Continuing the series where I look back at my five favourite wins against Liverpool’s next opponents. This weekend Liverpool travel to Carrow Road to meet Norwich City and here are my five favourite wins from past encounters.
7th October 1978
NORWICH CITY (0) 1 (Ryan pen 75)
LIVERPOOL (3) 4 (Heighway 6, 10, Johnson 36, Case 49)
NORWICH CITY: Keelan; Bond, Powell, Hoadley, Sullivan; Neighbour, Ryan, Robson, Peters; Reeves, Robb (Davies)
LIVERPOOL: Clemence; Neal, Thompson, Hansen, A.Kennedy; Case, Souness, R.Kennedy; Johnson, Dalglish, Heighway
Liverpool had won back-to-back titles in 1976 and 1977, yet were stunned when Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest stormed to the title in 1978, a year after promotion. They began the 1978/79 season in determined mood. They’d were unbeaten from the start of the season having won 7 of their 8 matches to date scoring 24 goals. Norwich were 8th, although they’d only won 2 matches but also only been beaten twice. Their home record had so far seen them unbeaten, conceding only 2 goals.
Liverpool were off and running earlier as a patient build-up involved Johnson, Case and Dalglish before Dalglish’s back-header found Heighway wide on the left. He twisted and turned to beat Kevin Bond and then fired a shot across the goal and into the far corner. Keelan appeared to think it was going wide, but it crept in and Liverpool were in front.
Four minutes later, Ray Clemence kicked downfield and Dalglish turned Hoadley with ease before his shot hit the left-hand post and bounced back out. As the home defence stood and watched Heighway was the first to react and slid the ball in past Keelan and Liverpool were 2-0 up. Ten before the break and Case was again involved in midfield, combining with Dalglish who along with his strike partner, David Johnson, was pulling the Norwich defenders all over the place. Alan Kennedy then joined the attack and as Dalglish’s run took the defence to the left, Johnson was all alone on the right-hand side of the area. Kennedy slid the ball to him and he fired past Keelan for a 3-0 half-time lead.
Early in the second half Liverpool attacked again and Dalglish was brought down on the edge of the area by Hoadley. Case and Souness were standing over the ball when Case ran up and fired the ball through the wall and into the net for their 4th goal of the afternoon. The defence may have been expecting Souness to take the kick but Case took it, it hit one of the turning Norwich defenders on the back and goes in. Fifteen minutes to go and Martin Peters was played in on the left wing. As he drifts into the area he cuts inside where Phil Neal trips him and the referee points to the spot. John Ryan stepped up to take it and sent Clemence the wrong way. It was no more than a consolation as Norwich were well beaten. Liverpool pulled further ahead at the top of the table as Everton were held at home.
Liverpool won the League that year breaking a number of records on the way as they were one of the finest teams the English First Division had ever witnessed. Norwich ended down in 16th although were rarely in danger of relegation.