With Leeds United taking on Liverpool on Monday evening at Elland Road, in their latest Premier League encounter, Ben Scott takes a trip down memory lane to look back over a classic clash.
Two goals, one in the first 10 minutes and one in the last 10 minutes for Howard Wilkinson’s Leeds side, got them the three points. This meant they kept up the impressive record of only one league loss on home soil.
The vast majority of the 40,053 packed into Elland Road will have loved the performance by Leeds – just five days after Valentine’s day.
These two clubs had a great rivalry and had served up some classic matches. In 1965 they met in the FA Cup final and six years later in the semi-final (a two-legged affair) of the European Fairs Cup, with Leeds winning the Euro tie, Liverpool the Wembley clash.
In more recent memory, the clubs met again at Wembley in the August of 1992, Leeds winning 4-3. And an epic encounter in April 1991 saw the Reds win 5-4 in the league at Elland Road.
The attendance was the largest for a league fixture in 15 years and the onlookers saw Leeds start the match in strong fashion, with the Scottish midfield pair of Gordon Strachan and Gary McAllister involved in all things good. The internationals had won the league title with Leeds in the April of 1992 and showed quality throughout, helping shield the defence and ignite many a dangerous attack for strikers Brian Deane and Rod Wallace.
Wallace nearly scored after only a few minutes, but Bruce Grobbelaar, the Liverpool goalkeeper, saved the left-footed close-range effort.
The opening goal the on nine minutes was delivered by centre-back David Wetherall. McAllister sent in a curling free-kick towards the six-yard area from the right as Leeds attacked. That caused panic for Grobbelaar and he punched the ball away without the required effect at all.
It fell sweetly for Wetherall, who drove home a low, right-footed accurate shot from eight yards out. The goal was his second of the season and even more of a delight as he had just returned to the starting line-up.
Leeds continued bossing not only the half, but the whole match. One of the largest impacts the visitors had on the game was when Neil Ruddock received a stern set of words from referee Graham Poll. Liverpool boss Roy Evans could only look on in anguish – Ruddock had only just returned after a three-match suspension!
Between the posts for Leeds, goalkeeper John Lukic had the least busy day of the two. When called upon though, he did make a top save by denying John Barnes a goal and showing all the class that made him a title winner with Leeds and Arsenal.
Back at the other end of the pitch Leeds were keeping Grobbelaar occupied. He was called upon to deny 73rd-minute substitute David White, who had replaced Wallace. The visiting ‘keeper also had his crossbar keeping the score down as a McAllister shot pinged off it after he had not got a strong hand to it.
Leeds would close the action with four minutes left, when it was that man again McAllister finding the back of the net.
He drilled a low, left-footed shot which deflected home. It was just rewards for United’s attacking play and control, the Whites leading the way in corners and shots on goal taken. The three points gained helped Leeds finish in 5th spot, 10 points ahead of the Reds who landed down in 8th place.
