27th December

A rare treble for the King
1982 - Kenny Dalglish scored a hat-trick as we beat Manchester City 5-2 at Anfield, with Phil Neal and Ian Rush adding the others. In fact, King Kenny only ever bagged two League trebles for the reds, with both coming against the side from Maine Road.
1975 - We also entertained City, with midfielder Peter Cormack nabbing the only goal of the game in his 178th and final reds appearance.

Happy birthdays
1947 - Doug Livermore was born in Liverpool. He signed pro terms in November 1965 after starting out with Bolton Wanderers, making just eighteen appearances in our midfield before joining Norwich City in November 1970, but he returned to Anfield as Roy Evans’ Assistant in 1994. He left in November 1998 following Gérard Houllier taking full control.
1945 – Forward John Sealey was born in Wallasey. He signed for £25 as an amateur from Warrington Town in September 1963, scoring as he played his only reds game when the full first team was rested before the 1965 FA Cup Final. He moved on to Chester in June 1966.

1991 – Scottish centre-back Danny Wilson was born in Livingston. He signed from Rangers for an initial £2m fee in July 2010, playing nine senior games and making his full international debut before returning north of the border to sign for Heart Of Midlothian in May 2013 after a loan spell there.
2000 – Centre-half Tom Clayton was born in Rainsford. He turned professional in early 2019, having been with the club since the Under-9’s. He was an unused substitute in our League Cup defeat at Aston Villa in December 2019, moving on to Swindon Town in July 2022.

The mighty Finn
2001 - Sami Hyypiä was named Finland’s Sports Person of the Year. All twenty reporters on Finland’s best-selling newspaper Helsingin Sanomat voted for him, such is the respect his fellow countrymen had for his achievements that year. He became only the second team sport player to win this trophy, after Jari Litmanen.

Derby joy at last
1919 - We beat Everton at Anfield with Tom Miller scoring a brace in a 3-1 win, to end a run of seven consecutive home derby defeats. Harry Lewis netted our other goal, with Bobby Parker netting one of his eight goals against the reds as left-back Bob Pursell reached a century of League games for us, while making his final reds outing.
1910 - We won at Goodison with Jack Parkinson nabbing the only goal of the game.

Yet another unbeaten game
1980 - We were held to a goalless draw at Anfield by Leeds United, our 63rd consecutive home League game without defeat. However, we lost our next home League game, 2-1 to Leicester City.
1965 - We also entertained the Yorkshire side when they left with the points after winning 1-0, with Peter Lorimer on target. Roger Hunt played his 300th reds game that day, with Bill Shankly taking charge of the reds for the 300th time.

On the way in
2017 – It was announced that Dutch centre-half Virgil van Dijk would sign from Southampton for a club record £75m on the following 1st January. He struck 23 times in 270 reds games across his first seven seasons, helping us to keep 108 clean sheets while claiming the Premier League title, UEFA Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup, two League Cups and FA Community Shield.

Strikers departing
1984 - Michael Robinson was sold to Queens Park Rangers for £100,000. Joe Fagan brought the Irish international to Anfield from Brighton & Hove Albion in August 1983 for £200,000. In his first season at the club, he won League title and European Cup medals, bagging a total of thirteen goals in 52 games during his Anfield career. He is now a much-respected football pundit and commentator for Spanish television.
2014 – Ex-red Fernando Torres was sold to AC Milan by Chelsea, although he was almost immediately loaned back to his first side Club Atlético de Madrid, re-joining permanently in July 2016.

Suspended
1915 - Seven players were suspended for fixing our visit to Old Trafford the previous April, including four reds. We lost the match 2-0 with left-winger Jackie Sheldon and a United player both missing penalties. Sheldon was a former United player, while centre-forward Tom Miller later moved to Old Trafford. Half-back Tommy Fairfoul and full-back Bob Purcell were also involved. They were all offered a pardon in June 1919 on the condition that they apologised.

Tons up
2016 – Left-back Alberto Moreno reached a century of reds games as we thumped Stoke City 4-1 at Anfield, despite falling behind early to one of Jon Walters’ seven strikes past us. Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino put us ahead before the break, with Giannelli Imbula putting through his own net. Daniel Sturridge completed the scoring.

2020 – Fabinho played his hundredth reds game as we were held to a 1-1 draw by West Bromwich Albion in front of just 2,000 fans at Anfield, due to COVID-19 restrictions. Sadio Mané gave us an early lead, but Semi Ajayi headed in a late leveller.
1971 – We lost a top-flight fixture 1-0 at The Hawthorns, with Tony Brown netting one of his eight goals against the reds early on as we dominated against the bottom-of-the-table side.

Fifty for George
1898 - George Allan scored his fiftieth reds goal as we held Notts County to a 1-1 draw at Trent Bridge in a First Division fixture.

Reds debutants
1938 - Left-winger George Paterson debuted in a 1-0 First Division defeat of Stoke City at Anfield, with Willie Fagan on target.
1979 - Phil Thompson, Kevin Keegan and David Johnson all netted as we beat the Potters 4-0, with Phil Neal also on target from the spot.
1955 - Geoff Twentyman and Tony Rowley were on target as we lost 3-2 in a Second Division meeting at the Victoria Ground, with Twentyman also missing a spot-kick. Andy Graver struck one of his five goals against us, with Frank Bowyer bagging the last of his four past us and Tim Coleman also on the scoresheet in what was Don Welsh’s 200th League game in charge of the reds.

1930 - Keeper Andrew Aitken played his only reds game as we drew 3-3 at Blackburn Rovers, with Gordon Hodgson bagging a brace and forward Alan Scott scoring his first reds goal. Syd Puddefoot netted the final one of his six goals against the reds, with future red Les Bruton and Willie Rankin also scoring.
1913 - We were held to the same score at Anfield in another top-flight meeting, with James Dawson, Tom Miller and Billy Lacey on the scoresheet. Danny Shea struck two of his ten goals past the reds, with Walter Aitkenhead netting the last of his four.

Winning in Sheffield
1986 - Our most recent game on this day saw an Ian Rush strike hand us a 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday.

Defensive deaths
1950 - Custodian Billy McOwen died. He played 27 times for the reds after signing from Darwen in July 1892, helping us to the Second Division title in our first season in the Football League. He moved on to Blackpool in 1894 as he did not want to turn professional on our move into the top flight, as he also worked as a dentist.
1947 – Scottish half-back John McConnell died. He netted just once in 53 first-team appearances leading up to the First World War after signing from Airdrieonians for £80 in April 1909, including one in goal in only his second game! He left the reds to join Aberdeen in May 1912.

Hit for four at Anfield
1958 - We beat Rotherham United 4-0 thanks to goals from Fred Morris, Jimmy Harrower and a Louis Bimpson brace.
1960 - The Merry Millers won 1-0 at Millmoor in another Second Division encounter, with Don Weston bagging the first of his four goals against the reds.

Souey saved
1983 - Graeme Souness had a late penalty saved by keeper Mark Wallington as we were held to a 2-2 top-flight draw by Leicester City at Anfield. Sammy Lee and Ian Rush had previously struck for the reds, with Alan Smith bagging the first of his nine strikes against the reds and Ian Banks also on target.

Honours even against the Gunners
We have faced Arsenal three times on this day over the years, with the games ending in one away win apiece, and a draw.
1909 - We held Woolwich Arsenal 1-1 at the Manor Ground, with Jack Parkinson netting and keeper Augustus Beeby saving a penalty from Andy Ducat on his debut.
1927 - We were beaten 2-0 at Anfield, with Harry ‘Smiler’ Chambers playing his 300th League game for the reds, centre-forward Willie Devlin making his nineteenth and last appearance and forward Tom Scott playing for the eighteenth and final time. Jimmy Brain bagged one of his eight goals against the reds, with Sid Hoar also netting.
1947 - Albert Stubbins and Billy Liddell were on target as we won 2-1 at Highbury, with Reg Lewis scoring one of his five goals against us.

Tommy’s last
1948 – Left-winger Tommy McLeod played his seventh and final reds game as we lost 2-0 to Manchester United at Anfield. Stan Pearson struck one of his eleven goals against the reds, after Ronnie Burke had opened the scoring.

Beating the Blues
1932 - Harold Barton and centre-forward Les Bruton nabbed the goals in a 2-0 win at Chelsea, with Bruton’s being his only reds strike.

We have also twice entertained Chelsea.
1920 - Walter Wadsworth and Harry Chambers were on target in a 2-1 win.
1949 - Willie Fagan netted twice as we drew 2-2. Roy Bentley bagged one of his five goals against the reds, with Hugh Billington also on the scoresheet.

Other reds games
1976 – We thumped Stoke City 4-0 at Anfield. Phil Thompson, Kevin Keegan and David Johnson added to a Phil Neal penalty, with Denis Smith dismissed for the visitors.
1954 – We lost a Second Division encounter 2-0 at Ipswich Town as Wilf Grant struck the last of his four goals against the reds before Billy Reed netted. However, the Tractor Boys remained at the bottom of the table after this victory.
1937 – Phil Taylor and Berry Nieuwenhuys netted as we drew 2-2 at Birmingham City.
1926 – Burnley held us to a 2-2 draw in L4, with Harry Chambers bagging a brace. Jack Bruton scored one of his four past us, with George Beel nabbing one of his eight. Centre-forward Tommy Reid had to go off injured after half an hour after a bad tackle by Jack Hill.

1921 – Harry Chambers netted twice as we beat Huddersfield Town 2-0 at Anfield, with Clem Stephenson hitting the post with a penalty for the visitors.
1902 – Sam Raybould struck as we lost 3-1 at Bury. Charles Sagar scored the first two of his four goals past us, with Alex Raisbeck putting through his own net.
1897 – Sunderland returned to the Northeast having won 2-0. Jock Brown was on the scoresheet, with Tom Cleghorn scoring an own goal.