16th December

The knight departs
1969 - ‘Sir’ Roger Hunt was sold to Bolton Wanderers for £33,000, after ten years at Anfield. In that time, he had struck a then-record 286 times in 492 reds games, helping us to two League titles, the Second Division championship, our first FA Cup win in 1965 and an FA Charity Shield. He remains our record League goalscorer, with 245 strikes. He is also revered among older Wanderers’ fans after 25 goals in 84 games.

1953 – Keeper Dave Underwood signed from Watford for £7,000, playing fifty reds games before returning to Vicarage Road in July 1956.

Ton up for Nando
2009 – Fernando Torres played his hundredth reds game as we beat Wigan Athletic 2-1 at Anfield, coming off the bench to add to David N’Gog’s early headed goal. Charles N’Zogbia bagged an injury time consolation after Jason Scotland had struck the crossbar for the visitors.

Mo again
2021 – Mohamed Salah struck in his third consecutive reds game as we beat Newcastle United 3-1 at Anfield. Ex-red Jonjo Shelvey gave the visitors the lead before Diogo Jota equalised. Salah put us ahead just four minutes later, with Trent Alexander-Arnold adding a late third from distance.

Mixed fortunes against the mancs
2018 – We beat Manchester United 3-1 at Anfield, with right-back Nathaniel Clyne reaching a century of reds games. Sadio Mané put us ahead before an Alisson error enabled Jesse Lingard to equalise. However, substitute Xherdan Shaqiri’s brace handed us victory.
2007 - Manchester United kept their fourth consecutive League clean sheet at Anfield, a joint record for any club, as Carlos Tévez struck the only goal of the game, the first of his four to date past us.

A start and an end
1939 – Billy Liddell played his first reds game as we lost 1-0 to Preston North End in a friendly at Anfield that was billed as a “Grand Match”.
1992 – We lost 2-1 after extra time at Crystal Palace in a League Cup Fourth Round replay, with Mike Marsh bagging our goal from the spot as defender Nicky Tanner appeared for the 59th and last time.

A Bridge too far
2001 - We were thumped 4-0 at Stamford Bridge by Chelsea, our hundredth Premier League defeat, despite many commentators naming Blues keeper Carlo Cudicini as their man of the match, with his saves including a penalty from Gary McAllister. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink bagged one of his seven strikes against the reds, with Graeme Le Saux, Sam Dalla Bona and Eiður Guðjohnsen all also on target.
1989 - We won 5-2 in west London with Ian Rush grabbing a brace against ex-red Bobby Campbell’s side. Our other goals came from Peter Beardsley, Steve McMahon and Ray Houghton. Dave Beasant saved a penalty from Jan Mølby, while Houghton had a goal disallowed. Campbell said, “On this form Liverpool could win the World Cup!” Gordon Durie struck one of his five goals against the reds, with Kerry Dixon netting one of his seven past us.

An away milestone
1899 - We played our hundredth away League game, going down 1-0 to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground thanks to a late Arthur Capes strike, one of his four goals against the reds, with inside-forward Charlie Satterthwaite making his reds bow and keeper Harry Storer reaching a century of League appearances for us.
1893 - We also visited them at the then-named Town Ground, when Tom Bradshaw, Patrick Gordon and Malcolm McVean all struck as we won a friendly 3-0.
1922 - We also faced Forest, when Dick Johnson and Donald McKinlay netted as we won 2-1 at Anfield, with Bobby Parker bagging one of his eight goals against the reds. This was David Ashworth’s last game in charge as reds boss.

Just eleven
2020 – We beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 at Anfield thanks to a last-gasp header from Roberto Firmino. Mohamed Salah and Heung-min Son were both on target before the break in front of just 2,000 fans, due to COVID restrictions, with Son’s goal being one of his seven past us to date. This was the first time in 908 games that the reds had used no substitutes since Gérard Houllier’s last game in charge in May 2004, with our former boss being remembered before kick-off following his recent death. This result left us three points ahead of the visitors at the top of the table.

Jarell’s bow
2022 – Defender Jarell Quansah played his first reds game as we beat AC Milan 4-1 in the Dubai Super Cup, with Mohamed Salah and Thiago Alcântara on target in the first half. Darwin Núñez bagged a late brace, with the Italians then winning a penalty shoot-out 4-3 for a bonus point in the competition.

Another away win
2006 - We won 3-0 at struggling Charlton Athletic, only our second away victory in the League to date that season but our sixth straight clean sheet in the League. We had to wait until the final ten minutes to add to a Xabi Alonso penalty, given away by ex-red Djimi Traoré, when Craig Bellamy and Steven Gerrard, in his 250th League outing, made the scoreline better reflect the game.

A party at Gay Meadow
1986 - A testimonial match for short-lived reserves keeper Bob Wardle was played at Shrewsbury Town. Steve Nicol scored both our goals in a 2-0 win.

A Welsh foursome
1944 - Future reds boss Don Welsh scored four goals, including a penalty, as we thumped Tranmere Rovers 5-1 at Prenton Park in a Wartime League game. Jackie Campbell bagged the other.

Mixed fortunes against the Blades
1905 - Jack Cox was on target as we won 2-1 at Sheffield United as right-half Maurice Parry bagged his fourth and last reds goal.
1911 - We returned to Bramall Lane for another First Division match, with Jack Parkinson grabbing our late consolation in a 3-1 defeat as inside-left Ronald Orr played his 112th and last game for the club.

No luck against Citeh
We have twice faced Manchester City in the top flight on this day in history, failing to claim all the points on either occasion.
1933 - Berry Nieuwenhuys struck early on as we lost 2-1 at Maine Road, with South African-born forward Lance Carr making his reds bow. Alex Herd struck one of his eight goals against the reds, with Fred Tilson bagging one of his six past us.
1967 - Roger Hunt was on the scoresheet while skippering the side for the first time as we were held to a 1-1 draw at Anfield, with Franny Lee netting one of his six goals past us. Hunt and Tommy Lawrence had both separately been stuck in traffic getting to the match, whose start had to be delayed, leading to a hefty fine for the club. Both players eventually abandoned their cars and ran to the ground to try to make kick-off!

All in red
1964 - Roger Hunt bagged the only goal of the game in the last minute as we won a European Cup tie at Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, to reach the last eight by 4-0 on aggregate. This was the first time we had worn an all-red strip of shorts, shorts and socks. We progressed as far as the Semi-final in our first ever season in European competition, where we lost to Internazionale in controversial circumstances.

Other defeats
1978 - We lost 1-0 at Bristol City with the only goal being scored by former Blue Joe Royle, the last of his five against the reds. Ex-red Peter Cormack also played for the home side.
1950 – We were thumped 4-1 at Anfield by Wolverhampton Wanderers with Billy Liddell netting our consolation from the spot, his fiftieth League goal for the reds. This was our biggest home defeat for four years as Johnny Walker nabbed a brace, with Roy Swinbourne netting one of his five goals against the reds, and Dennis Wilshaw scoring one of his seven past us.

Happy birthdays
1897 - Forward Peter McKinney was born in Consett, County Durham. He struck once in three reds appearances, all in 1920/21, and later emigrated to the USA to join New York Giants.
1974 - Phil Neal’s son Ashley was born in Liverpool. He was a defender on our books in the early 1990’s before moving to Huddersfield Town in December 1996.

1985 - Ex-reserves forward Ramon Calliste was born in Cardiff. The former Welsh Under-21’s international joined the club in the summer of 2005 after being released by Manchester United, and top-scored with seven goals for the second string. He moved on to Sc***horpe United in July 2006 but was released at the end of that season, having also failed to break into their first team.
1929 - Noel White was born in Altrincham. He became a club Director in 1986, remaining on the board for two decades, including a year as Chairman.

Other reds games
1972 – Steve Heighway netted as we drew 1-1 at Ipswich Town.
1961 – We beat Bristol Rovers 2-0 in a Second Division fixture at Anfield thanks to goals from Ian St. John and Roger Hunt.

Royal manoeuvres
2014 – Former reds First Team Coach Steve Clarke was appointed Manager of Reading. He lasted a year in the job before being sacked.
2009 - Brendan Rodgers left as Manager of the Royals by mutual consent, having been in charge for just six months after guiding them to only six victories in 23 games in charge.

Other management moves
2008 – Paul Ince was sacked as Manager of Blackburn Rovers, having led them to just six victories in his 21 fixtures in charge.
1976 - 1950’s wing-half Bobby Campbell was appointed Manager of Fulham. He was in charge for nearly four years, keeping them in the Second Division until they were relegated in 1980.
1999 - Mark Wright was named Southport boss. He led them up from 21st to ninth place in the Conference in his first season, and to fourth in the following campaign before moving to Oxford United.

Award winners
2013 - Luis Suárez was presented with William Hill Football Supporters’ Federation Player of the Year award at the Emirates Stadium.
2019 - Virgil van Dijk was named as the Football Supporters' Association Men's Player of the Year.

Brucie on the move again
1997 - Bruce Grobbelaar signed for Second Division Oldham Athletic on non-contract terms. He made four appearances, keeping three clean sheets, before moving to Chesham United at the end of the season. On the same day, future red Harry Kewell played for Australia as they lost 1-0 to host nation Saudi Arabia in a Confederations Cup group game.

In international action
1975 – Future red Alan Hansen played for Scotland Under-23’s as they beat Romania in a European Championships game in Falkirk.
1987 – Ex-red Avi Cohen featured in Israel’s 2-0 friendly defeat by Switzerland in Tel-Aviv.
1992 – Future reds goalkeeping coach Cláudio Taffarel played in Brazil’s 3-1 defeat of Germany in Porto Alegre.
2002 – Roy Hodgson managed the United Arab Emirates as they lost a friendly 2-1 to Egypt in Abu Dhabi.
2015 - Bernard Diomède took charge of France Under-17’s as they beat Italy 2-1 in a friendly in Alès.