39,981
20 November 1996 13Liverpool1–1EvertonLiverpool, Merseyside
19:45 Fowler  30' Speed  82' Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 40,751
23 November 1996 14Liverpool1–1WimbledonLiverpool, Merseyside
15:00 Collymore  1' Leonhardsen  67' Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 39,027
2 December 1996 15Tottenham Hotspur0–2LiverpoolHaringey, London
20:00 Thomas  45'
McManaman  49'
Stadium: White Hart Lane
7 December 1996 16Liverpool0–1Sheffield WednesdayLiverpool, Merseyside
15:00 Whittingham  21' Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 39,507
14 December 1996 17Liverpool5–1MiddlesbroughLiverpool, Merseyside
15:00 Fowler  1', 28', 77', 85'
Bjørnebye  45'
Fjørtoft  75' Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 39,491
17 December 1996 18Liverpool4–2Nottingham ForestLiverpool, Merseyside
19:45 Collymore  6', 63'
Fowler  27'
Lyttle  53' (o.g.)
Campbell  34'
Pearce  60'
Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 36,126
23 December 1996 19Newcastle United1–1LiverpoolNewcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear
20:00 Shearer  28' Fowler  45' Stadium: St. James' Park
Attendance: 36,570
26 December 1996 20Liverpool1–1Leicester CityLiverpool, Merseyside
15:00 Collymore  80' Claridge  76' Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 40,786
29 December 1996 21Southampton0–1LiverpoolSouthampton, Hampshire
16:00 Barnes  76' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 15,222
1 January 1997 22Chelsea1–0LiverpoolFulham, London
15:00 Di Matteo  43' Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Attendance: 28,329
11 January 1997 23Liverpool0–0West Ham UnitedLiverpool, Merseyside
15:00 Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 40,102
18 January 1997 24Liverpool3–0Aston VillaLiverpool, Merseyside
15:00 Carragher  50'
Collymore  58'
Fowler  63'
Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 40,489
1 February 1997 25Derby County0–1LiverpoolDerby, Derbyshire
15:00 Collymore  75' Stadium: Baseball Ground
Attendance: 18,102
19 February 1997 26Liverpool4–0Leeds UnitedLiverpool, Merseyside
19:45 Fowler  21'
Collymore  36', 37'
Redknapp  87'
Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 38,957
22 February 1997 27Liverpool0–0Blackburn RoversLiverpool, Merseyside
15:00 Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 40,747
2 March 1997 28Aston Villa1–0LiverpoolBirmingham, West Midlands
16:00 Taylor  83' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 39,339
10 March 1997 29Liverpool4–3Newcastle UnitedLiverpool, Merseyside
20:00 McManaman  29'
Berger  30'
Fowler  42', 90'
Gillespie  71'
Asprilla  87'
Barton  88'
Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 40,751
15 March 1997 30Nottingham Forest1–1LiverpoolNottingham
15:00 Woan  30' Fowler  4' Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 29,181
24 March 1997 31Arsenal1–2LiverpoolIslington, London
20:00 GMT Wright  78' Collymore  50'
McAteer  65'
Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 38,068
Referee: Gerald Ashby
6 April 1997 32Liverpool1–2Coventry CityLiverpool, Merseyside
15:00 Fowler  52' Whelan  65'
Dublin  90'
Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 40,079
13 April 1997 33Sunderland1–2LiverpoolSunderland, Tyne and Wear
15:00 Stewart  53' Fowler  33'
McManaman  47'
Stadium: Roker Park
Attendance: 21,938
16 April 1997 34Everton1–1LiverpoolLiverpool, Merseyside
19:45 Ferguson  65' Redknapp  26' Stadium: Goodison Park
Attendance: 40,177
19 April 1997 35Liverpool1–3Manchester UnitedLiverpool, Merseyside
11:15 Barnes  19' Pallister  13', 42'
Cole  63'
Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 40,892
6 May 1997 37Wimbledon2–1LiverpoolCroydon, London
19:45 Euell  43'
Holdsworth  55'
Owen  74' Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 20,016
11 May 1997 38Sheffield Wednesday1–1LiverpoolSheffield
16:00 Donaldson  75' Redknapp  83' Stadium: Hillsborough
Attendance: 38,943

Results by round

Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
GroundAHHAHAHAAHHAAHAHHAHHAAHHAAHAAAHHAHAHHA
ResultDWDWWWWWLDWLWDWLWDDWWLDWWLDLDWLWWLDWWD
Position94743111332323232222123322344444344324
Source: Competitive Matches
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

FA Cup

4 January 1997 3rd RoundLiverpool1–0BurnleyLiverpool
Collymore  12' (Report) Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 33,252
26 January 1997 4th RoundChelsea4–2LiverpoolLondon
Hughes  50'
Zola  58'
Vialli  63', 76'
(Report) Fowler  10'
Collymore  21'
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Attendance: 27,950

Football League Cup

23 October 1996 3rd RoundCharlton Athletic1–1LiverpoolLondon
Whyte  18' Report Fowler  21' Stadium: The Valley
Attendance: 15,000
13 November 1996 3rd Round replayLiverpool4–1Charlton AthleticLiverpool
Wright  14'
Redknapp  18'
Fowler  48', 73'
Report Newton  21' Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 20,714
27 November 1996 4th RoundLiverpool4–2ArsenalLiverpool
McManaman  26'
Fowler  39' (pen.), 52'
Berger  72'
Report Wright  13' (pen.), 68' (pen.) Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 32,814
8 January 1997 Quarter-FinalMiddlesbrough2–1LiverpoolMiddlesbrough
Hignett  14'
Vickers  21'
Report McManaman  65' Stadium: Riverside Stadium
Attendance: 28,670

European Cup Winners' Cup

12 September 1996 First Round, First LegMyPa 0–1 LiverpoolAnjalankoski
Report Bjørnebye  61' Stadium: Kymenlaakson Sähkö Stadion
Attendance: 4,767
26 September 1996 First Round, Second LegLiverpool 3–1 MyPaLiverpool
Berger  16'
Collymore  59'
Barnes  77'
Report Keskitalo  64' Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 39,013
17 October 1996 Second Round, First LegSion 1–2 LiverpoolSion
Bonvin  10' Report Fowler  28'
Barnes  80'
Stadium: Stade Tourbillon
Attendance: 15,500
31 October 1996 Second Round, Second LegLiverpool 6–3 SionLiverpool
McManaman  27'
Bjørnebye  55'
Barnes  66'
Fowler  70', 79'
Berger  89'
Report Chassot  20', 65'
Bonvin  23'
Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 38,514
6 March 1997 Quarter-Final, First LegBrann 1–1 LiverpoolBergen
Hasund  48' Report Fowler  10' Stadium: Brann Stadion
Attendance: 12,700
20 March 1997 Quarter-Final, Second LegLiverpool 3–0 BrannLiverpool
Fowler  25' (pen.), 77'
Collymore  61'
Report Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 40,326
10 April 1997 Semi-Final, First LegParis Saint-Germain 3–0 LiverpoolParis
Leonardo  11'
Cauet  43'
Leroy  83'
Report Stadium: Parc des Princes
Attendance: 35,142
24 April 1997 Semi-Final, Second LegLiverpool 2–0 Paris Saint-GermainLiverpool
Fowler  12'
Wright  79'
Report Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 39,000

Statistics

Appearances and goals

No. Pos Nat Player TotalPremier LeagueFA CupLeague CupCWC
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Goalkeepers
1 GK David James 520380204080
Defenders
2 DF Rob Jones 3020001000
3 DF Bjørn Tore Kvarme 170150101000
5 DF Mark Wright 432330203151
6 DF Phil Babb 31121+1110304+10
12 DF Steve Harkness 1005+20000030
14 DF Neil Ruddock 22115+2100202+10
19 DF Mark Kennedy 800+500+100+100+10
20 DF Stig Inge Bjørnebye 524382204082
21 DF Dominic Matteo 38022+40203070
Midfielders
4 MF Jason McAteer 51136+11204080
7 MF Steve McManaman 5110377204281
10 MF John Barnes 47734+14203073
11 MF Jamie Redknapp 32418+5310114+30
15 MF Patrik Berger 34913+1061+103162
16 MF Michael Thomas 42329+2310405+10
23 MF Jamie Carragher 311+11000+1000
25 MF David Thompson 200+20000000
Forwards
8 FW Stan Collymore 371625+51222004+12
9 FW Robbie Fowler 44313218114577
18 FW Michael Owen 211+11000000
24 FW Lee Jones 200+20000000
Players transferred out during the season
3 DF John Scales 703000102+10

Top scorers

Rank No. Pos Nat Name Premier League FA Cup League Cup Cup Winners' Cup Total
1 9 FW Robbie Fowler 18 1 5 7 31
2 8 FW Stan Collymore 12 2 0 2 16
3 7 MF Steve McManaman 7 0 2 1 10
4 15 MF Patrick Berger 6 0 1 2 9
5 10 MF John Barnes 4 0 0 3 7
6 11 MF Jamie Redknapp 3 0 1 0 4
20 DF Stig Inge Bjørnebye 2 0 0 2 4
8 16 MF Michael Thomas 3 0 0 0 3
9 5 DF Mark Wright 0 0 1 1 2
10 4 DF Jason McAteer 1 0 0 0 1
6 DF Phil Babb 1 0 0 0 1
14 DF Neil Ruddock 1 0 0 0 1
18 FW Michael Owen 1 0 0 0 1
23 DF Jamie Carragher 1 0 0 0 1
Own goal 2 0 0 0 2
Totals 62 3 10 18 93

Notes

  1. McAteer was born in Tranmere, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally and made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in March 1994.
  2. Babb was born in Lambeth, England, but also qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland internationally and made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in 1994.
  3. Barnes was born in Kingston, Jamaica, but also qualified to represent any of the home nations internationally as he held a British passport and made his international debut for England in May 1983.
  4. Warner was born in Liverpool, England, but also qualified to represent Trinidad and Tobago internationally and would make his international debut for Trinidad and Tobago in February 2006.
  5. Matteo was born in Dumfries, Scotland, but was raised in England from the age of four and represented them at U-21 and B level before making his international debut for Scotland in November 2000.
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References

  1. Smyth, Rob (10 September 2008). "Football: The Joy of Six: bogey teams". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 January 2019 via www.theguardian.com.
  2. "Football: Liverpool fall foul of Dublin". The Independent. 7 April 1997. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  3. Smyth, Rob (15 February 2007). "On second thoughts ... Roy Evans". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 January 2019 via www.theguardian.com.
  4. "English Premier League Table on Thursday 8th May 1997 - Statto.com". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  5. "Noticias.info".
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