21st December

Champions of the world
2019 – Roberto Firmino struck the only goal of the FIFA Club World Cup Final in Qatar as we beat Flamengo 1-0 after extra time. We had had an injury-time penalty award overruled by VAR.

Macca’s farewell and hello
1991 - Steve McMahon played his 277th and final reds game as we drew 2-2 at home with Manchester City, whom he was shortly to join, as was widely known at the time. Dean Saunders and Steve Nicol scored our goals, with David White netting two of his five goals past us, having already also bagged a brace in the reverse fixture earlier that season.

Luis yet again
2013 – Skipper Luis Suárez scored in his fourth consecutive game as we beat Cardiff City 3-1 at Anfield to go top of the table, becoming the first player to score ten Premier League goals in a calendar month, beating Mark Viduka’s record for Leeds United of eight in April 2003, and the first player to score at least two goals in four Premier League games in a row. Suárez bagged a brace with Raheem Sterling also on target in the first half.

Getting shuttered of Titi
2000 - Aboubakar ‘Titi’ Camara was sold to West Ham United for £2.2m. He had bagged ten goals in 37 reds games after signing from Olympique de Marseille for £2.6m in June 1999.
2002 – Future reds keeper Andy Lonergan joined Darlington on loan from Preston North End, only playing twice before getting injured.

Births and death
1927 - Centre-forward Jack Smith was born in Birkenhead. He netted fourteen times in 59 reds games after signing from Bromborough Pool in March 1951. He moved on to Torquay United in May 1954.
1877 - Winger Jack Cox was born in Everton. He signed from Blackpool for £150 in December 1897 and struck eighty times in 361 reds games, helping us to two League titles and the Second Division championship before returning to Bloomfield Road as Player/Manager in May 1909.
1878 – Scottish centre-forward Peter Kyle was born in Cadder, East Dunbartonshire. He signed from Clyde in May 1899, failing to score in five first-team games before moving on to Leicester Fosse a year later.

1984 - Irish midfielder Darren Potter was born in Liverpool. A former Liverpool schoolboys’ captain who was once with Everton, he used to attend Alsop High School, where Gérard Houllier once taught. He made seventeen senior appearances under Rafael Benítez, but moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 2007 after a successful loan spell.
1948 – Forward Jimmy Nicholl died. He signed from Middlesbrough in January 1914, bagging fourteen goals in 59 outings before moving on to Wishaw Thistle in 1915. He had featured in our FA Cup Final defeat to Burnley in April 1914.

Tons up
2018 – Jordan Henderson played his 300th reds game as we won 2-0 at Wolverhampton Wanderers, thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.
1963 – Ian St. John struck his fiftieth reds goal as he reached a century of League appearance in our 1-0 win at Blackpool.

A goalscoring debut
1957 - Outside-right Tony McNamara scored on his reds bow as we beat Bristol City 4-3 at Anfield in a Second Division fixture. Tony Rowley bagged a brace, with Alan A’Court also on target. Johnny Watkins netted one of his four goals against the reds, with Tommy Burden and Dermot Curtis also on the scoresheet.

The mighty Finn
1999 - Sami Hyypiä was named Finland’s Player of the Year for the first time, succeeding future clubmate Jari Litmanen who had won for seven straight years. Future reds reserve Daniel Sjölund was named their Youth Player of the Year on the same day.

Facing the Gunners
2014 – We were held to a 2-2 draw at Anfield by Arsenal. Mathieu Debuchy equalised seconds after Philippe Coutinho had given us the lead on the stroke of half-time. Olivier Giroud put the visitors in front with one of his eight strikes past us to date, but Martin Škrtel headed in deep into stoppage time to secure a point, shortly after Fabio Borini had stupidly been sent off after a second booking.

2008 – We drew 1-1 at Arsenal, with Robbie Keane grabbing a spectacular equaliser after Robin van Persie had given the home side the lead with the first of his seven strikes against the reds. Emmanuel Adebayor was sent off for the Gunners but we could not convert our numerical superiority into victory. We were wearing a curious kit combining silver shirts with red shorts and socks.
1929 - We beat the Gunners 1-0 in a top-flight fixture at Anfield, with inside-left Archie McPherson grabbing his first reds goal.

Also recently
2012 – Raheem Sterling signed a new contract with the reds, having already made 28 senior appearances at that point. On the same day, José Enrique became a father for the first time.
2011 - Charlie Adam had a penalty saved as we were held to a goalless draw at Wigan Athletic, the fourth red to suffer that fate this season. The whole team had warmed up before the match in Luis Suárez t-shirts following the FA’s decision to ban him for eight matches for alleged racial abuse the day before.

Friday night live
1984 - John Wark and Ian Rush struck as we won 2-0 at Queens Park Rangers in front of the live TV cameras on a Friday night, to keep us in touch with the First Division leaders.

Thumping the Villains
1946 - Jack Balmer bagged a brace with Albert Stubbins and Berry Nieuwenhuys also on the scoresheet as we beat Aston Villa 4-1 at Anfield in a top-flight meeting. Balmer was actually netting in his seventh consecutive game, in which time he had struck fifteen times in total. Former hero of both sides of Stanley Park, Fred Geary, presented the visiting side with the match ball from the 1897 FA Cup Final before the game as this had been taken home by the defeated Everton side on the day. Dickie Dorsett bagged one of his four goals against the reds.

Clem in action
1974 - We lost 3-1 at Birmingham City, with Ray Clemence saving a penalty from Alan Campbell. Gordon Taylor then put the home side in front with the last of his four strikes past us before John Toshack equalised. Howard Kendall converted a spot-kick before Bob Hatton headed in one of his four goals against the reds.

Management moves
2015 – Former reds First Team Coach Kevin Keen was appointed Manager of Colchester United. He left by mutual consent the following April after they were relegated to League Two.
2008 – Gary McAllister was sacked as Manager of Leeds United. He had led them into the League One Play-off Final earlier that year.
1983 - John Toshack was appointed Manager of Second Division Swansea City for the second time. However, he could only lead them to two victories in eleven games in charge this time around.

Quasi on target
1985 - Peter Beardsley scored for Newcastle United as they held us to a 1-1 draw at Anfield. One of the linesmen was called Mr. Everton! Steve Nicol grabbed our goal.

Other reds games
1968 – Emlyn Hughes netted the only goal of Tottenham Hotspur’s visit to Anfield.
1935 – We beat Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 in L4, with Vic Wright on the scoresheet.
1912 – We drew 2-2 with Sheffield United in L4. Jack Parkinson and Arthur Metcalf scored, with Billy Gillespie scoring the first of his seven goals against the reds, with Bob Benson converting a penalty.

1907 – We lost 3-1 at Middlesbrough with Jack Parkinson on target. Steve Bloomer netted two of his fourteen goals past us, with Freddie Wilcox also on target.
1895 – George Allan bagged the only goal of our Second Division fixture at Lincoln City.

Mixed fortunes in Arabia
1997 - Future red Harry Kewell was on the wrong end of a 6-0 thumping as Australia lost to Brazil in the Final of the Confederations Cup in Saudi Arabia. On the same day, future red Vladimír Šmicer played as the Czech Republic beat Uruguay 1-0 in the Third-place play-off.

Also in international action
1996 – Future red Brad Friedel played as the USA drew a World Cup qualifier 2-2 with Guatemala in El Salvador.
2003 – Roy Hodgson took charge of the United Arab Emirates for their 2-2 friendly draw with Kenya in Abu Dhabi.
2015 - Elijah Dixon-Bonner and Bobby Duncan both played for England Under-15’s as they drew 3-3 with Turkey at St. George’s Park.