1st January

Club record signing
2018 – Dutch centre-half Virgil van Dijk signed from Southampton for a club record £75m. 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. On the same day, Estonian centre-half Ragnar Klavan headed in his second and last goal for the club to secure a last-minute 2-1 victory at Burnley. Sadio Mané opened the scoring after an hour before Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson equalised late on.

2020 – Japanese forward Takumi Minamino signed from Red Bull Salzburg for £7.25m. He went on to score fourteen goals in 55 outings, helping us to claim the Premier League title before moving on to AS Monaco for an initial €15m in June 2022.
2024 – Minamino played as Japan thrashed Thailand 5-0 in a friendly in Tokyo.

RIP Gary
2012 - Gary Ablett died, aged just 46. He signed on at Anfield as a professional in November 1983, going on to make 147 reds appearances, scoring just once – in only his second game. He helped us to two League titles, FA Cup and FA Charity Shield before being sold to Everton by Graeme Souness for £750,000 in January 1992, with whom he won a second FA Cup. He returned to the club in the summer of 2006 to take over as Reserve Team Manager, leading them to the national title in his second season, although he left at the end of the following campaign.
1992 - Ablett played his 147th and final reds game as goals from Ray Houghton and Dean Saunders resulted in a 2-1 League defeat of Sheffield United at Anfield, after Brian Deane had struck one of his eight goals against the reds.

1977 – Right-back Jimmy ‘Parson’ Jackson died. He struck twice in 224 games for the reds after signing from Aberdeen for £1,750 in May 1925, appearing in every outfield position, and was renowned for his on-field arguments with notoriously foul-mouthed keeper Elisha Scott! He became reds skipper in 1928, also writing a regular column for the Liverpool Weekly Post before leaving the reds in 1933 to become ordained as a Presbyterian minister.
1917 – Scottish ex-reds keeper Don Sloan died in First World War action. He signed from Everton for £300 in May 1908, failing to keep a clean sheet in six reds games before becoming Player/Manager of his old club Distillery in Belfast in July 1909.

Rushie’s hat-trick
1983 - Ian Rush bagged a treble as we beat Notts County 5-1 at Anfield, with his second being his fiftieth reds strike. Kenny Dalglish netted a brace as Phil Neal missed a penalty. John Fashanu struck the first of his six goals past us.
1994 - Rushie was on target as we won 2-1 at Ipswich Town, completing his record of scoring for us in each of the six New Year’s Day matches in which he played. Neil Ruddock nabbed the other goal to complete our first away League win since August.

Most recently
2024 - Mohamed Salah scored his 150th League goal for the reds after a goalless first half against Newcastle United at Anfield, having had a first-half spot-kick saved. Alexander Isak levelled, but Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo netted before Sven Botman headed a goal back. However, Salah converted another penalty to complete a 4-2 victory late on to maintain our lead at the top of the table.

Happy birthdays
1993 - Right-back Jon Flanagan was born in Liverpool. He struck once in 51 senior reds games since making his debut in a 3-0 home victory over Manchester City in April 2011. He joined Rangers in June 2018 after being released by the reds earlier that month.
1955 – Chief Executive Officer Peter Moore was born in Liverpool, taking on the role in June 2017, moving on in August 2020.
1984 – Head of Nutrition Mona Nemmer was born. She joined from Bayern München in July 2016, having worked there for three years after a four-year spell with Germany Under-21’s.

2001 – Left-back Yasser Larouci was born in El Oued in Algeria. He arrived from Le Havre in July 2017 as a winger, playing two senior reds games before joining Troyes in July 2021. On the same day, midfielder Elijah Dixon-Bonner was born in Harlow. He debuted in our FA Cup Fourth Round replay against Shrewsbury Town in February 2020, so far making just two senior appearances.

More red trebles galore
1909 - Joe Hewitt bagged a treble against his former club as we won 4-1 at Sunderland with Arthur Goddard also scoring. Billy Hogg struck one of his five goals against the reds, with Sam Hardy also saving one of his spot-kicks.
We have also twice beaten the Wearsiders 2-0 on New Year’s Day.
1949 - Billy Liddell converted from the spot at Roker Park to add to a Fred Hall own goal as right-half Phil Taylor made his 200th appearance.
1977 - Ray Kennedy and Phil Thompson both headed in goals at Anfield as Emlyn Hughes played his 400th League game for the reds. On the same day, Glenn Hysén played for Sweden Under-18’s in their 2-1 friendly defeat by Romania in Israel.

1910 - Jack Parkinson scored three, including a penalty, as we thumped Woolwich Arsenal 5-1 at Anfield, with Sam Bowyer adding a brace. David Neave netted the last of his four goals past us.
1894 - We also beat the Gunners at home in our first ever New Year’s Day fixture, with Jim McBride scoring hist first reds goal and Malcolm McVean also netting in our 2-0 win.

1940 - Berry Nieuwenhuys scored a hat-trick as we thumped Crewe Alexandra 7-3 in a Wartime League game at Anfield. Billy Liddell struck in his first competitive game for the reds with G. Leadbetter, Matt Busby and Len Carney also on target that day.
1917 - Thomas Bennett bagged a treble as we beat Leeds City 4-0 in a testimonial for Mrs. Cameron at Elland Road, with Harry Lewis grabbing the other goal.

Debuting between the sticks
1913 - Elisha Scott became our youngest ever goalkeeper at just eighteen years 131 days, keeping a clean sheet as we emerged from Newcastle United with honours even.
1896 - Harry Storer made his reds bow as we beat Manchester City 3-1 at Anfield. Jimmy Ross bagged a brace, with Malcolm McVean also on target.

Luis up to a score scores
2014 - Luis Suárez became the quickest player ever to reach twenty Premier League goals in a season, taking just fifteen games to do so as he converted a second-half free-kick. We beat Hull City 2-0 at Anfield with Daniel Agger heading in from a corner before the break.

Other debuts
1927 - Right-back Bob Done and left-winger George Pither both debuted as we lost 2-1 at Bolton Wanderers, with Dick Edmed nabbing our consolation and Fred Baron playing his twentieth and final reds game. John Smith netted two of his seven goals against the reds.

1920 - Right-half Jock McNab made his reds bow as Manchester United held us to a goalless draw at Anfield.
We have faced the Mancs on two further occasions on New Year’s Day
1966 – We won 2-1 at Anfield with Tommy Smith and Gordon Milne netting, after Denis Law had given the visitors an early lead with one of his six strikes past us.
1989 - John Barnes struck our consolation as we lost 3-1 at Old Trafford. Mark Hughes bagged one of his nine strikes past us, with Brian McClair and Russell Beardsmore also on target.

Twice against the Foxes
2015 – Steven Gerrard converted two first-half penalties, with the first wrongly awarded and the second being the reds’ hundredth successful conversion in the Premier League, as we became the first club to reach this milestone. However, David Nugent and Jeff Schlupp both struck after the break as the game ended 2-2 with Leicester City at Anfield.
1974 – We were held to a 1-1 home draw by the Foxes. Peter Cormack struck with Keith Weller nabbing one of his six goals past us, while Kevin Keegan reached a century of League games for the reds.

Up against the Trotters
2011 – We secured a last-minute 2-1 victory over Bolton Wanderers in front of 35,400, the lowest League attendance at Anfield since Portsmouth visited on a Tuesday evening in December 2004. Kevin Davies headed the visitors in front with the last of his four goals against us, but Fernando Torres equalised early in the second half, with Joe Cole grabbing a dramatic late winner.
2007 - We won 3-0 at Anfield, thanks to a fantastic scissor-kick volley from Peter Crouch and strikes from Steven Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt, with all the goals coming in the second half. Dirk’s goal was our 900th in the Premier League.

We have faced Bolton on three more occasions on this day in history.
1897 – We won 4-1 at Burnden Park with George Allan bagging a brace and John McCartney and Fred Geary also on target.
1907 - We lost 3-0 at Burnden Park.
2002 - We were held to a draw at Anfield with scouser Kevin Nolan cancelling out Steven Gerrard’s opener, which was our 150th goal in League encounters with Bolton.

Up against the Blues
We have entertained Chelsea three times on this day in history.
2005 - They completed their second League double over the reds, and first since 1919, when another deflected Joe Cole goal handed them victory at Anfield.
1924 - Danny Shone, Jimmy Walsh and Joe Keetley struck as we won 3-1. This was Keetley’s second and final reds goal.
1938 - John Shafto and Willie Fagan netted as we drew 2-2. Harry Burgess struck one of his nine goals against the reds, with Wilf Chitty also scoring.
1997 - We also visited Stamford Bridge, with Roberto Di Matteo grabbing the only goal of the game.

In white
1906 - We beat Stoke 3-1 at Anfield, having to start the match with just ten men as left-back Billy Dunlop arrived late. The team played in white as the visitors had turned up in red jerseys.

Not a ‘sir’ just yet
2000 - ‘Sir’ Roger Hunt was finally awarded an MBE for his services in the 1966 World Cup, one of the final five World Cup winners to receive this honour.
1983 - Ex-reds centre-forward John Toshack received the same honour.
1975 – Reds legend Ian Callaghan was also awarded an MBE.

Double treble trouble
1934 - Jimmy Richardson and Sam Weaver both scored hat-tricks for Newcastle United as they thumped us 9-2 at St. James’ Park. The score was 2-2 at half-time, with Harold Taylor netting for the reds, to add to an Alec Betton own goal. Tommy Lang struck the last of his four goals past us, with Jimmy Boyd and Ron Williams also scoring for the home side.
2003 - A Laurent Robert free-kick deflected off Milan Baroš past Chris Kirkland as the Geordies won 1-0 on a sodden pitch. Salif Diao was sent off shortly after an hour for a wild challenge, while Grégory Vignal made his twentieth and final reds appearance as a late substitute.

A rare defeat
1972 - Leeds United beat us 2-0, one of just eleven home League defeats we suffered during the whole of the 1970’s. Allan Clarke and Mick Jones each bagged one of their seven strikes past us.

Other birthdays
1955 - Assistant Chief Scout Mike McGlynn was born in Liverpool. He was a senior coach with the FA for 20 years before becoming northern scout for West Ham United. He was initially in a part-time role for the reds before joining full time in 2007.
1881 – Welsh international half-back George Latham was born in Newtown. He joined the reds as an amateur in December 1902, signing on professionally the following year. He played nineteen reds games without scoring before joining Southport Central in 1909.

Mølby foiled
1986 - Ian Rush ended a barren spell of eight games without a goal to draw us level at Sheffield Wednesday, before Martin Hodge saved a Jan Mølby spot-kick. Paul Walsh scored with his first touch from off the bench, but we were eventually held 2-2.

Beating the Blues
We have twice won wartime derby matches on this day in history.
1918 - Forward Thomas Bennett scored in his third consecutive game as we won 4-1 at Anfield, with Harry Lewis netting a brace and Jack Waine also on target.
1919 - We won 2-1 at Goodison Park thanks to goals from Harry Lewis and Arthur Metcalf.

In and out
1949 – Half-back Jack Heydon signed on a free transfer from Everton, playing 67 times before moving to Millwall in May 1953.
2006 - John Welsh signed for Hull City in a swap deal for winger Paul Anderson. Welsh had played ten senior games for the reds, while Anderson made it onto the first-team bench just twice, both in Champions League matches. He signed for League One Nottingham Forest in June 2009, having spent the previous campaign on loan with them.

2011 – Reserves keeper Charles Itandje officially signed for Greek Super League side P.A.E. A.P.S. Atromitos Athens after dramatically falling out of favour at Anfield.
2013 – Ex-reserves forward Jon Newby was sacked as Manager of Colwyn Bay, having been in charge since November 2011.
2014 - Djibril Cissé signed for Bastia, scoring twice in eleven outings during the rest of his first campaign in Corsica.
2015 – Forward Jack Dunn, centre-half Lloyd Jones and midfielder Kevin Stewart all joined Cheltenham Town on loan, making a total of fifteen appearances between them.

Red farewells
2008 - Club Secretary Sheila Walsh died of cancer. Those who paid tribute to her included boss Rafael Benítez, who said, “Sheila worked as a Secretary to seven different managers at Liverpool Football Club during her 26 years with us. I was privileged to work with her during these last four years. During my time as the manager here I found Sheila to be professional, committed, warm, friendly and above all courageous in the face of her suffering.”
2023 – Scottish forward Frank McGarvey died from cancer. He arrived from Celtic for £300,000 in May 1979 after bagging 113 goals in 245 League games for the Hoops. However, he never broke into the first team at Anfield, moving back to Celtic for £270,000 in March 1980, becoming Scotland’s most expensive footballer.

1901 – Romany right-half Rab Howell played his 67th and last reds game in our 3-1 home victory over Stoke. Jack Cox, Andy McGuigan and right-back Tom Robertson all netted, with Robertson also missing a penalty as winger Tommy Robertson reached a century of reds games.
1912 – We beat Bradford City 1-0 at Anfield thanks to a goal from Harold Uren, his second and last for the club.
1914 – The Bantams won 1-0 in L4 thanks to one of Dickie Bond’s four goals against the reds.

1898 - Right-half John McCartney struck his seventh and final goal for the club as West Bromwich Albion held us to a 1-1 draw at Anfield, with centre-half Joe McQue reaching a century of League games for the reds as inside-forward Willie Walker appeared for the twelfth and last time.
1903 – The Baggies won 2-0 in L4 with George Dorsett netting the first of his five goals past us, and Billy Lee also scoring.
1895 – We beat Albion 4-0 at home, with all the goals coming in the second half. Harry Bradshaw struck twice before Jimmy Ross and Davy Hannah scored late on.

Forest four times
1996 – We beat Nottingham Forest 4-2 in a Premiership encounter at Anfield with Steve Stone and Ian Woan giving the visitors an early two-goal lead. A Robbie Fowler headed brace drew us level before half-time, with Stan Collymore putting us in front before Colin Cooper put through his own net.
1990 – We were held to a 2-2 draw at the City Ground, despite Ian Rush netting twice to hand us a two-goal half-time lead. Steve Hodge nodded in one of his six goals against us after the break, before future red Nigel Clough converted a penalty. Steve McMahon played his 200th game for the reds.
1987 – We drew 1-1 at Forest with youngster Phil Starbuck opening the scoring. Ian Rush bagged a late leveller.
1908 – We shared a goalless draw in L4.

Other reds games
2001 – We beat Southampton 2-1 at Anfield with Steven Gerrard scoring before Trond Egil Soltvedt equalised for the visitors. Markus Babbel headed in a late winner.
1991 – We defeated Leeds United 3-0 in L4, with John Barnes and Ronnie Rosenthal on target in the first half, before Ian Rush added a late third.
1988 – Coventry City were thumped 4-0 at Anfield with Peter Beardsley netting twice. John Aldridge and Ray Houghton also got on the scoresheet past ex-red Steve Ogrizovic to send us thirteen points clear at the top of the table.
1985 – We were held to a 1-1 draw at Watford. Luther Blissett scored a first-half penalty, but Ian Rush headed in a late leveller.

1955 – We beat Derby County 2-0 in a home Second Division encounter, with Brian Jackson and Billy Liddell scoring.
1948 – Charlton Athletic won 3-2 at Anfield. Ray Minshull put through his own net before Charlie Vaughan handed the Addicks a two-goal half-time lead with the first of his four strikes against us. Bill Robinson extended their lead further, before Albert Stubbins reduced the arrears with a late brace.
1935 – We lost 2-0 at Middlesbrough, with Tim Coleman netting two of his nine goals past us.
1926 – Aston Villa lost 3-1 at Anfield as Dick Forshaw netted twice with Cyril Oxley also scoring before the break. Len Capewell then scored a consolation with one of his of his six goals against us.
1921 – We won 2-0 at Villa Park thanks to first-half goals from Dick Johnson and Harry Chambers.

Uncle Joe’s debut
1946 - Joe Fagan made his debut for Manchester City in a 4-0 defeat of Fulham at Maine Road. He made 168 appearances for them over the next four years, skippering the side for the last three seasons.