22nd December

Derby disappointment
2002 - We were held to a goalless draw in the Anfield derby to end a run of four consecutive League defeats. The Blues’ pre-match boasts that “Rooney’s gonna get ya” did not bear fruit, while Steven Gerrard was lucky to escape a red card for his two-footed challenge on Gary Naysmith. Sami Hyypiä skippered the reds for the 88th time in the Premiership, a new club record.

Most recently
2007 - We thumped Portsmouth 4-1 in a Premiership fixture at Anfield to end their six-game winning streak away from home. We took the lead through Yossi Benayoun and a Sylvain Distain own goal before Benjani pulled one back shortly after the break, one of his four goals past us. Fernando Torres then added a brace to make the points safe. This was our 300th home Premier League game, and Pompey’s 500th top-flight defeat.
2012 – We beat Fulham 4-0 in L4 as Stewart Downing finally provided his first League goal and assist for the reds. Martin Škrtel and Steven Gerrard netted in the first half, with Downing and Luis Suárez on target after the break.

Happy birthday
1926 - Full-back Steve Parr was born in Preston. He made twenty appearances without notching after signing on a free transfer from Farrington Villa in May 1948. Seven years later, he joined Exeter City, and ended his playing career with Rochdale.

A few empty seats
1983 - We played in front of the lowest Anfield crowd of the season of just 11,638 as we beat Birmingham City 3-0 in a League Cup Fourth Round replay, on our way to retaining the trophy yet again. Steve Nicol put us ahead, before Ian Rush bagged a second-half brace, including his first reds penalty. The players then rushed off and got changed into fancy dress on the team bus to go to their Christmas party at Tommy Smith’s club!

Seeing off the Mancs
1973 - We beat Manchester United 2-0 at Anfield thanks to a penalty from Kevin Keegan and then a goal from Steve Heighway.
1928 - We beat their neighbours City 3-2 at Maine Road, courtesy of a brace from Gordon Hodgson and a Henry Race strike. Tommy Johnson bagged one of his eight goals against the reds, with Arthur Bacon also on target.

European joy
1970 - We beat Hibernian 2-0 at Anfield in the second leg of our Fairs Cup Third Round tie, to progress to a Quarter Final meeting with Bayern München 3-0 on aggregate. Steve Heighway and Phil Boersma netted the goals.

Away wins
Apart from at Maine Road, we have won two other away games on this day in history.
1934 - Vic Wright struck a brace as we beat Sunderland at Roker Park, with Alf Hanson also on target as we came back from 2-1 down at half time to win 3-2. Pat Gallacher struck one of his six goals against the reds, with James Connor netting the last of his five past us.
1979 - We beat Derby County 3-1 at the Baseball Ground, with our opening score coming from a Roger Davies own goal before Terry McDermott converted a spot-kick, with David Johnson completing the scoring. Davies had struck the opener for the home side with a first-minute penalty, the first of his five goals against the reds.

More Anfield wins
We have won three more home games on this day.
1956 - Billy Liddell, with a penalty, and Jimmy Melia netted as we beat Bury 2-0 in our Second Division encounter.
1962 - Kevin Lewis, Ian St. John and Ronnie Moran all struck as Blackburn Rovers lost 3-1 as we secured a seventh straight top-flight victory for the first time in more than half a century.
1990 - Ronnie Rosenthal nabbed a brace with Ray Houghton also on target while making his hundredth League appearance for the reds as we beat Southampton 3-2. Ex-red Jimmy Case and future red Neil Ruddock both featured for the visitors, for whom Rod Wallace struck the final two of his five goals against us.

Scandinavians off on loan
1995 - Jan Mølby joined Norwich City on loan. He played five times for the Canaries, netting once.
1999 - Frode Kippe signed temporarily for Stoke City. He played twenty times in four months at the Britannia Stadium, and returned the following year for a further loan spell.

Keetley’s bow
1923 - Joe Keetley made the first of his nine senior reds appearances as we lost 2-0 at Cardiff City, exactly seven days after we had been beaten by the same score at Anfield. This was our third straight defeat, and eighth consecutive match without a victory. Len Davies struck two of his seven goals past us.

Death of a red
1999 - Ex-reds left-back Jack MacDonald, who became a 1950’s legend at Tranmere Rovers, died at 78 years of age. He had never made a senior appearance for us.

Glasgow victory
1981 - We took part in a Special Challenge Match against Rangers to mark the opening of the new Govan Stand at their Ibrox Stadium. Kenny Dalglish and Ronnie Whelan got on the scoresheet to hand us a 2-0 win.

Management moves
2008 - Steve Staunton was sacked as Assistant Manager of Leeds United, a day after his boss Gary McAllister.
2014 - Sami Hyypiä resigned as Manager of Brighton & Hove Albion, having only led them to six victories in 26 games in charge.