# 1986–87 Liverpool F.C. season

The 1986–87 season was Liverpool Football Club's 95th season in existence and their 25th consecutive season in the First Division. It was their second season under the management of Kenny Dalglish, and as defending double winners they finished this season only having (jointly) won the FA Charity Shield, coming close to silverware as league runners-up and losing finalists in the League Cup. They finished runners-up in the league nine points behind local rivals Everton, after an eventful title race which had seen them fight out with a resurgent Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur as well as face surprise challenges during the season from unfancied sides including Norwich City, Luton Town and newly promoted Wimbledon.
At the end of the season, striker Ian Rush headed to Italy to sign for Juventus. His successor in the Liverpool attack, John Aldridge, had been signed during the season from Oxford United. After the season ended, Dalglish further enhanced Liverpool's forward positions with a move for Newcastle United striker Peter Beardsley and Watford winger John Barnes.

## Squad

Goalkeepers
* Bruce Grobbelaar
* Mike Hooper
Defenders
* Gary Ablett
* Jim Beglin
* Gary Gillespie
* Alan Hansen
* Mark Lawrenson
* John McGregor
* Steve Nicol
* Steve Staunton
* Barry Venison
* Alex Watson
Midfielders
* Kenny Dalglish
* Craig Johnston
* Sammy Lee
* Kevin MacDonald
* Steve McMahon
* Jan Mølby
* Brian Mooney
* Steve Nicol
* Mark Seagraves
* Nigel Spackman
* John Wark
* Ronnie Whelan
Attackers
* John Aldridge
* John Durnin
* Alan Irvine
* Ian Rush
* Paul Walsh

## Squad statistics
### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Division 1 | Division 1 | FA Cup | FA Cup | Charity Shield | Charity Shield | League Cup | League Cup | Super Cup | Super Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| | DF | ENG | Gary Ablett | 6 | 1 | 5+0 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | FW | IRL | John Aldridge | 10 | 2 | 2+8 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | IRL | Jim Beglin | 30 | 0 | 20+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Kenny Dalglish | 25 | 8 | 12+6 | 6 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 4+1 | 2 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | John Durnin | 1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Gary Gillespie | 51 | 0 | 37+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 9+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | GK | ZIM | Bruce Grobbelaar | 45 | 0 | 31+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 9+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Alan Hansen | 53 | 0 | 39+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 9+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | GK | ENG | Mike Hooper | 13 | 0 | 11+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Alan Irvine | 4 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | AUS | Craig Johnston | 37 | 3 | 27+1 | 3 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 5+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Mark Lawrenson | 49 | 0 | 35+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 8+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Kevin MacDonald | 8 | 0 | 3+3 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Steve McMahon | 55 | 14 | 37+5 | 5 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 9+0 | 8 | 2+0 | 1 |
| | MF | DEN | Jan Mølby | 47 | 12 | 34+0 | 7 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 7+0 | 5 | 1+1 | 0 |
| | MF | IRL | Brian Mooney | 1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Steve Nicol | 21 | 5 | 14+0 | 3 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 5+0 | 1 | 2+0 | 1 |
| | FW | WAL | Ian Rush | 57 | 40 | 42+0 | 30 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 1 | 9+0 | 4 | 2+0 | 5 |
| | MF | ENG | Nigel Spackman | 14 | 0 | 12+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Barry Venison | 44 | 0 | 31+2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 4+2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Paul Walsh | 31 | 6 | 23+0 | 6 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | John Wark | 17 | 7 | 8+3 | 5 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+1 | 2 | 0+1 | 0 |
| | MF | IRL | Ronnie Whelan | 53 | 5 | 39+0 | 3 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 8+0 | 2 | 2+0 | 0 |

## Transfers
### In

| Pos | Player | From | Fee | Date |
| DF | Barry Venison | Sunderland | £200,000 | 31 July 1986 |
| DF | Steve Staunton | Dundalk | £20,000 | 2 September 1986 |
| FW | Alan Irvine | Falkirk | £75,000 | October 1986 |
| FW | John Aldridge | Oxford United | £750,000 | 27 January 1987 |
| MF | Nigel Spackman | Chelsea | £400,000 | 24 February 1987 |

### Out

| Pos | Player | To | Fee | Date |
| MF | Sammy Lee | QPR | £200,000 | August 1986 |

## League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Everton (C) | 42 | 26 | 8 | 8 | 76 | 31 | +45 | 86 | Disqualified from the European Cup |
| 2 | Liverpool | 42 | 23 | 8 | 11 | 72 | 42 | +30 | 77 | Disqualified from the UEFA Cup |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 68 | 43 | +25 | 71 | Disqualified from the UEFA Cup |
| 4 | Arsenal | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 58 | 35 | +23 | 70 | Disqualified from the UEFA Cup |
| 5 | Norwich City | 42 | 17 | 17 | 8 | 53 | 51 | +2 | 68 | |
* ↑ Arsenal would have qualified as League Cup winners.

## Matches
### First Division

| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
| 23-Aug-86 | Newcastle United | A | 2–0 | Rush 5', 83' | 33,306 | Report | Report |
| 25-Aug-86 | Manchester City | H | 0–0 | | 39,989 | Report | Report |
| 30-Aug-86 | Arsenal | H | 2–1 | Mølby pen 19' Rush 57' | 38,637 | Report | Report |
| 03-Sep-86 | Leicester City | A | 1–2 | Dalglish 85' | 16,344 | Report | Report |
| 06-Sep-86 | West Ham United | A | 5–2 | Whelan 24' Johnston 51' Dalglish 66', 90' Rush 70' | 29,807 | Report | Report |
| 13-Sep-86 | Charlton Athletic | H | 2–0 | Mølby pen 56' Rush 80' | 37,413 | Report | Report |
| 20-Sep-86 | Southampton | A | 1–2 | McMahon 62' | 20,452 | Report | Report |
| 27-Sep-86 | Aston Villa | H | 3–3 | Wark pen 24', 43' McMahon 79' | 38,298 | Report | Report |
| 04-Oct-86 | Wimbledon | A | 3–1 | Mølby 50' Rush 56', 90' | 15,978 | Report | Report |
| 11-Oct-86 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 0–1 | | 43,139 | Report | Report |
| 18-Oct-86 | Oxford United | H | 4–0 | Rush 29', 89' Dalglish 33' Mølby pen 53' | 34,512 | Report | Report |
| 25-Oct-86 | Luton Town | A | 1–4 | Mølby pen 81' | 13,140 | Report | Report |
| 01-Nov-86 | Norwich City | H | 6–2 | Nicol 15' Walsh 30', 58', 75' Rush 48', 70' | 36,915 | Report | Report |
| 08-Nov-86 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 3–1 | Rush 9' Nicol 15' Johnston 76' | 24,045 | Report | Report |
| 16-Nov-86 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 1–1 | Rush 58' | 28,020 | Report | Report |
| 23-Nov-86 | Everton | A | 0–0 | | 48,247 | Report | Report |
| 29-Nov-86 | Coventry City | H | 2–0 | Mølby pen 24' Wark 90' | 31,614 | Report | Report |
| 06-Dec-86 | Watford | A | 0–2 | | 23,954 | Report | Report |
| 14-Dec-86 | Chelsea | H | 3–0 | Whelan 31' Rush 51' Nicol 78' | 25,856 | Report | Report |
| 20-Dec-86 | Charlton Athletic | A | 0–0 | | 16,564 | Report | Report |
| 26-Dec-86 | Manchester United | H | 0–1 | | 40,663 | Report | Report |
| 27-Dec-86 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 1–0 | Rush 64' | 40,959 | Report | Report |
| 01-Jan-87 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–1 | Rush 88' | 32,854 | Report | Report |
| 03-Jan-87 | West Ham United | H | 1–0 | McMahon 86' | 41,286 | Report | Report |
| 17-Jan-87 | Manchester City | A | 1–0 | Rush 72' | 35,336 | Report | Report |
| 24-Jan-87 | Newcastle United | H | 2–0 | Walsh 53' Rush 79' | 38,054 | Report | Report |
| 14-Feb-87 | Leicester City | H | 4–3 | Rush 29', 47', 86' Walsh 30' | 34,259 | Report | Report |
| 21-Feb-87 | Aston Villa | A | 2–2 | Johnston 1' Walsh 62' | 32,093 | Report | Report |
| 28-Feb-87 | Southampton | H | 1–0 | Aldridge 60' | 33,133 | Report | Report |
| 07-Mar-87 | Luton Town | H | 2–0 | Mølby pen 17' Own goal 39' | 32,433 | Report | Report |
| 10-Mar-87 | Arsenal | A | 1–0 | Rush 20' | 47,777 | Report | Report |
| 14-Mar-87 | Oxford United | A | 3–1 | Wark 35', 63' Rush 53' | 14,211 | Report | Report |
| 18-Mar-87 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–1 | Rush 18', 71' | 28,988 | Report | Report |
| 22-Mar-87 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–1 | | 32,763 | Report | Report |
| 28-Mar-87 | Wimbledon | H | 1–2 | Dalglish 47' | 36,409 | Report | Report |
| 11-Apr-87 | Norwich City | A | 1–2 | Rush 36' | 22,879 | Report | Report |
| 18-Apr-87 | Nottingham Forest | H | 3–0 | Dalglish 34' Whelan 51' Ablett 68' | 37,359 | Report | Report |
| 20-Apr-87 | Manchester United | A | 0–1 | | 54,103 | Report | Report |
| 25-Apr-87 | Everton | H | 3–1 | McMahon 9' Rush 45', 85' | 44,827 | Report | Report |
| 02-May-87 | Coventry City | A | 0–1 | | 26,709 | Report | Report |
| 04-May-87 | Watford | H | 1–0 | Rush 82' | 40,150 | Report | Report |
| 09-May-87 | Chelsea | A | 3–3 | Rush 9' McMahon 77' Aldridge 84' | 29,245 | Report | Report |

### FA Charity Shield

| Liverpool | Everton |
57' :
| | 2 | Barry Venison |
| | 3 | Jim Beglin |
| | 4 | Mark Lawrenson |
| | 5 | Ronnie Whelan |
| | 6 | Alan Hansen (c) |
| | 7 | Steve McMahon |
| | 8 | Craig Johnston |
| | 9 | Ian Rush |
| | 10 | Jan Mølby |
| | 11 | Kevin MacDonald | 65' |
| Substitutes: |||
| | 17 | Mike Hooper | 57' |
| | 12 | Kenny Dalglish | 65' |
| Manager: |||
| Kenny Dalglish ||||
Bobby Mimms :
| | 2 | Alan Harper |
| | 3 | Paul Power |
| | 4 | Kevin Ratcliffe (c) |
| | 5 | Ian Marshall |
| | 6 | Kevin Langley |
| | 7 | Trevor Steven |
| | 8 | Adrian Heath |
| | 9 | Graeme Sharp |
| | 10 | Kevin Richardson |
| | 11 | Kevin Sheedy | 57' |
| Substitutes: |||
| | 14 | Neil Adams | 57' 84' |
| | 12 | Paul Wilkinson | 84' |
| Manager: |||
| Howard Kendall ||||

### FA Cup

| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
| 11-Jan-87 | Luton Town | A | 0–0 | 11,085 | Report | Report |
| 26-Jan-87 | Luton Town | H | 0–0 | 34,822 | Report | Report |
| 28-Jan-87 | Luton Town | A | 0–3 | 14,687 | Report | Report |

### League Cup

| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
| 23-Sep-86 | Fulham | H | 10–0 | Rush 8', 76' Wark 10', 63' Whelan 28' McMahon 44', 66', 71', 79' Nicol 83' | 13,498 | Report | Report |
| 07-Oct-86 | Fulham | A | 3–2 | McMahon 2' Own goal 6' Mølby pen 43' | 7,864 | Report | Report |
| 29-Oct-86 | Leicester City | H | 4–1 | McMahon 5', 7', 60' Dalglish 30' | 20,248 | Report | Report |
| 19-Nov-86 | Coventry City | A | 0–0 | | 26,385 | Report | Report |
| 26-Nov-86 | Coventry City | H | 3–1 | Mølby pen 4', pen 39', pen 72' | 19,179 | Report | Report |
| 21-Jan-87 | Everton | A | 1–0 | Rush 83' | 53,323 | Report | Report |
| 11-Feb-87 | Southampton | A | 0–0 | | 22,818 | Report | Report |
| 25-Feb-87 | Southampton | H | 3–0 | Whelan 67' Dalglish 75' Mølby 85' | 38,481 | Report | Report |
Final
| Arsenal | Liverpool |
John Lukic :
| RB | 2 | Viv Anderson |
| LB | 3 | Kenny Sansom (Captain) |
| CM | 4 | Steve Williams |
| CB | 5 | David O'Leary |
| CB | 6 | Tony Adams |
| RM | 7 | David Rocastle |
| CM | 8 | Paul Davis |
| CF | 9 | Niall Quinn | |
| CF | 10 | Charlie Nicholas |
| LM | 11 | Martin Hayes | |
| Substitutes: |||
| MF | 12 | Perry Groves | Quinn' |
| MF | 14 | Michael Thomas | Hayes' |
| Manager: ||||
| George Graham ||||
Bruce Grobbelaar :
| RB | 2 | Gary Gillespie |
| LB | 3 | Barry Venison |
| CM | 4 | Nigel Spackman |
| LM | 5 | Ronnie Whelan |
| CB | 6 | Alan Hansen (Captain) |
| CF | 7 | Paul Walsh | 73' |
| RM | 8 | Craig Johnston |
| CF | 9 | Ian Rush |
| CM | 10 | Jan Molby |
| CM | 11 | Steve McMahon | 87' |
| Substitutes: |||
| FW | 12 | Kenny Dalglish | 73' |
| MF | 14 | John Wark | 87' |
| Player / Manager: ||||
| Kenny Dalglish ||||

### Super Cup

Final First Leg
| Liverpool | Everton |
LIVERPOOL: :
| GK | 1 | Mike Hooper |
| RB | 2 | Barry Venison |
| LB | 3 | Jim Beglin |
| CB | 4 | Mark Lawrenson |
| LM | 5 | Ronnie Whelan |
| CB | 6 | Gary Gillespie |
| SS | 7 | Kenny Dalglish |
| RM | 8 | Steve Nicol |
| CF | 9 | Ian Rush |
| CM | 10 | Kevin MacDonald |
| CM | 11 | Steve McMahon |
| Substitute: ||||
| MF | 12 | John Wark |
| MF | 14 | Jan Mølby |
| Player/Manager: ||||
| Kenny Dalglish ||||
EVERTON: :
| GK | 1 | Bobby Mimms |
| RB | 2 | Peter Billing |
| LB | 3 | Paul Power |
| CB | 4 | Kevin Ratcliffe (c) |
| CB | 5 | Ian Marshall |
| CM | 6 | Kevin Langley |
| RM | 7 | Neil Adams |
| ST | 8 | Paul Wilkinson |
| ST | 9 | Graeme Sharp |
| CM | 10 | Trevor Steven |
| LM | 11 | Kevin Sheedy |
| Substitute: ||||
| MF | | Warren Aspinall |
| Manager: ||||
| Howard Kendall ||||
Second leg
| Everton | Liverpool |
EVERTON: :
| GK | 1 | Bobby Mimms |
| RB | 2 | Peter Billing |
| LB | 3 | Paul Power |
| CB | 4 | Kevin Ratcliffe (c) |
| CB | 5 | Derek Mountfield |
| CM | 6 | Trevor Steven |
| RM | 7 | Neil Adams |
| CM | 8 | Adrian Heath |
| ST | 9 | Graeme Sharp |
| ST | 10 | Paul Wilkinson |
| LM | 11 | Kevin Sheedy |
| Substitute: ||||
| MF | | Warren Aspinall |
| DF | | Neil Pointon |
| Manager: ||||
| Howard Kendall ||||
LIVERPOOL: :
| GK | 1 | Bruce Grobbelaar |
| RB | 2 | Gary Gillespie |
| LB | 3 | Jim Beglin |
| CB | 4 | Mark Lawrenson |
| LM | 5 | Ronnie Whelan |
| CB | 6 | Alan Hansen (c) |
| SS | 7 | John Wark |
| RM | 8 | Steve Nicol |
| CF | 9 | Ian Rush |
| CM | 10 | Jan Mølby |
| CM | 11 | Steve McMahon |
| Substitute: ||||
| FW | 12 | Paul Walsh |
| DF | 14 | Barry Venison |
| Player/Manager: ||||
| Kenny Dalglish ||||
Liverpool won 7–2 on aggregate

### Dubai Super Cup

| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
| 9-Dec-86 | Celtic | N | 1–1 (Liverpool win 4–2 on pens) | Hansen 89' | 15,000 | Report | |