# 2002–03 Liverpool F.C. season

The 2002–2003 season was Liverpool Football Club's 111th season in existence and their 41st consecutive season in the top-flight of English football.

## Season summary

Having finished second the previous season, Liverpool had high hopes to win their first league title since 1990. Indeed, they topped the Premier League table after their first 12 games (including a seven-game winning streak), picking up 30 points out of a possible 36, a run which saw them four points clear at the top from reigning champions Arsenal. However, on 9 November 2002, they suffered a surprise 1–0 away defeat at the hands of high-fliers Middlesbrough. This wasn't completely disastrous; it did see their lead cut to one point but three days later, they completed a miserable week after they bowed out of the Champions League after failure to beat Basel. That week's two results started a freefall of 13 matches without victory (including 11 league games) and a dismal run of only two wins in 16 league matches (both away at Southampton and West Ham United) which ended such title hopes. They were, in fact, out of the top four, altogether never to return after a shock 2–1 defeat at struggling Sunderland. However, their first home league win in four months came in a 2–0 win over Bolton Wanderers on 8 March 2003, starting a more promising run of seven wins in eight league games which almost took the club to Champions League qualification anyway, but defeats at the hands of Manchester City and Chelsea in the final two games of the season buried those hopes. A League Cup win following a 2–0 victory over arch-rivals Manchester United was the sole glorious moment of a disappointing season.
| Competition | Result | Top scorer |
| Premier League | 5th | Michael Owen, 19 |
| Champions League | First group stage | Michael Owen, 4 |
| UEFA Cup | Quarter-finals | Michael Owen, 3 |
| FA Cup | Fourth round | Danny Murphy, 1 |
| League Cup | Winners | El Hadji Diouf, 3 |
| Overall | | Michael Owen, 28 |

## First-team 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 |
| 1 | GK | POL | Jerzy Dudek |
| 2 | DF | SUI | Stéphane Henchoz |
| 3 | DF | POR | Abel Xavier |
| 4 | DF | FIN | Sami Hyypiä (captain) |
| 5 | FW | CZE | Milan Baroš |
| 6 | DF | GER | Markus Babbel |
| 7 | MF | CZE | Vladimír Šmicer |
| 8 | FW | ENG | Emile Heskey |
| 9 | FW | SEN | El Hadji Diouf |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Michael Owen |
| 13 | MF | ENG | Danny Murphy |
| 14 | DF | NOR | Vegard Heggem |
| 15 | MF | CZE | Patrik Berger |
| 16 | MF | GER | Dietmar Hamann |
| 17 | MF | ENG | Steven Gerrard |
| 18 | DF | NOR | John Arne Riise |
| 19 | GK | GLP | Pegguy Arphexad |
| 21 | MF | SEN | Salif Diao |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 22 | GK | ENG | Chris Kirkland |
| 23 | DF | ENG | Jamie Carragher |
| 24 | MF | FRA | Bernard Diomède |
| 25 | MF | CRO | Igor Bišćan |
| 26 | MF | IRL | Richie Partridge |
| 27 | DF | FRA | Grégory Vignal |
| 28 | MF | FRA | Bruno Cheyrou |
| 30 | DF | FRA | Djimi Traoré |
| 31 | DF | FRA | Alou Diarra |
| 32 | MF | ENG | John Welsh |
| 33 | FW | ENG | Neil Mellor |
| 34 | MF | FIN | Daniel Sjölund |
| 35 | DF | ENG | Stephen Warnock |
| 36 | DF | ENG | Jon Otsemobor |
| 38 | MF | IRL | Michael Foley-Sheridan |
| 39 | GK | FRA | Patrice Luzi |
| 40 | MF | SCO | Robbie Foy |

### Left club during season

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 |
| 20 | MF | ENG | Nick Barmby (to Leeds United) |
| 29 | DF | ENG | Stephen Wright (to Sunderland) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 37 | MF | FIN | Jari Litmanen (to Ajax) |

## Statistics
### Appearances

    As of end of season
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Premier League | Premier League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Champions League UEFA Cup | Champions League UEFA Cup | Community Shield | Community Shield |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | POL | Jerzy Dudek | 46 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | SUI | Stéphane Henchoz | 32 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | POR | Abel Xavier | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | FIN | Sami Hyypiä | 56 | 5 | 36 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | FW | CZE | Milan Baroš | 42 | 12 | 17+10 | 9 | 0+1 | 0 | 2+2 | 2 | 3+6 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | GER | Markus Babbel | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | CZE | Vladimír Šmicer | 34 | 1 | 10+11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 | 3+3 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 8 | FW | ENG | Emile Heskey | 51 | 10 | 22+10 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2+3 | 0 | 10+1 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | SEN | El Hadji Diouf | 47 | 6 | 21+8 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 5+4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Michael Owen | 54 | 28 | 32+3 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 3+1 | 2 | 11+1 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 13 | MF | ENG | Danny Murphy | 55 | 12 | 36 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | CZE | Patrik Berger | 4 | 1 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | GER | Dietmar Hamann | 42 | 2 | 29+1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | ENG | Steven Gerrard | 54 | 7 | 32+2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | NOR | John Arne Riise | 55 | 7 | 31+6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 10+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | SEN | Salif Diao | 40 | 2 | 13+13 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 | 6+3 | 1 | 2+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | GK | ENG | Chris Kirkland | 15 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | ENG | Jamie Carragher | 54 | 0 | 34+1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9+2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | MF | CRO | Igor Bišćan | 13 | 0 | 3+3 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | FRA | Gregory Vignal | 5 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | FRA | Bruno Cheyrou | 29 | 1 | 8+11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 3+2 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | FRA | Djimi Traoré | 49 | 0 | 30+2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 10+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 32 | MF | ENG | John Welsh | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | FW | ENG | Neil Mellor | 6 | 1 | 1+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | DF | ENG | Jon Otsemobor | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* Source:

## Transfers
### In

| # | Pos | Player | From | Fee | Date |
| 28 | MF | Bruno Cheyrou | Lille | £3,700,000 | 16 May 2002 |
| 9 | FW | El Hadji Diouf | Lens | £10,000,000 | 1 June 2002 |
| – | MF | Alou Diarra | Bayern Munich | Free | 9 July 2002 |
| 39 | GK | Patrice Luzi | Monaco | Free | 29 July 2002 |
| 21 | MF | Salif Diao | Sedan | £4,700,000 | 6 August 2002 |

### Out

| # | Pos | Player | To | Fee | Date |
| 21 | GK | Jørgen Nielsen | Nordsjælland | Free | 1 July 2002 |
| 20 | MF | Nick Barmby | Leeds United | £3,750,000 | 8 August 2002 |
| 29 | DF | Stephen Wright | Sunderland | £1,500,000 | 15 August 2002 |
| 37 | MF | Jari Litmanen | Ajax | Free | 30 August 2002 |
* In: £18,400,000
* Out: £5,250,000
* Total spending: £13,150,000

## Competitions
### Premier League
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 3 | Newcastle United | 38 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 63 | 48 | +15 | 69 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 4 | Chelsea | 38 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 68 | 38 | +30 | 67 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 5 | Liverpool | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 61 | 41 | +20 | 64 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 6 | Blackburn Rovers | 38 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 52 | 43 | +9 | 60 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 7 | Everton | 38 | 17 | 8 | 13 | 48 | 49 | −1 | 59 | |
* ↑ Since Liverpool qualified for the UEFA Cup via the league, their place in the UEFA Cup as League Cup winners reverted to the league and was awarded to Blackburn Rovers as the highest-placed team not already qualified for European competitions.

#### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | W | W | D | D | D | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | L | D | L | L | L | L | D | D | D | L | D | W | D | W | D | L | W | W | W | L | W | W | W | W | L | L |
| Position | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |

#### Matches
### Champions League
#### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | VAL | BSL | LIV | SPM |
| 1 | Valencia | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 4 | +13 | 16 | Advance to second group stage | — | 6–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 |
| 2 | Basel | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 9 | Advance to second group stage | 2–2 | — | 3–3 | 2–0 |
| 3 | Liverpool | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 8 | +4 | 8 | Transfer to UEFA Cup | 0–1 | 1–1 | — | 5–0 |
| 4 | Spartak Moscow | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 18 | −17 | 0 | | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | — |