# 1985–86 Liverpool F.C. season

The 1985–86 season was Liverpool Football Club's 94th season in existence and their 24th consecutive season in the First Division. This was Kenny Dalglish’s first season as manager. At 34 he was player manager, and with several players in their last seasons as players. The change to the new team would take time during the season, but it ended with them winning the double of the League and FA Cup, and reaching the League Cup semi-finals. It was the fifth time that the league and FA Cup double had been achieved in English football.
As there was a ban on English clubs participating in the European competitions after the Heysel disaster, there was the ScreenSport Super Cup replacing it. As the competition did not end until the 1986-87 season, Liverpool reached the final after getting through the group, and the semi-finals.

## Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | ENG | Bob Bolder |
| — | GK | ZIM | Bruce Grobbelaar |
| — | GK | ENG | Chris Pile |
| — | DF | ENG | Gary Ablett |
| — | DF | IRL | Jim Beglin |
| — | DF | SCO | Gary Gillespie |
| — | DF | SCO | Alan Hansen |
| — | DF | SCO | Steve Nicol |
| — | DF | ENG | Alan Kennedy |
| — | DF | IRL | Mark Lawrenson |
| — | DF | SCO | John McGregor |
| — | DF | ENG | Phil Neal (joined Bolton in December 1985) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | AUS | Craig Johnston |
| — | MF | ENG | Sammy Lee |
| — | MF | SCO | Kevin MacDonald |
| — | MF | ENG | Steve McMahon |
| — | MF | DEN | Jan Mølby |
| — | MF | ENG | Mark Seagraves |
| — | MF | SCO | John Wark |
| — | MF | IRL | Ronnie Whelan |
| — | FW | WAL | Ian Rush |
| — | FW | SCO | Kenny Dalglish |
| — | FW | ENG | Paul Walsh |

## Squad statistics
### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Division 1 | Division 1 | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Super Cup | Super Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| | DF | IRL | Jim Beglin | 53 | 1 | 34+0 | 1 | 7+0 | 0 | 7+0 | 0 | 5+0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Kenny Dalglish | 31 | 7 | 17+4 | 3 | 6+0 | 1 | 2+0 | 1 | 2+0 | 2 |
| | DF | SCO | Gary Gillespie | 24 | 3 | 14+0 | 3 | 5+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| | GK | ZIM | Bruce Grobbelaar | 63 | 0 | 42+0 | 0 | 8+0 | 0 | 7+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Alan Hansen | 60 | 0 | 41+0 | 0 | 8+0 | 0 | 7+0 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 |
| | MF | AUS | Craig Johnston | 60 | 10 | 38+3 | 7 | 6+1 | 1 | 7+0 | 1 | 5+0 | 1 |
| | DF | ENG | Alan Kennedy | 8 | 0 | 8+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Mark Lawrenson | 58 | 5 | 36+2 | 3 | 7+0 | 1 | 7+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 1 |
| | MF | ENG | Sammy Lee | 26 | 0 | 13+2 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 5+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Kevin MacDonald | 25 | 5 | 10+7 | 1 | 2+0 | 1 | 0+2 | 1 | 3+1 | 2 |
| | MF | ENG | Steve McMahon | 36 | 10 | 23+0 | 6 | 4+0 | 1 | 5+0 | 3 | 4+0 | 0 |
| | MF | DEN | Jan Mølby | 58 | 21 | 39+0 | 14 | 8+0 | 3 | 5+0 | 2 | 5+1 | 2 |
| | DF | ENG | Phil Neal | 16 | 1 | 11+2 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Steve Nicol | 47 | 4 | 33+1 | 4 | 4+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 6+0 | 0 |
| | FW | WAL | Ian Rush | 56 | 33 | 40+0 | 22 | 8+0 | 6 | 6+0 | 3 | 2+0 | 2 |
| | DF | ENG | Mark Seagraves | 2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Paul Walsh | 32 | 18 | 17+3 | 11 | 2+0 | 1 | 4+0 | 4 | 6+0 | 2 |
| | MF | SCO | John Wark | 18 | 6 | 7+2 | 3 | 2+2 | 2 | 2+1 | 1 | 0+2 | 0 |
| | MF | IRL | Ronnie Whelan | 57 | 14 | 39+0 | 10 | 7+0 | 1 | 7+0 | 3 | 4+0 | 0 |

## League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Liverpool (C) | 42 | 26 | 10 | 6 | 89 | 37 | +52 | 88 | Disqualified from the European Cup |
| 2 | Everton | 42 | 26 | 8 | 8 | 87 | 41 | +46 | 86 | Disqualified from the European Cup Winners' Cup |
| 3 | West Ham United | 42 | 26 | 6 | 10 | 74 | 40 | +34 | 84 | Disqualified from the UEFA Cup |
| 4 | Manchester United | 42 | 22 | 10 | 10 | 70 | 36 | +34 | 76 | Disqualified from the UEFA Cup |
| 5 | Sheffield Wednesday | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 63 | 54 | +9 | 73 | Disqualified from the UEFA Cup |
* ↑ Since the FA Cup winners, Liverpool, would have instead qualified for the European Cup, qualification would have instead been passed down to runners-up Everton.
* ↑ Since Everton would have instead qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Cup qualification would have been passed down to Sheffield Wednesday.

## Results
### First Division

| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
| 17-Aug-85 | Arsenal | H | 2–0 | Whelan 33' Nicol 61' | 38,261 | Report | Report |
| 21-Aug-85 | Aston Villa | A | 2–2 | Rush 39' Mølby 85' | 20,197 | Report | Report |
| 24-Aug-85 | Newcastle United | A | 0–1 | | 29,670 | Report | Report |
| 26-Aug-85 | Ipswich Town | H | 5–0 | Nicol 15' Rush 23', 67' Mølby 27' Johnston 90' | 29,383 | Report | Report |
| 31-Aug-85 | West Ham United | A | 2–2 | Johnston 52' Whelan 83' | 19,762 | Report | Report |
| 03-Sep-85 | Nottingham Forest | H | 2–0 | Whelan 55', 69' | 27,135 | Report | Report |
| 07-Sep-85 | Watford | H | 3–1 | Neal pen 27' Johnston 67' Rush 72' | 31,395 | Report | Report |
| 14-Sep-85 | Oxford United | A | 2–2 | Rush 62' Johnston 75' | 11,474 | Report | Report |
| 21-Sep-85 | Everton | A | 3–2 | Dalglish 1' Rush 16' McMahon 42' | 51,509 | Report | Report |
| 28-Sep-85 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 4–1 | Lawrenson 44' Rush 56' Mølby pen 61', pen 67' | 41,521 | Report | Report |
| 05-Oct-85 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 1–2 | Walsh 9' | 24,621 | Report | Report |
| 12-Oct-85 | Southampton | H | 1–0 | McMahon 60' | 31,070 | Report | Report |
| 19-Oct-85 | Manchester United | A | 1–1 | Johnston 46' | 54,492 | Report | Report |
| 26-Oct-85 | Luton Town | H | 3–2 | Walsh 31', 35' Mølby 65' | 31,488 | Report | Report |
| 02-Nov-85 | Leicester City | H | 1–0 | Rush 84' | 31,718 | Report | Report |
| 09-Nov-85 | Coventry City | A | 3–0 | Beglin 5' Walsh 47' Rush 81' | 16,947 | Report | Report |
| 16-Nov-85 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 4–1 | Nicol 45' Mølby 62' Lawrenson 73' Walsh 87' | 28,407 | Report | Report |
| 23-Nov-85 | Birmingham City | A | 2–0 | Rush 10' Walsh 26' | 15,062 | Report | Report |
| 30-Nov-85 | Chelsea | H | 1–1 | Mølby pen 85' | 38,482 | Report | Report |
| 07-Dec-85 | Aston Villa | H | 3–0 | Mølby 2' Walsh 67' Johnston 81' | 29,418 | Report | Report |
| 14-Dec-85 | Arsenal | A | 0–2 | | 35,048 | Report | Report |
| 21-Dec-85 | Newcastle United | H | 1–1 | Nicol 34' | 30,746 | Report | Report |
| 26-Dec-85 | Manchester City | A | 0–1 | | 35,584 | Report | Report |
| 28-Dec-85 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–1 | MacDonald 55' | 27,141 | Report | Report |
| 01-Jan-86 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 2–2 | Rush 49' Walsh 76' | 38,964 | Report | Report |
| 12-Jan-86 | Watford | A | 3–2 | Walsh 44', 85' Rush 75' | 16,967 | Report | Report |
| 18-Jan-86 | West Ham United | H | 3–1 | Mølby pen 58' Rush 67' Walsh 70' | 41,056 | Report | Report |
| 01-Feb-86 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–2 | Whelan 36' | 20,551 | Report | Report |
| 09-Feb-86 | Manchester United | H | 1–1 | Wark 40' | 35,004 | Report | Report |
| 22-Feb-86 | Everton | H | 0–2 | | 45,445 | Report | Report |
| 02-Mar-86 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 2–1 | Mølby 66' Rush 90' | 16,436 | Report | Report |
| 08-Mar-86 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 4–1 | McMahon 19', 75' Rush 29' Wark 43' | 26,219 | Report | Report |
| 15-Mar-86 | Southampton | A | 2–1 | Wark 53' Rush 59' | 19,784 | Report | Report |
| 22-Mar-86 | Oxford United | H | 6–0 | Rush 1', 71' Lawrenson 18' Whelan 39' Mølby pen 51', 88' | 37,861 | Report | Report |
| 29-Mar-86 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 0–0 | | 37,946 | Report | Report |
| 31-Mar-86 | Manchester City | H | 2–0 | McMahon 32', 58' | 43,316 | Report | Report |
| 12-Apr-86 | Coventry City | H | 5–0 | Whelan 20', 26', 83' Mølby 46' Rush 78' | 42,729 | Report | Report |
| 16-Apr-86 | Luton Town | A | 1–0 | Johnston 17' | 15,390 | Report | Report |
| 19-Apr-86 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 2–1 | Dalglish 23' Rush 55' | 22,010 | Report | Report |
| 26-Apr-86 | Birmingham City | H | 5–0 | Rush 25' Gillespie 46', 58', pen 83' Mølby pen 49' | 42,021 | Report | Report |
| 30-Apr-86 | Leicester City | A | 2–0 | Rush 20' Whelan 28' | 25,799 | Report | Report |
| 03-May-86 | Chelsea | A | 1–0 | Dalglish 23' | 43,900 | Report | Report |

### FA Cup

| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
| 04-Jan-86 | Norwich City | H | 5–0 | MacDonald 23' Walsh 33' McMahon 73' Whelan 78' Wark 81' | 29,082 | Report | Report |
| 26-Jan-86 | Chelsea | A | 2–1 | Rush 45' Lawrenson 47' | 33,625 | Report | Report |
| 15-Feb-86 | York City | A | 1–1 | Mølby pen 64' | 12,443 | Report | Report |
| 18-Feb-86 | York City | H | 3–1 aet | Wark 19' Mølby 94' Dalglish 98' | 29,362 | Report | Report |
| 11-Mar-86 | Watford | H | 0–0 | | 36,775 | Report | Report |
| 17-Mar-86 | Watford | A | 2–1 | Mølby pen 86' Rush 108' | 28,097 | Report | Report |
| 05-Apr-86 | Southampton | N | 2–0 | Rush 99', 104' | 44,605 | Report | Report |
Final
| Liverpool | Everton |
Bruce Grobbelaar :
| CB | 2 | Mark Lawrenson |
| LB | 3 | Jim Beglin |
| RB | 4 | Steve Nicol |
| LM | 5 | Ronnie Whelan |
| CB | 6 | Alan Hansen (c) |
| SS | 7 | Kenny Dalglish |
| RM | 8 | Craig Johnston |
| CF | 9 | Ian Rush |
| CM | 10 | Jan Mølby |
| CM | 11 | Kevin MacDonald |
| Substitute: ||||
| MF | 12 | Steve McMahon |
| Player/Manager: ||||
| Kenny Dalglish ||||
Bobby Mimms :
| RB | 2 | Gary Stevens | 72' |
| LB | 3 | Pat Van Den Hauwe |
| CB | 4 | Kevin Ratcliffe (c) |
| CB | 5 | Derek Mountfield |
| CM | 6 | Peter Reid |
| CM | 7 | Trevor Steven |
| CF | 8 | Gary Lineker |
| CF | 9 | Graeme Sharp |
| RM | 10 | Paul Bracewell |
| LM | 11 | Kevin Sheedy |
| Substitute: ||||
| MF | 12 | Adrian Heath | 72' |
| Manager: ||||
| Howard Kendall ||||

### League Cup

| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
| 24-Sep-85 | Oldham Athletic | H | 3–0 | McMahon 25', 76' Rush 33' | 16,150 | Report | Report |
| 09-Oct-85 | Oldham Athletic | A | 5–2 | Whelan 5', 48' Wark 25' Rush 65' MacDonald 72' | 7,719 | Report | Report |
| 29-Oct-85 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 4–0 | Walsh 11', 71', 72' Dalglish 80' | 15,291 | Report | Report |
| 26-Nov-85 | Manchester United | H | 2–1 | Mølby 57', pen 58' | 41,291 | Report | Report |
| 21-Jan-86 | Ipswich Town | H | 3–0 | Walsh 17' Whelan 28' Rush 66' | 19,762 | Report | Report |
| 12-Feb-86 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 0–1 | | 15,051 | Report | Report |
| 05-Mar-86 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–2 | McMahon 42' Johnston 69' | 23,863 | Report | Report |

### Super Cup

| Date | Opponents | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Report 1 | Report 2 |
| 17-Sep-85 | Southampton | H | 2–1 | Mølby 6' Dalglish 28' | 16,189 | Report | Report |
| 22-Oct-85 | Southampton | A | 1–1 | Walsh 81' | 10,503 | Report | Report |
| 03-Dec-85 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 2–0 | MacDonald 19' Walsh 34' | 14,855 | Report | Report |
| 14-Jan-86 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 3–0 | Rush 49', 61' Lawrenson 56' | 10,078 | Report | Report |
| 05-Feb-86 | Norwich City | A | 1–1 | Dalglish 79' | 15,330 | Report | Report |
| 06-May-86 | Norwich City | H | 3–1 | MacDonald 56' Mølby pen 72' Johnston 79' | 26,696 | Report | Report |