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FLASHBACK! Saturday March 30, 1991; Football League Division One Liverpool v. Queens Park Rangers
Match Report
Liverpool: M.Hooper, G.Hysen, D.Burrows, S.Nicol, J.Molby, G.Ablett, P.Beardsley, R.Houghton, I.Rush, S.Staunton (R.Rosenthal), G.Gillespie.
QPR: J.Stejskal, D.Bardsley, R.Brevett, A.Tillson, D.Peacock, D.Maddix, R.Wilkins, S.Barker, L.Ferdinand, R.Wegerle (B.Allen), A.Sinton (C.Wilson).
Match Report: With the league season approaching the final furlong this was a crucial game for both sides but for very different reasons. Liverpool needed the three points to keep their title challenge going whereas QPR were still battling relegation.
Liverpool, the reigning champions, went into this game one point clear of Arsenal who they had lost at home to at the start of the month. Since that defeat, however, the Reds had won three games on the trot and their latest victory had been a 7-1 romp at Derby County.
Rangers would have been feeling grateful that only two teams were going to be relegated at the end of this season due to a restructuring of the top division and a seven game unbeaten run had taken them six points clear of the drop zone.
The opening exchanges were undistinguished as the sides traded long balls down the middle which brought no hint of a breakthrough. It was easy to understand such an approach from the visitors but it was surprising to see the home side so quick to launch balls forward.
Peter Beardsley got the ball down long enough to win the first corner of the game only to take it short and immediately surrender possession. Having intercepted down by his own corner flag Roy Wegerle proceded to dribble from the edge of one box to the other, drifting away from four challengers, before feeding Andy Sinton supporting to his left.
After such a wonderful burst Sinton's weak, low centre was almost criminal.
Glenn Hysen produced one excellent pass out of defence which ended with Liverpool winning another corner but once again this was taken short and wasted.
Liverpool would continue taking their corners short for the majority of the match even though the tactic was a total failure on the day.
QPR must have been encouraged by the lacklustre start made by the home side who looked short of attacking ideas without the injured John Barnes. The visitors were beginning to play some tidy football themselves as well with Ray Wilkins bringing his experience, and quality, to bear on proceedings.
The imposing Les Ferdinand sent Sinton away down the right with a clever back heel and this time his cross was a good one but David Burrows was able to head behind for a corner after Wegerle's initial flick.
Liverpool's first decent move saw Ian Rush launch a high centre beyond the far post from the right hand byeline which was retrieved by Beardsley and then helped on to Jan Molby by Ray Houghton.
Molby took aim from just outside the box but his low left footer skidded inches wide of the far post. The referee signalled a goal kick but it looked as though Jan Stejskal might just have got a touch as he dived to his left.
In general though Rangers were dealing comfortably with most of Liverpool's attacking efforts. The visitors had Darren Peacock sweeping up just in front of the centre halves, Maddix and Tillson, and this tactic was working a treat against some strangely uninspired attacking.
With only Wilkins, Sinton and Simon Barker patrolling the midfield areas the visitors should have been struggling in that area but Liverpool were generally unable to get anything going through the central areas and it was Rangers who showed the more controlled passing movements.
The visitors' first real effort on goal came after a scrappy period of play just inside the Liverpool half but when the ball was poked through to Ferdinand he struck for goal from 35 yards with an absolute screamer which Mike Hooper was at full stretch to turn away.
Ferdinand was definitely looking the part leading the Rangers' line even if his shorts were almost obscenely short.
Finally Liverpool managed some pressure but there was still no real fluency or conviction to their play.
Beardsley whipped over a fine centre from tight to the left hand byeline but there were no takers in the middle and then when Gary Gillespie tried to flick a low, driven free kick from Steve Staunton goalwards he actually managed to block the effort himself.
When the visitors could only half clear another Beardsley centre and Burrows picked out Rush in front of goal, however, Liverpool should have had the lead but the supreme finisher completely misjudged his header and ended up sending a feeble effort wide with his shoulder.
QPR relieved this pressure with a good move and when David Bardsley fed the ball into Butch Wilkins his sweet back heel presented Sinton with a shooting opportunity. From the angle, however, he blazed his shot over at the near post.
With Beardsley wandering to no real effect, Nicol and Staunton unconvincing out wide and Rush struggling to escape the clutches of Danny Maddix there was little cutting edge about Liverpool and it was typical that when Molby produced a superb pass inside Rufus Brevett it was Gary Gillespie trying to take advantage. The Rangers defence had no difficulty in recovering to snuff out the danger.
Gillespie then put in a fine pass of his own to send Beardsley scampering into space and his low centre looked dangerous but once again Maddix, who was growing in stature by the minute, was in the right place at the right time to intercept.
Liverpool suddenly put together a quick passing move which was much more in keeping with their normal style and ferried the ball from the right back position all the way to the left wing where Burrows was up in support to swing a centre to the back post.
Rush had peeled away from Maddix for once to find space and his instant volley from twelve yards was perfectly struck and destined for the bottom corner until Stejskal got down in a flash to parry away.
Rush went for the loose ball but his effort was blocked by Andy Tillson and when the ball then ran to Houghton his fierce drive was superbly charged down by Maddix.
The next five minutes saw a lull in proceedings as the gathering Liverpool storm subsided without trace and when Hysen gave the ball away inside his own half the home side were suddenly in trouble.
Wilkins and Sinton moved the ball left to Brevett and when Barker made a run down the line the full back played him in. The midfield player whipped a low ball across the box which Wegerle dummied and when the ball reached Ferdinand he turned Burrows and was suddenly face to face with Hooper.
The forward managed to evade the plunging keeper but had pushed himself wide of goal and his subsequent shot slammed against the face of the post.
Liverpool were unable to gather the loose ball which ended up with Bardsley on the right hand side. His cross went beyond the penalty area but reached Barker again and when he centred into the middle Ferdinand lunged in front of Ablett to head home off the inside of Hooper's right hand post.
It was a lead nobody could deny the visitors.
It would have been expected that Liverpool would respond swiftly to going behind but when they came forward a clever exchange between Rush and Steve Nicol on the right flank brought only a corner after Bardsley headed behind his own goal at the far post.
In truth the home side were lucky to get that much as there had been nobody in a red shirt inside the box. Once again the corner was taken short but only realised another corner and when this was taken short as well Rangers quickly snuffed out the danger.
The visitors had not panicked having taken the lead and their football continued to be far more cohesive and constructive than that of Liverpool's who looked distinctly rattled as they struggled to make any impression on a defence in which Danny Maddix was everywhere.
There was further danger for Liverpool when Wegerle sent Sinton racing away with a quick throw in and Burrows only just got to his low centre ahead of a Rangers forward.
Bardsley, Ferdinand and Sinton then combined to win a corner which was dropped into the near post for Darren Peacock to flick on and the ball ended up bouncing goalwards off Ferdinand from point blank range.
Fortunately for Liverpool the deflection sent the ball straight into Hooper's arms when a yard either side would surely have meant a second goal.
Steve Staunton sent in a centre from tight to the goalline that bounced along the top of the Rangers bar but the ball had already gone out in any case and Tillson was possibly fortunate to intercept a Beardsley pass intended for Houghton as Liverpool desperately tried to get their act together.
With the first forty five minutes almost up Stejskal sent a long punt upfield which Ablett just about managed to head clear under challenge from Ferdinand. The ball dropped to Staunton who played it back first time towards Burrows on the edge of his own box.
The full back decided to let the ball run through to Hooper but Wegerle had anticipated such an eventuality and was ready to pounce. The sprightly forward reached the ball first and sidestepped the plunging goalkeeper before rattling home a fine finish from the angle to put the visitors two up.
Liverpool managed one further attack before the break but Beardsley's centre was well taken underneath his crossbar by Stejskal and QPR had a deserved two goal lead going into the interval.
The visiting supporters, who had been growing in confidence and volubility throughout the half, were left to roar their approval at the half time whistle while there was the strange sound of booing filtering around the rest of Anfield as the teams left the field.
Half Time: Liverpool 0 Queens Park Rangers 2
While there had been murmurings of discontent as Liverpool left the field at half time the Kop was certainly willing to get behind their team at the start of the second half but the home side remained strangely lethargic as play resumed.
Beardsley was almost able to get Staunton away with an early pass but Danny Maddix showed that the break had done nothing to affect his concentration as he intercepted smartly.
Rangers responded with a more dangerous attack and when Sinton floated in a centre Ferdinand rose majestically to power in a header but the effort flashed narrowly wide.
Finally Liverpool were able to apply some sustained pressure although really incisive attacks were still few and far between.
Jan Molby sent a dinked ball into the area which fell nicely for Staunton who whipped in a good low shot but Stejskal was down in an instant to make the save.
From the resulting corner Liverpool again went short and on this occasion they did at least end up having a shot at goal but Houghton's effort from the edge of the box was scuffed and bounced well wide.
Andy Tillson put his side under pressure when a bad touch presented the ball to Beardsley and he slipped an instant ball through the middle for Rush to run onto but Maddix was able to get back and force the striker away from goal.
Rush managed to feed the ball back for Molby to swing in a centre from the left but Tillson had recovered and was in position to head clear.
Molby was then involved in one of Liverpool's better moves which saw Beardsley played into space down the right hand side of the penalty area. Houghton was racing up in support and Beardsley pulled the ball back in his direction but the pass was onto his left foot rather than his right and the shot was blocked by Simon Barker.
David Burrows forced his way forward to win a corner and for the first time all day Liverpool sent it straight into the box where Hysen produced a soaring header that was cleared by a defender underneath his own crossbar.
At this stage the pressure was mounting but Rangers still looked fairly comfortable with Tillson meeting most things in the air and Maddix playing an inspired game as he mopped up everything on the deck.
The visitors were still looking to get the ball down and pass it when they could, however, and a good break by Wilkins and Sinton ended with Rufus Brevett putting in a dangerous centre that Hysen just about cleared behind his own goal at full stretch.
Hysen's next contribution was in the other direction as he stepped confidently out of defence before threading a fine pass through to Staunton who had a clear run to the byeline but, on his right foot, could not beat Maddix with his centre.
Rangers countered again quickly and Wegerle sent a delightful first time ball down the line for Sinton and after the winger had vaulted a challenge from Hysen he saw his attempted centre cannon back into play from the angle of post and bar with Hooper beaten.
Liverpool were still vainly looking for a way back into the game and there was more frustration when Beardsley could only slice his shot wide after Tillson had slipped to allow him a clear sight of goal.
Then Molby sent a lovely ball out to Nicol but his centre flew straight behind the goal.
With inspiration sadly lacking Liverpool suddenly received a helping hand. Having taken a free kick quickly Hysen fed Staunton who flicked the ball on inside the area. Brevett was covering and moved to clear but, off balance, he missed the ball and there was contact between ball and arm as he fell.
It was contentious but Liverpool, even though they weren't attacking the Kop, got the decision.
Jan Molby stepped forward and slotted home the penalty without any fuss and Liverpool were back in it.
The visitors immediately looked less composed than before and began giving the ball away far more cheaply than they had been in the habit of doing previously.
Could a below par Liverpool take advantage?
There was real promise for the home side as Houghton sent a defence splitting pass out to Gary Ablett on the left wing and when Nicol headed his deep centre down towards Burrows on the edge of the box there was an inviting shot on goal in the offing but Beardsley decided to take the ball off the full backs' toe and knock it deeper for Houghton whose drive was blocked at source.
Beardsley, nowhere near his best, then spoiled another opportunity when failing to control a superb ball over the top from Houghton which would have had him in the clear had he collected.
Liverpool were continuing to press without being able to really test Stejskal. Beardsley linked with Rush who set up Houghton for a shot and his strong effort seemed to strike Peacock on the arm as he deflected it behind.
Having given one dodgy spot kick the referee was not prepared to give another even though this one actually looked a better shout.
The visitors' faltering composure was highlighted when Barker collected a yellow card for a rash challenge on Gillespie and Don Howe made his first change as he sent on Bradley Allen for Wegerle.
Molby sent Beardsley to the byeline with a raking forward pass and his low centre across the face of goal was horrible for the defenders but Maddix made light of the situation with a beautifully cushioned back pass to Stejskal from five yards out.
Hooper had to be alert to beat Sinton to a through ball from Allen as Rangers broke from a Liverpool corner but the keeper just got there first.
Beardsley was again found by Molby close to the byeline and this time the forward, with everyone expecting a centre, went for goal and the ball slammed against the outside of the post before bouncing clear.
Then it was Stejskal's turn to dash from his line and avert danger as Ablett looked to get on the end of a Houghton pass.
Liverpool finally decided to make a change with Ronny Rosenthal coming on for Staunton but it was Rangers who threatened next.
Bardsley found Ferdinand in all sorts of space with a throw in and the striker exchanged passes with Barker before slicing his shot badly wide from the edge of the box.
With time running out Liverpool now began to apply some real pressure in their search for an equaliser.
Hysen produced another towering header when Houghton swung a corner into the mixer but Stejskal was able to punch clear on his goalline and when the ball was immediately sent back into the box Peacock was happy to head behind for another corner.
Peacock also nicked the ball away from Hysen as danger threatened again and then headed the resulting corner clear into the bargain as it became an all hands to the pump sort of effort from the visitors.
Again the ball came back quickly and when Bardsley fell over at the wrong moment Rosenthal was presented with a clear chance but his shot was sliced horribly and only found the side netting.
Rangers made their second change by sending Clive Wilson on for Sinton but now looked happy just to try and ride out the storm.
As they came under pressure again, however, the visitors suddenly unleashed a remarkable counter attack.
Simon Barker started it by winning possession near his own corner flag and nutmegging Gary Ablett as the Liverpool man tried to challenge. When Barker then darted past the attempted challenge of Gary Gillespie the break was really on.
Barker fed Allen who hoisted the ball down the right wing to Ferdinand who made ground before sending a torpedo of a centre across the Liverpool goalmouth.
Butch Wilkins had got forward and leapt for the cross but the ball was too high. Wilkins contented himself with an imaginary header as the ball cleared him but Steve Nicol didn't react at all at the far post and when the ball bounced off his body the substitute Wilson was stealing in to prod the ball home from point blank range and make the game safe for Rangers with his first touch.
This was basically game over as Wilkins seemed to realise as he jigged merrily in front of the Kop.
Maddix had to recover smartly to rob Rush after an error by Wilson but he had never really let the Welshman out of his pocket all afternoon and the final few minutes belonged to the visitors as they revelled in the unusual feeling of a triumph at Anfield.
Wilkins fed Ferdinand with one delightful pass and the striker powered inside before sending in a ferocious drive that was spectacularly saved by Hooper.
Then from the corner Wilkins lifted another clever ball into space for Allen who turned and smashed an equally fierce drive into the side netting with half the ground thinking it was a goal.
The game ended with Rangers producing a superb, flowing move out of defence that involved Wilkins, Wilson and Allen and was only ended by a heinous lunging foul on Rufus Brevett by Ablett as the overlapping defender was bursting completely clear down the left.
This was a yellow card for Ablett and seconds later the final whistle sounded to confirm a superb away win for the men from Loftus Road.
This victory confirmed that Rangers were too good to go down and was loudly celebrated by their travelling support who had been magnificent throughout.
As for Liverpool this defeat really knocked the stuffing out of their title challenge and Arsenal went on to claim the title comfortably.
Looking back on this game now, in fact, you could almost pick this as the day that a generation of Liverpool domination was well and truly smashed to pieces.
At the time of writing, sixteen years later, the Reds are still waiting for another league title. Despite the resounding nature of this defeat nobody would have predicted such a scenario at the time.
Full Time: Liverpool 1 Queens Park Rangers 3 Football England
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