Four Classic FA Cup Merseyside Derbies

Four Classic FA Cup Merseyside Derbies
14:11, 05 Dec 2017

Everton 1, Liverpool 0 (FA Cup fourth-round replay, February 4, 2009)

Dan Gosling struck a dramatic last-gasp winner to send the Everton hordes into ecstasy. After a goalless 90 minutes, which saw Steven Gerrard withdraw early on through injury, Gosling broke the deadlock on 118 minutes with a sublime curling finish after neat footwork inside the penalty area. Liverpool also had Lucas Leiva dismissed for a second bookable offence on 76 minutes.

The match was also memorable for ITV missing the goal during their live coverage. The channel broke away from the tie to show a series of short adverts, just as Gosling fired home the winning goal. Fans bombarded internet message boards, furious that after 118 minutes of goalless action the only goal was missed. Afterwards, ITV1's host Steve Rider apologised, saying: "The goal came at the worst possible time for us as we were having some technical problems."

Everton 4, Liverpool 4 (FA Cup fifth-round replay, February 20, 1991)

Was this the best Merseyside derby ever? After a goalless draw at Anfield three days previously, few could have predicted such an amazing encounter across Stanley Park at Goodison. It was memorable for the fact that it Kenny Dalglish’s Liverpool scored four great goals and their legendary boss resigned shortly afterwards, saying he was “shattered” and could no longer take the pressure. Everton, by manager Howard Kendall’s own admission, “scrambled” their goals but what a game it was. Peter Beardsley, who signed for Everton the following season, put the Reds ahead after good work from Ian Rush. Immediately after half-time, Everton were level when Graeme Sharp headed home a cross from Andy Hinchcliffe.

Beardsley then produced a trademark shimmy to outfox Martin Keown before hitting a brilliant left-foot shot past Neville Southall. Sharp struck moments later to make it 2-2 with a predatory finish before Rush headed home to put Liverpool back in front. But with 89 minutes played, substitute Tony Cottee answered Kendall's prayers when he came on to make it 3-3. A brilliant John Barnes strike, cutting in from the left and hitting a right-foot shot into the top corner, made it 4-3 in extra-time but still Everton and Cottee were not finished. He latched onto a defensive lapse to make it 4-4 and bring the roof off Goodison. An emotionally drained Dalglish quit two days later and Everton won the second replay 1-0 with a goal from Dave Watson.

Liverpool 3-2 Everton (FA Cup final, May 20, 1989)

After the Hillsborough disaster a month earlier which led to the death of 96 Liverpool supporters, it was fitting that Kenny Dalglish’s side should honour their memory by lifting the famous old trophy once again on an emotionally fraught day. Just like 1986, the game was decided by an Ian Rush brace. The events of that fateful day in Sheffield on April 15, 1989 left deep scars on Liverpool’s players, fans and, not least, Dalglish. But his men and indeed their Merseyside rivals combined to produce yet another Wembley classic.

The Reds had been pipped to the league title in dramatic fashion by Arsenal but they prevailed at Wembley thanks to some brilliant attacking football. John Aldridge put Liverpool ahead with a sublime finish from Steve McMahon’s pass. Everton levelled late on through substitute Stuart McCall’s close-range finish, prompting a mass pitch invasion from celebrating fans, before a typically predatory strike from Rush restored Liverpool’s advantage in extra-time. A dipping volley from McCall then levelled matters at 2-2 before Rush’s deft header from John Barnes’ cross sealed the match in Liverpool’s favour once again.

Liverpool 3-1 Everton (FA Cup final, May 10, 1986)

This was a glorious end to Kenny Dalglish’s first season in charge as Liverpool’s player-manager. It saw the Reds become only the third team in the 20th century to do the Double. At the time, Liverpool and Everton were the top two teams in the country and the Reds had won the league, pipping the Toffees to the title by two points.

That underlined the quality of both sides and it was the Evertonians cheering when they led in the first half. Peter Reid picked out Gary Lineker with a 40-yard pass and he outpaced Alan Hansen to open the scoring. The Reds warmed to their task on a beautiful sun-kissed Wembley afternoon with Jan Molby an increasing influence on proceedings. Ian Rush, so often Everton’s nemesis, equalised with a superbly finish before Molby’s dangerous cross was clinically dispatched by Craig Johnston. In the closing stages, Rush struck again with deadly aplomb to confirm the win – and a historic Double for Liverpool.

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