Liverpool 2 Manchester United 2
Retro Series Vol.14: FA Cup Semi-Final thriller at Maine Road
Retro Series Vol.14: FA Cup Semi-Final thriller at Maine Road
The inclusion of this 43 year old match from a bygone era is worthy for a whole host of reasons and ultimately for a magnificent game of football between the two titans of English football and a Liverpool machine strongly favoured against the struggling underdogs of the time, Manchester United. The game is also worthy of inclusion on the basis of an all time favourite goal from my footballing hero Kenny Dalglish, my Reds playing in their brilliantly pleasing alternative strip of all yellow, an FA Cup Semi-Final being played at a neutral venue and not the neutered Wembley Stadium of today, and for the strange fact that not only did Liverpool play in their alternative change colours of all yellow, but Manchester United also adopted their alternative kit of white shirts and black shorts and, believe this or believe this not, this was also the exact alternative kit for our junior school football team!
So you can see that I, as a rabid Liverpool fan, being in quite the quandary as a 10 or 11 year old kid when our first team kit of all blue clashed with our opponents, and we had to wear the scratchy, itchy woollen away shirt of Manchester United! To make matters worse, if indeed they could be, only half of the shirts had the official badge of the club I didn’t support embroidered on the shirts so it was a mad dash at the home time bell for the holy grail of an officially badged shirt, and of course, I was one of the first out of the classroom door and sprinting like my life depended on it to the school changing rooms!
Before I endeavour to paint a picture of this wonderful throwback to a different footballing century, my respectful thanks to the www.youtube.com channel who provided this invaluable resource on this occasion:
Adrian Houghton
Plenty of football clips on this channel. Hope you enjoy them!www.youtube.com
Although this semi-final was played at a neutral venue, as was customary at the time, the venue was just across the city of Manchester for the “Red Devils” of Manchester United and just a short half an hour journey for the “Reds” of nearby Liverpool. Manchester City’s now defunct ground of Maine Road was the venue for a heaving crowd of 52,584 watching the Greenhoff brothers (Jimmy and Brian) the backbone of a developing team (and winners of this very competition just short two years ago) that included Gordon McQueen alongside his captain Martin Buchan in the centre of defence and Steve Coppell and Mickey Thomas providing crosses and scoring chances for their grizzled Scottish International striker Joe Jordan. Across the park in their pleasing all yellow alternative strip stood a Liverpool team that almost picked itself in this trophy laden era. Four of the defensive back five were England regular Internationals and European Cup Winners, with Scotland’s Alan Hansen completing a formidable back line of Ray Clemence, Phil Neal, Emlyn Hughes and Phil Thompson. Kenny Dalglish and David Johnson led the attack, with fellow all-time greats Ray Kennedy, Graeme Souness, Jimmy Case and Terry McDermott providing the steel as well as the attacking nous from midfield.
The scant (but valuable) 9 minutes of highlights commence almost immediately with the game’s first goal, and a goal I’ll never tire of admiring from my footballing hero.
GOAL! Liverpool 1 Manchester United 0 (Kenny Dalglish, 17 minutes)
“You can’t give him a moment to think, or a yard to work with in the area”
Prior to the goal itself, Arthur Albiston of Manchester United takes a throw-in and with striker Joe Jordan unable to bring the ball under control it squirts loose and into the path of Liverpool defender Phil Neal. His attacking ball inside to Kenny Dalglish is cleared but only to Phil Thompson who immediately cycles it to Jimmy Case on the right wing. Case cuts inside immediately and with pace, leaving a defender in his muddy wake before curling a beautiful through ball to Dalglish with the outside of his right boot. It’s a thing of beauty that Dalglish at first evades Sammy McIlroy with his first touch before cutting inside Martin Buchan with his second. With goalkeeper Gary Bailey advancing from his goal line to cut down on the shooting angle, Dalglish takes a further touch past Bailey before slithering and sliding on the heavily muddy surface as he slides the ball into the corner of the goal past yet two more Manchester United players, a retreating Brian Greenhoff and a bemused Jimmy Nicholl on the goal line.
I’ve grown up with that goal imprinted on my footballing memory and whilst not ascetically pleasing or a thrilling volley from 35 yards out from goal, it’s a beautiful piece of footballing skill on a tricky surface that Dalglish makes look so easy. In 1979, 17 minutes have passed in this FA Cup semi-final and the favourites are 1–0 up.
Their lead would only last two minutes.
GOAL! Liverpool 1 Manchester United 1 (Joe Jordan, 19 minutes)
“Well their reply was quick, and it was effective!”
From another Manchester United throw-in, this time deep in the Liverpool half of the field, the game is quickly tied at 1–1. Arthur Albiston’s throw is simply hooked high into the Liverpool penalty area by Brian Greenhoff and Joe Jordan is simply too strong and quick in the air to beat his fellow Scotland countryman Alan Hansen to the ball, and his downward header easily beats Ray Clemence in the Liverpool goal. It was rudimentary and a little hopeful, but Jordan determinedly “made the ball his” in that pleasing footballing vernacular of any era, and the north west footballing giants were level at 1–1.
On a deteriorating mudheap of a pitch, it’s a marvel these ghosts from a footballing past can muster the fantastic game they do, but first referee David Richardson awards a ridiculous penalty in favour of Liverpool after a minor push in the back on Kenny Dalglish by Martin Buchan sees the referee pointing to the penalty spot. It’s a ridiculous decision, or a “soft decision” in the footballing lexicon and perfectly suited to the ridiculous omission of regular penalty taker Phil Neal for Terry McDermott, and his equally ridiculous and soft penalty that bumps and skids over the muddy goalmouth, sending Gary Bailey the wrong way but striking the foot of his post and bouncing away toward the corner flag. Manchester United should clear the ball but don’t and a cross into their penalty area is headed down brilliantly by David Johnson into the path of Graeme Souness who’s instant control allows for an equally instant shot that flies past Gary Bailey but not his captain Martin Buchan who heads the ball off his goal line.
Manchester United now threaten to score themselves and from yet another throw-in deep in the Liverpool half. Arthur Albiston is again involved, as is Brian Greenhoff who’s deft lob into the Liverpool penalty area releases Mickey Thomas to drive a fierce cross that is at first cleared but immediately and fortuitously back into the penalty area from Jimmy Greenhoff. He slips on the muddy surface, sending his shot screwing well wide but perfectly into the path of Joe Jordan and with only Ray Clemence to beat, his shot is easily held by the England goalkeeper.
With goal scoring chances for both sides, a goal was coming, and 11 minutes into the second half it duly came.
GOAL! Liverpool 1 Manchester United 2 (Brian Greenhoff, 56 minutes)
“And Brian Greenhoff has done it!”
A host of now familiar names are involved with another scrappy but valuable goal for Manchester United. First Jimmy Greenhoff deftly passes to Arthur Albiston with the outside of his right boot before Arthur Albiston does likewise but with a far more penetrative pass to the edge of the Liverpool penalty area. A cleared ball is immediately pumped back into the heart of a fractured Liverpool defence by Jimmy Greenhoff, and with only Emlyn Hughes and goalkeeper Ray Clemence left to defend their goal, Steve Coppell’s control/pass bobbles to Brian Greenhoff and he hooks the ball into the corner of an unguarded net.
At 2–1 up, Manchester United make chances to wrap up the game and seal their place in the FA Cup Final in May. First, Mickey Thomas’ brilliant curling free-kick is spectacularly turned over his crossbar by Ray Clemence in a desperate and flying fingertip save before from the resultant corner, a ragged Liverpool defence completely leave Gordon McQueen free for a simple header that he must score from but doesn’t, and with 15 minutes remaining Manchester United should’ve been out of sight and safely into the Final. Mere minutes later they spurn yet another gilt edged chance to seal the game, but not before Kenny Dalglish should’ve equalised from a perfect through ball from his captain, Emlyn Hughes. With Gary Bailey advancing from his goal, Dalglish’s lob is a simple one but he screws it high and wide and his reaction afterward is of anger at the missed opportunity, but seconds later Manchester United throwaway yet another chance to secure their place in the Final. From Gary Bailey’s long punt upfield, Joe Jordan heads on to Jimmy Greenhoff who simply releases Steve Coppell running free on goal. With Clemence advancing from his goal, Coppell badly screws his shot well wide and with just 8 minutes left in this semi-final, Liverpool equalise from a most unexpected source.
GOAL! Liverpool 2 Manchester United 2 (Alan Hansen, 82 minutes)
“So near for United, and so far now”
Leading up to Liverpool’s equaliser, substitute Steve Heighway is prominent as first he crosses for Ray Kennedy but his shot is instantly smothered by Gary Bailey in the Manchester United goal and when the goalkeeper is beaten seconds later by a close in Graeme Souness shot, he’s rescued by his captain on the goal line as Martin Buchan hacks the ball to safety. The Reds are challenging for an equaliser and it takes the desperation of sending both central defenders forward to achieve it. A Liverpool corner is first kept alive by a desperate Emlyn Hughes before it’s cycled from Phil Neal to Terry McDermott who releases Phil Thompson on the right wing. The right wing!
His sliding cross is fumbled by Gary Bailey and into the path of his fellow centre back Alan Hansen, and the Scotsman gleefully rifles the ball into the empty net.
One final chance of the game remains. With Manchester United themselves pushing for a winner they also push their team further and further forward and at the break down of play, Emlyn Hughes heads clear to Phil Neal in acres of space to release Terry McDermott, who’s brilliant cross field pass falls to the dancing feet of substitute Steve Heighway. The Irish International runs at his fellow countryman Jimmy Nicholl before cutting inside and unleashing a brilliant drive that Gary Bailey dives full length to tip around his post.
A breathless game ends 2–2 and as was customary at the time, a replay needed. Four days later, and this time in the city of Liverpool and across a communal park from Anfield, the Reds of Liverpool welcomed the Red Devils of Manchester United to their city, as well as the home of their neighbours Everton at Goodison Park, and the “visitors” in this neutral venue semi-final replay would triumph 1–0 with a 77th minute winning goal from Jimmy Greenhoff.
Manchester United would go on to lose an incredible 1979 FA Cup Final with Arsenal 3–2, and in what became known as the “Sunderland Final” after Alan Sunderland, the scorer of the game’s last minute winning, and final goal.
Thanks for reading. There are numerous articles on Liverpool FC within my archives, and I’ve linked the three most previously published articles in this retrospective series below:
Liverpool 3 Everton 1
Retro Series Vol.13: Dalglish at the Double!medium.com
Sunderland 2 Liverpool 4
The Retrospective Series Vol.12: 29th November 1980medium.com
Liverpool 4 Ipswich Town 0
The Retrospective Series Vol.11: 6th February 1982medium.com