Can we match any of these jaw-dropping victories in 2015…?
2014 has been about as up and down a year as any Liverpool fan will be able to remember, but there’s some memories that will live with us all for a lifetime. Here’s our five greatest performances of an unforgettable 12 months.
5) Tottenham 0-3 Liverpool – August 31
The only performance from this season that makes our top 5… Way back in August, Brendan Rodgers gave Mario Balotelli his debut against Spurs up top alongside Daniel Sturridge – and they gelled immediately. The Italian missed a few chances but did well, as the whole team pressed and harried Mauricio Pochettino’s new-look outfit. Raheem Sterling gave us an early lead, Steven Gerrard casually bagged from the penalty spot, and summer signing Alberto Moreno scored a brilliant goal to cap a fine afternoon. Because of Daniel Sturridge’s injury though, we’ve not been able to play a diamond formation since…
4) Liverpool 4-0 Everton – January 28
Back in January, we schooled Everton at Anfield in one of the most one-sided Merseyside Derbies in recent times. In fact, it was the biggest home win over the Bitters in four decades. Steven Gerrard set the tone early on, scoring from a Luis Suarez corner, before Raheem Sterling and Coutinho began slicing the Everton defence open at will with a succession of through-balls. Daniel Sturridge notched onto two of them to put us three up. Suarez then ran from the halfway line and made it four, before Sturridge missed the chance to secure his hat-trick form the spot. This game was the catalyst for our wonderful second half of the season finish.
3) Manchester United 0-3 Liverpool – March 16
Many believe this was the game that really got David Moyes sacked as United boss. At Old Trafford, it was simply too easy. We dominated possession, Jordan Henderson pressed and tackled like rarely seen before, and we were fluid in the final third. Sturridge missed a hatful to give us the lead, but it didn’t matter – as Gerrard was awarded three consecutive penalties soon after. He notched the first two, before Suarez bagged the last to rub salt in our enemy’s wounds. Vidic then got sent off (as he always does against us), and we had another stonewall penalty shout turned down. An Old Trafford demolition job.
2) Liverpool 3-2 Manchester City – April 13
In probably the most emotionally charged match seen at Anfield since the Champions League semi-final with Chelsea in 2005, the two best sides in the Premier League last season battled out a heroically fought contest. We blitzed them early on, and were great value for our 2-0 lead, but City’s class showed, and the mercurial David Silva orchestrated their comeback, and they drew level at 2-2. Against the odds though, we began to press again – and with Anfield roaring, Coutinho finished beautifully following a Vincent Kompany mistake. The noise at the end of the game would still send shivers up any Liverpool fan’s neck. Shame it wasn’t meant to be, eh?
1) Liverpool 5-1 Arsenal – February 8
Never in recent memory have Liverpool completely and utterly annihilated a side early on like they did to the hapless Gunners in Febryary, who were at the top of the Premier League table at the time. Within 20 minutes, we were 4-0 up, and it should have been seven – if Suarez’s barbaric 40-yard attempt hadn’t hit the post and Sturridge had finished his chances. The speed and class of the counter was simply breathtaking; and Arsene Wenger looked like he was about to burst into tears on the touchline. Arsenal shut up shop at 25 minutes to avoid the biggest humiliation in Premier League history, but we still found the back of the net once more. This was truly an afternoon, and especially a 20 minutes, that Liverpool fans will remember forever.
