28th October 1995
LIVERPOOL (2) 6 (Rush 3, 64, Redknapp 5, Fowler 47, 60, Ruddock 53)
MAN CITY (0) 0
LIVERPOOL: James; McAteer, Wright, Scales (M.Kennedy), Babb, Harkness; Redknapp, Barnes (Ruddock); McManaman, Rush, Fowler
MAN CITY: Immel; Edghill, Curle, Symons, Brightwell (Creaney); Summerbee, Lomas, Flitcroft, Kinkladze (Brown); Quinn, Rosler
Roy Evans’ Liverpool side had just put out Manchester City in the League Cup, three days before they met in the League. They beat Alan Ball’s side, 4-0 with three goals in the final 15 minutes. Liverpool were unbeaten in their last 5 league games with 1 defeat in their last 8. In contrast, City were in awful form. A recent goalless draw at home to Leeds United had ended a run of 8 straight defeats. They had yet to register a win all season.
Just three minutes into the game Ian Rush opened his account for the season after Jason McAteer’s shot was blocked by Eike Immel in the City goal, only for Rush to turn it in. Then two minutes later, Liverpool had a free-kick about 20 yards out. Jamie Redknapp took it and a deflection left the keeper rooted to the spot. City were stunned and it was all they could muster to deny the home side any further goals in the half.
Shortly after the break, though, Liverpool extended their lead when some good play from Scales and McManaman released Mark Wright down the right win and he found Robbie Fowler just outside the area. Fowler then beat two players before sliding a low shot past Immel. Six minutes later Ruddock, who’d come on for the injured John Barnes, headed in Redknapp’s corner and it was 4-0. City were still reeling when Fowler grabbed his second on the hour. McAteer’s cross found him and his classy turn beat the defence to allow him to slip the ball home from close range.
Four minutes later it was 6-0. Immel saved a shot from Redknapp but the ball bounced to Rush who scored, despite mis-hitting his shot. It had been a fraught 20 minutes since the break and Liverpool had scored 4 goals, but Immel continued to frustrate them by denying any further goals. The defeat left City rock bottom of the table, although they picked up their first win of the season in their next match, against Bolton. But City’s poor start was not enough to keep them in the Premier League when a final day draw at home to Liverpool saw them return to the second tier of English football.
Liverpool finished 3rd in the table behind Manchester United and Newcastle United and were also losing finalists in the FA Cup.