7th September

Happy birthdays
1974 - Stéphane Henchoz was born in Billens, Switzerland. He arrived for £3.5m from Blackburn Rovers in June 1999, and made a total of 205 appearances without scoring, forming a rock-solid partnership with Sami Hyypiä and helping us to claim five trophies in 2001 as well as another League Cup two years later. He joined Celtic on a free transfer in January 2005, and spent a season playing for Premiership new boys Wigan Athletic, before returning to Ewood Park for two injury-hit seasons.

1993 – Midfielder Kevin Stewart was born in Enfield. He arrived from Tottenham Hotspur in July 2014 on a free transfer, making twenty senior reds appearances without scoring before joining Hull City in July 2017.
1988 – Ex-reserves striker Craig Lindfield was born in Greasby on the Wirral peninsula. He struck in a pre-season friendly at Crewe Alexandra in July 2006 on his first appearance for the senior side, but failed to make a first-class appearance for the reds, being released in August 2009.

Trigger pulled
1995 - Birkenhead-born Jason McAteer signed from Bolton Wanderers for £4.5m, which was still their record transfer fee received until Nicolas Anelka’s £15m departure for Chelsea in January 2008, just five months after impressing against the reds in the Coca Cola Cup Final. He bagged six goals in his 139 reds games before joining Blackburn Rovers for £4m in January 1999.

Four against the blues
1935 - Centre-forward Fred Howe scored four goals in our 6-0 triumph in the Anfield derby with Gordon Hodgson adding a brace. This remains the biggest ever winning margin by either side in the Merseyside derby.
1929 - Our other Anfield derby on this day ended in a 3-0 defeat. Dixie Dean bagged two of his nineteen derby goals with George Martin also on target.

Red England
1977 - Six reds, plus the recently-departed Kevin Keegan, represented England in their goalless friendly draw with Switzerland at Wembley. This was England’s highest total from any one club since seven Arsenal players turned out against Italy in 1934, at Highbury. Terry McDermott made his debut alongside clubmates Ian Callaghan, Ray Clemence, skipper Emlyn Hughes, Ray Kennedy and Phil Neal. On the same day, Kenny Dalglish won his 48th Scottish cap, and his first as a reds player, as they beat East Germany 1-0 in a friendly in Berlin.

King Billy starts out
1946 - We thumped Chelsea 7-4 at Anfield. Billy Liddell scored a brace on his official League debut, including one direct from a corner in the third minute as we raced into a 4-0 interval lead, with the lead eventually stretching to 6-0 before the west London outfit fought back. Bill Jones grabbed his first two reds goals with Willie Fagan also netting twice and Jack Balmer grabbing the other goal. Keeper Charlie Ashcroft also made his reds bow in this game, with Bob Paisley playing his first League game. Alex Machin bagged a brace for the visitors, with Len Goulden and Jimmy Argue also on target.
1963 - We also beat the Blues at Stamford Bridge, with Ian St. John nabbing a brace and Roger Hunt also on target in a 3-1 victory.

Red trebles
1974 - Phil Boersma scored a first-half hat-trick in our 5-2 defeat of Tottenham Hotspur. Emlyn Hughes and Ray Kennedy were also on the scoresheet, with Martin Chivers netting the last of his seven goals against us, and Steve Perryman also scoring. This was Emlyn’s 300th League game for the reds.
1903 - Sydney Smith bagged a treble as we beat Manchester City 6-5 in a friendly at Anfield. Edgar Chadwick, Alex Raisbeck and Jack Cox also netted.
1921 - We also faced City, drawing 1-1 at their old Hyde Road ground, with Harry Chambers on target for the reds.

Johnny signs on
1956 – Half-back Johnny Wheeler signed from Bolton Wanderers for £9,000, joining his cousin Ronnie Moran at Anfield. He made 177 appearances, bagging 23 goals. One of his greatest games came in November 1956, when he netted a four-minute hat-trick against Port Vale. He was appointed player-manager of New Brighton in May 1963, but did not take up the post, becoming Assistant Trainer at Bury instead, where he stayed until 1969.

Red firsts and last
1996 - Patrik Berger made his reds bow as a substitute in our 2-1 defeat of Southampton on Graeme Souness’s first return to Anfield. Stan Collymore and Steve McManaman were on target either side of ex-red Jim Magilton’s equaliser.
2022 – Brazilian midfielder Arthur Melo came off the bench for his only reds appearance as we were beaten 4-1 at SSC Napoli in a UEFA Champions League group stage encounter. Piotr Zieliński scored from the spot before Alisson Becker saved a Victor Osimhen penalty. André-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Giovanni Simeone giving the home side a three-goal half-time lead, with Zieliński bagging his second straight after the break. Luis Díaz immediately pulled a goal back, but we still succumbed to our record defeat in the Champions League.
1985 – We beat Watford 3-1 at Anfield after falling behind to a Colin West goal. Phil Neal levelled from the spot before the break, his 59th and final reds goal, before Craig Johnston and Ian Rush secured the victory.

More debutants
1895 – John McKenna took charge of the reds for the first time as left-back Tom Wilkie and forward Fred Geary both debuted in our season-opening 3-2 defeat of Notts County at Forest’s Town Ground, as Trent Bridge was being used for a cricket match. Jimmy Ross, Joe McQue and Harry Bradshaw struck for the reds. Future reds right-back Jack Chadburn scored for the home side, with Elijah Allsopp also on target.
1991 - We also beat County, with Ronnie Rosenthal netting and Mark Walters converting a penalty, his first reds goal, as we came from behind at half time to win 2-1 at Meadow Lane.

Tons up
1901 - Winger Tommy Robertson made his hundredth consecutive reds appearance in our 1-0 defeat at Stoke.
1971 – Forward Alun Evans reached a century of reds games as we beat Hull City 3-0 in a League Cup Second Round win at Anfield. Chris Lawler and Steve Heighway scored in the first half before Brian Hall converted a penalty after the break.
2012 – Ex-red Fernando Torres won his hundredth senior cap in Spain’s 5-0 friendly thumping of Saudi Arabia in Pontevedra.

Mixed fortunes against the Mancs
We have faced Manchester United three times in top-flight fixtures on this day in history, with differing results.
1907 - We were thumped 4-0 at their old Bank Street ground, with forward Sam Bowyer making an unhappy debut. Jimmy Turnbull bagged three of his seven strikes against the reds with George Wall netting the first of his ten goals past us.
1938 - Berry Nieuwenhuys grabbed the only goal of the game at Anfield.
1949 - Albert Stubbins struck as we were held 1-1 in L4, with Charlie Mitten bagging one of his five goals past us.

International records
2012 – Ex-red John Arne Riise played for Norway for the 105th time as they lost a World Cup qualifier 2-0 in Iceland to become their most capped player ever. He went on to make 110 appearances in total. On the same day, Xherdan Shaqiri won his first cap as a Bayern München player in Switzerland’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying win in Slovenia. On the same day, future red Gini Wijnaldum scored as the Dutch Under-21’s thumped Austria 4-1 in a European Championships qualifier in Tilburg.
2007 – Future red James Milner set a new record for England Under-21’s caps, previously held by Scott Carson, as he played for the thirtieth time in their 3-0 European Championships qualifying win in Montenegro. He went on to win 46 caps in total, still a record. Ádám Bogdán won his first cap for Hungary Under-21’s as a Bolton Wanderers player as they won a qualifier 6-1 in San Marino.
2004 - James Milner also played for England Under-21’s, alongside fellow future reds Scott Carson, Glen Johnson, Gary O’Neil and Jermaine Pennant as they beat Poland 3-1 in another qualifier in Rybnik. Darren Potter and future reds Alberto Aquilani and Raul Meireles also appeared in qualifiers at this level that day.

Young captains
1999 - Jamie Carragher captained England Under-21’s as they lost 3-1 in a European Championships qualifier in Poland. Steven Gerrard won his second cap, while David Thompson also featured as a substitute. Ex-red Paul Dalglish and future reds recruiter Mark Burchill both netted as Scotland Under-21’s won a qualifier 4-0 in Estonia. Frode Kippe and future reds Milan Baroš, Haukur Ingi Guðnason and John Arne Riise all also played in qualifiers that day.
2009 – Future reds centre-half Danny Wilson skippered Scotland Under-19’s as they lost 2-0 to Iceland in Cumbernauld.

2010 – Péter Gulácsi was captain as Hungary Under-21’s were held to a goalless draw by Bosnia-Herzegovina in a European Championships qualifier in Budapest. Danny Wilson and future reds Thiago Alcântara, Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge also featured in Under-21’s qualifiers that day.
2018 – Andy Robertson skippered Scotland for the first time as they were thumped 4-0 by Belgium in a Hampden Park friendly.

Reds on target
2002 - Ex-red Phil Babb scored an own goal as the Republic of Ireland lost a Euro 2004 qualifier 4-2 in Russia, while winning his 36th and final cap. Future red Steve Finnan also featured, with Robbie Keane making his first outing while with Tottenham Hotspur. On the same day, ex-red Øyvind Leonhardsen was winning his first cap as an Aston Villa player, and his eightieth in total, in Norway’s 2-2 home qualifying draw with Denmark. John Arne Riise scored one of Norway’s goals, his first as a reds player, while future red Christian Poulsen played for the Danes.

Future red Djibril Cissé scored his first senior international goal on his first full appearance as France won 2-1 in Cyprus in another qualifier. Also in international action that day were Steven Gerrard, Dietmar Hamann, Stéphane Henchoz, Emile Heskey, Sami Hyypiä, Danny Murphy, Michael Owen, future reds Craig Bellamy, Joe Cole, Paul Jones, Alex Manninger and Bolo Zenden and ex-reds Haukur Ingi Guðnason, David James and Jari Litmanen.

2012 – James Milner netted his first goal for his country, and only one as a Manchester City player, as Roy Hodgson’s England won a World Cup qualifier 5-0 in Moldova. Ex-red Robbie Keane converted a penalty as the Republic of Ireland won a qualifier 2-1 in Kazakhstan. On the same day, Nuri Şahin won his first cap while on loan with the reds in Turkey’s 2-0 defeat in the Netherlands, while Raul Meireles represented Portugal for the first time since moving to Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü as they won 2-1 in Luxembourg. Ragnar Klavan played for Estonia for the first time while with Augsburg in their 2-0 defeat by Romania in Tallinn. Yossi Benayoun played for Israel for the first time while on loan at West Ham United as Israel drew another qualifier 1-1 in Azerbaijan. Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson, Martin Škrtel, future reds Ádám Bogdán, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, John Heitinga and Mamadou Sakho and ex-reds Nikolay Mihaylov and Krisztián Németh all also represented their countries that day.

2013 – Victor Moses converted a penalty in Nigeria’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying defeat of Malawi in Calabar, as he won his first cap while on loan with the reds. Future red Sadio Mané was also on target as Senegal beat Uganda 1-0 in another qualifier in Dakar.
2021 - Sadio Mané scored in his fourth consecutive game for Senegal, converting a penalty in their 3-1 World Cup qualifying win in Congo. Diogo Jota struck for Portugal as they won 3-0 in Azerbaijan, while ex-red Rhian Brewster scored from the spot, his first goal for England Under-21’s in his thirteenth appearance, as they beat Kosovo 2-0 in a European Championships qualifier in Milton Keynes. Morgan Boyes captained a Wales Under-21’s side that featured Owen Beck making his debut in their 4-0 qualifying win in Bulgaria. Josh Davidson, Andy Robertson, future red Wataru Endō and ex-reds Steve Clarke and Dejan Lovren also represented their countries that day.
2023 – Cody Gakpo struck for the Netherlands for the first time since moving to Anfield as they beat Greece 3-0 in a European Championships qualifier in Eindhoven, with Virgil van Dijk captaining the side and Kostas Tsimikas also featuring.

Together with Juve
1989 - A Northern League representative team took on a combined Liverpool and Juventus Under-21’s side as part of the Northern League’s centenary celebrations. Jim Magilton and Mike Marsh struck as the non-leaguers won 3-2 at St. James’ Park. Bob Paisley managed a side that also featured Steve Harkness, Wayne Harrison and Nicky Tanner.

First and last caps
2023 – Trent Kone-Doherty debuted for the Irish Under-19’s as they drew a friendly 1-1 in Bosnia-Herzegovina. On the same day, Dominik Szoboszlai appeared for Hungary for the first time since becoming a red, skippering them to a 2-1 win in Serbia. Also in international action were Luis Díaz, Alexis Mac Allister and ex-reds Danny Ward, Neco Williams and Harry Wilson, with Bernard Diomède taking charge of France Under-19’s
2021 – Keeper Jakub Ojrzyński made his bow for Poland Under-19’s as they lost 1-0 to Denmark in a friendly in Norway. Future red Calvin Ramsay debuted for Scotland Under-21’s in their 1-1 draw with Turkey in a European Championships qualifier in Bursa. Ex-red Ki-Jana Hoever won his first cap for the Netherlands at the same level on the same day, in their 3-0 defeat of Moldova in Deventer. Meanwhile, Ozan Kabak featured for Turkey for the first time while on loan from Schalke 04 to Norwich City as they were thumped 6-1 in a World Cup qualifier by a Netherlands side in Amsterdam that was captained by Virgil van Dijk, with future red Ryan Gravenberch and ex-red Gini Wijnaldum also in action.

2019 - Philippe Coutinho won his first cap while on loan at Bayern München as Brazil drew 2-2 with Colombia in a friendly in Florida, with Roberto Firmino and future reds Arthur Melo and Luis Díaz also featuring. Jordan Henderson, Liam Millar, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and ex-reds Sebastián Coates and Raheem Sterling also played for their countries that day.
2018 – Alisson Becker and Fabinho both won their first caps for Brazil as reds players, with Roberto Firmino on target in their 2-0 friendly defeat of the USA in New Jersey and future red Arthur Melo also debuting. Meanwhile, Ki-Jana Hoever made his debut for the Dutch Under-17’s as they held Germany to a 2-2 draw, with Kai McKenzie-Lyle playing for Guyana for the first time since joining the reds in their 3-0 defeat of Barbados in a CONCACAF Nations League qualifier. Fulham’s Fábio Carvalho debuted for England Under-17’s as they thrashed Norway Under-16’s 6-0 in Poland with ex-Academy Manager Steve Cooper in charge. Kamil Grabara, Curtis Jones, Corey Whelan, future red Federico Chiesa and ex-reds Mario Balotelli and Philippe Coutinho also played for their countries that day.

2015 – Rafael Camacho made his bow for Portugal Under-19’s as they won 1-0 in Italy, while Diogo Jota won his first cap for the Under-21’s as a Wolverhampton Wanderers player as they lost 2-1 to Romania in a European Championships qualifier. Emre Can, Joe Gomez, Jordon Ibe, Lazar Marković, Sheyi Ojo, Jordan Rossiter, ex-red Krisztián Németh and future red Dominic Solanke all also played for their countries while ex-reds Daniel Agger and Robbie Keane both skippered their nations.
2014 - Lazar Marković won his first cap as a reds player as Serbia held France to a 1-1 friendly draw in Belgrade. Péter Gulácsi appeared for Hungary for the final time while playing for Red Bull Salzburg in their 2-1 defeat by Northern Ireland in Budapest. Ex-red Robbie Keane and future red Kostas Tsimikas were also in international action that day.

2010 – Christian Poulsen won his first cap as a reds player, skippering Denmark to a 1-0 Euro 2012 qualifying defeat of Iceland in Copenhagen, with Daniel Agger also featuring. Javier Mascherano won his first cap since his move to Barcelona as Argentina thumped Spain 4-1 in a friendly in Buenos Aires, with Pepe Reina and ex-reds Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa on the losing side. Ex-reds Yossi Benayoun, Alou Diarra and Robbie Keane all also captained their countries in qualifiers, with Keane netting as the Republic of Ireland beat Andorra 3-1 in Dublin. Joe Allen won his last Under-21’s cap as Wales lost a European Championships qualifier 1-0 in Italy. Roma’s John Arne Riise netted for Norway as they beat Portugal 1-0 in Oslo, while Basel’s Xherdan Shaqiri netted his first senior international goal as Switzerland lost 3-1 to England in Basel. Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson, Milan Jovanović, Raul Meireles, Martin Škrtel, future reds John Heitinga and James Milner, and ex-reds Nikolay Mihaylov and Daniel Sjölund also featured in qualifiers, with ex-red Milan Baroš having a spot-kick saved as the Czech Republic lost 1-0 at home to Lithuania.

1994 - Ex-red Barry Venison won the first of his two full England caps in their 2-0 friendly defeat of the USA at Wembley. John Barnes, Rob Jones and future red Brad Friedel all also featured. On the same day, future red Karl-Heinz Riedle won his 42nd and final cap for Germany as they beat Russia 1-0 in a friendly in Moscow. Also that day, Phil Babb won his first cap as a reds player as the Republic of Ireland won 3-0 in a Euro ’96 qualifier in Latvia. Ex-red John Aldridge scored the fifth and sixth of his eight goals in four games against Latvia, one coming from the spot, with future red Jason McAteer and ex-red Steve Staunton also playing. Stig Inge Bjørnebye, Ian Rush, ex-red István Kozma and future reds Øyvind Leonhardsen, Jari Litmanen, Jim Magilton and Gary McAllister all also played for their countries.
2008 – Future red Ádám Bogdán won his seventh and last Under-21's cap as Hungary were thumped 8-0 by Serbia in a European Championships qualifier in Belgrade. Future red Kolo Touré and ex-reds Mark González and Momo Sissoko all featured in World Cup qualifiers on the same day.

2003 - Harry Kewell netted in his first game for Australia as a reds player, as they beat Jamaica 2-1 in a friendly in Reading.
2005 - Daniel Agger won his fourth and last cap and scored his only goal as a Brøndby IF player as Denmark thumped Georgia 6-1 in a World Cup qualifier in Copenhagen. Christian Poulsen netted his final goal while with Schalke 04 in the same game. Milan Baroš bagged his first goal as an Aston Villa player, playing alongside ex-red Vladimír Šmicer in the Czech Republic’s 4-1 defeat of Armenia in another qualifier.  Meanwhile, Michael Owen won his first cap as a Newcastle United player in England’s 1-0 defeat in Northern Ireland. Xabi Alonso, Jamie Carragher, Djibril Cissé, Luis García, Steven Gerrard, John Arne Riise and future reds Yossi Benayoun, Joe Cole, Philipp Degen, Robbie Keane, Martin Škrtel, Fernando Torres and Andriy Voronin all also featured in qualifiers, with John Toshack taking charge of Wales.
2007 - Degen also represented his country as they beat Chile 2-1 in Vienna, with future Joe Allen also in international action that day.

Moving on
1928 – Outside-right Cyril Oxley moved on to Southend United after scoring six goals in 34 games since signing from Chesterfield for £2,000 in October 1925.
2005 – Future reds Direct of Football Damien Comolli was appointed Sporting Director of Tottenham Hotspur, with overall responsibility for the medical, academy, scouting and club secretarial departments.
2016 – Left-back José Enrique signed for Real Zaragoza, having been released by the reds at the end of the previous season. He struck once in 24 outings in his first campaign with the Segunda División side.
2020 - Sheyi Ojo joined Cardiff City on loan. He scored five goals in 42 outings for the Bluebirds.

World champion
1985 – Future reds goalkeeping coach Cláudio Taffarel played as Brazil Under-20’s beat Spain 1-0 after extra time to claim the World Cup in Moscow.

Other reds games
1982 – We won by the odd goal in seven when Nottingham Forest visited L4. We were 3-2 down at the break after Steve Hodge had scored the first two of his six goals against the reds and Peter Davenport also on target. David Hodgson bagged a first-half brace, with Graeme Souness and Ian Rush scoring late on.

1968 – Ron Yeats and Bobby Graham struck as we beat Queens Park Rangers at home.
1960 – We were held to a 2-2 draw by Luton Town in a Second Division encounter at Anfield. Gordon Turner bagged one of his five goals past us very early, with Dave Hickson equalising straight away. Ronnie Moran converted a penalty, but Billy Bingham equalised before the break.
1957 – We drew 2-2 at Fulham in a Second Division meeting. Tosh Chamberlain scored one of his four goals past us, with Billy Liddell and Alan A’Court putting us in front by half time. Johnny Haynes equalised for the Cottagers in the second half.

1955 – Bristol Rovers won a Second Division match 2-0 in L4. Geoff Bradford netted one of his five strikes against us, with Alfie Biggs also on the scoresheet.
1953 – Brian Jackson netted as we lost 2-1 at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Roy Swinbourne struck the last of his five goals past us with Peter Broadbent bagging the late winner.
1932 - We were held to a 2-2 draw at Anfield by Sheffield United. Jack Pickering scored two of his five against us straight after the break, with Dave Wright then bagging a brace.
1896 – Bolton Wanderers won 2-0 in L4.

Also in international action
2021 – Future red Trent Kone-Doherty featured for Republic of Ireland Under-17’s as they lost 2-0 to Mexico Under-18’s.
2020 – Ex-reds coach Steve Clarke took charge of a Scotland side captained by Andy Robertson as they won a UEFA Nations League group game in the Czech Republic. On the same day, Virgil van Dijk skippered the Netherlands in their 1-0 defeat by Italy in Amsterdam, with Gini Wijnaldum also in action as Federico Chiesa won his last cap before joining Juventus on loan from Fiorentina.
1997 – Future red Gary McAllister captained Scotland as they beat Belarus 4-1 in a World Cup qualifier at Pittodrie.

1993 – Steve McManaman, Jamie Redknapp and future reds coach Mike Sheron all played for England Under-21’s as they lost 2-1 to Poland in a European Championships qualifier at The Den. On the same day, Sami Hyypiä played for Finland at the same level as they lost 1-0 to France in another qualifier in Tampere, while fellow future red Bjørn Tore Kvarme featured for Norway Under-21’s as they drew 1-1 with Spain in a friendly in Albacete.
1983 – Glenn Hysén and future red Jan Mølby both played in friendlies, with Sweden beating Finland 3-0 in Helsinki and Denmark seeing off France 3-1 in Copenhagen.