Sporting Braga 1 – FC Liverpool 0

========================================================
31-year-old veteran Brazilian winger PAULO CESAR ROCHA ROSA of Sporting Braga hurdles the sliding tackle of FC Liverpool’s Portugal World Cup midfielder RAUL MEIRELES, bought by the Reds from FC Porto for 11.5 million English pounds this past summer, at the Estadio Municipal de Braga located in the northwest of Portugal. (Miguel Riopa/AFP/Getty Images)
========================================================

UEFA Europa League
Round of 16, first leg
3/10/2011

1 – Sporting Braga (POR) ————— Alan pen 18′
0 – FC Liverpool (ENG)

An early penalty and earnest defensive work propelled Portuguese side SPORTING BRAGA to a 1-0 victory over visiting English Premier League club FC LIVERPOOL in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 knockout tie.

31-year-old veteran Brazilian winger ALAN Osorio da Costa Silva, who has been with Sporting Braga since signing from FC Porto on a free transfer in the summer of 2008, netted an 18th minute spot kick after Greece World Cup defender SOTIRIS KYRGIAKOS chopped down Brazilian midfielder MOSSORO (Jose Marcio da Costa) in the box.

Chances were few and far between as each side mustered just four attempts and two shots on target for the whole of the match although Sporting Braga did need Brazilian goalkeeper ARTUR to make a late, fingertip save from Holland World Cup winger DIRK KUYT, the hat trick hero from Liverpool’s big triumph over Manchester United this past weekend.

Alan’s strike marked Sporting Braga’s 100th goal, all-time, in UEFA competition; the result, meanwhile, ended Liverpool’s hopes of equaling the club record of 14 consecutive games unbeaten in Europe.

Sporting Braga, who have won exactly one major award — the Portuguese Cup in 1966 — since the team were first founded in 1915, collect yet another famous British scalp this season after earlier victories in Europe this season over Glasgow Celtic and FC Arsenal.

========================================================

========================================================
FC Liverpool players walk out prior to the start of the UEFA Europa League match with Sporting Braga at the impressive and noteworthy A PEDREIRA (The Quarry), which is carved into the adjacent Monte Castro quarry in the northwest of Portugal. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
========================================================

SPORTING BRAGA : Artur – Garcia, Kaka, Rodriguez, Silvio – Salino, Hugo Viana – Alan, Mossoro (Paulao 69′), Paulo Cesar (Barbosa 90′) – Lima (Meyong 77′)

FC LIVERPOOL : Reina – Carragher, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Johnson – Lucas, Poulsen (Carroll 56′), Spearing – Meireles, Kuyt, Cole

========================================================

========================================================
(AP/dailymail.co.uk)
========================================================

========================================================
(Julian Finney/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
(Miguel Riopa/AFP/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
(Miguel Riopa/AFP/Getty Images)

FC Liverpool 1 – AC Sparta Prague 0

========================================================
French striker DAVID NGOG (24) of FC Liverpool, who leads the Reds with four goals in the UEFA Europa League this season, vies for the ball with AC Sparta Prague’s 34-year-old LIBOR SIONKO, the one-time Glasgow Rangers winger with 41 caps and eight goals for the Czech Republic, during the decisive encoutner at venerable Anfield in the northwest of England. (Russell Cheyne/Reuters)
========================================================

UEFA Europa League
Round of 32
2/24/2011

1 – FC Liverpool (ENG) —————— Kuyt 85′
0 – AC Sparta Prague (CZE)

With extra time and perhaps even penalty kicks looming on the horizon, a set piece strike with roughly five minutes to play lifted FC LIVERPOOL to a 1-0 victory over visiting Czech Republic side AC SPARTA PRAGUE in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 knockout tie.

Holland World Cup winger DIRK KUYT got his head to the corner kick of Portugal World Cup midfielder RAUL MEIRELES to score his second goal in Europe and sixth of the season in all competitions for Liverpool this term.

A justifiable conclusion to a match in which Liverpool outshot Sparta Prague by the considerable margin of 23-9, according to the official website of the UEFA Europa League. Spain World Cup reserve goalkeeper PEPE REINA was tested just twice between the sticks for the Reds and posted a third consecutive clean sheet in Europe along the way. At the other end, Sparta Prague shot-stopper JAROMIR BLAZEK, the 38-year-old who has appeared 14 caps for the Czech Republic, kept the visitors in contention with eight saves.

The result brings a successful conclusion to the first-ever European fixture for Liverpool’s legendary manager, former Scotland international and Reds superstar KENNY DALGLISH, whose positive influence on the club since his recent return has been unmistakable.

========================================================

========================================================
One-time Cameroon youth international LEONY KWEUKE of AC Sparta Prague, the 23-year-old striker who spent last season out on loan at FC Energie Cottbus in the German second division, levies and elbow to the face of FC Liverpool’s Denmark World Cup defender DANIEL AGGER during the UEFA Europa League match at famed and historic Anfield. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
========================================================

FC LIVERPOOL : Reina – Kelly (Carragher 46′), Kyrgiakos, Agger (Skrtel 84′), Wilson – Lucas, Poulsen (Spearing 65′) – Kuyt, Meireles, Cole – Ngog

AC SPARTA PRAGUE : Blazek – Kusnir, Repka, Brabec, Pamic – Sionko (Podany 73′), Vacek, Matejovsky, Abena Biholong (Pekhart 77′) – Kadlec – Kweuke

========================================================

========================================================
(Howard Walker/AFP/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
(Reuters/dailymail.co.uk)
========================================================

========================================================
(Howard Walker/AFP/Getty Images)
========================================================
MATCH HIGHLIGHT

AC Sparta Prague 0 – FC Liverpool 0

========================================================
Portugal World Cup midfielder RAUL MEIRELES of FC Liverpool, who has scored five goals in the last six Premier League games for the Reds, shields the ball from AC Sparta Prague’s Czech Republic midfielder MAREK MATEJOVSKY (8) at the former Letensky Stadion in the central European capital city. (Michal Cizek/AFP/Getty Images)
========================================================

UEFA Europa League
Round of 32
2/17/2010

0 – AC Sparta Prague (CZE)
0 – FC Liverpool (ENG)

The home side had the better of play but struggled to hit the target while the visiting team found it tough enough just to get players forward as traveling English Premier League outfit FC LIVERPOOL drew 0-0 with defending Gambrinus Liga champion AC SPARTA PRAGUE in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 knockout tie.

FC Liverpool are in the midst of a six-game domestic unbeaten streak featuring four victories in that span and Portugal World Cup midfielder RAUL MEIRELES, bought from FC Porto this past summer for 11.5 million English pounds, has transformed into a regular scoring machine after failing to record a single goal for the Reds under the stewardship of the departed ROY HODGSON.

All of that mattered little for returning manager KENNY DALGLISH’s group against AC Sparta Prague in the capital city of the Czech Republic, however.

According to the official website of the UEFA Europa League, the Reds were heavily outshot 12-2 by Sparta Prague — what’s worse, Liverpool could not even test the skills of Czech Republic international goalkeeper JAROMIR BLAZEK, the 38-year-old veteran who had a season with 1.FC Nuremberg in the German Bundesliga a few years back, one time.

Uruguay World Cup striker LUIS SUAREZ, who was recently purchased by the Reds from Dutch Eredivisie side Ajax Amsterdam for the reported transfer fee of 22.8 million English pounds and scored on his Premier League debut opposite Stoke City, is ineligible to compete in the UEFA Europa League for Liverpool.

The Reds are also still without its other major winter signing, England international striker ANDY CARROLL; the British record acquisition costing 35.0 million English pounds from Newcastle United has yet to make an appearance for his new club on account of a lingering thigh injury.

========================================================

========================================================
FC Liverpool’s seldom-used England World Cup winger JOE COLE (10) jumps on the back of AC Sparta Prague’s new acquisition MARTIN BIHOLONG ABENA (38), the attacking midfielder signed from Slovak club FK DAC Dunajska Streda, during the UEFA Europa League match contested at the Generali Arena, long known as Letensky Stadion, in the capital city of the Czech Republic. (Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images)
========================================================

AC SPARTA PRAGUE : Blazek – Kusnir, Repka, Brabec, Pamic – Keric (Sionko 73′), Vacek, Matejovsky (Pekhart 90′), Kadlec (Zeman 89′) – Biholong Abena – Kweuke

FC LIVERPOOL : Reina – Johnson, Kyrgiakos, Carragher, Wilson – Aurelio (Cole 38′), Lucas – Kuyt, Meireles, Rodriguez – Ngog (Skrtel 83′)

========================================================

========================================================
(Petr Josek/AP)
========================================================

========================================================
(Petr Josek/Reuters)
========================================================

========================================================
(Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images)
=================================================

=================================================
(Petr Josek/Reuters)

Suarez The Smash On Anfield Debut

========================================================
Uruguay World Cup striker LUIS SUAREZ, the Reds’ recent signing who scored 35 goals in 33 Eredivise matches for Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam last season, eyes his first-ever goal for FC Liverpool in the 79th minute against Stoke City at venerable Anfield. (IHN/dailymail.co.uk)
========================================================

Uruguay World Cup striker LUIS SUAREZ marked his initial appearance for FC LIVERPOOL, at legendary Anfield, no less, with the insurance goal sixteen minutes after coming on as a second half substitute in the Reds’ 2-0 victory over STOKE CITY.

Suarez, recently purchased from Dutch Eredivisie side Ajax Amsterdam for a reported 22.8 million English pounds, has yet to participate in a formal training session for FC Liverpool. Still, the recently-turned 24-year-old striker accepted a pass from Holland World Cup winger DIRK KUYT and went around Stoke City’s advancing Bosnia / Herzegovina international goalkeeper ASMIR BERGOVIC in the 79th minute. Retreating fullback ANDY WILKINSON might have saved the shot from Suarez but, instead, only served to steer the ball in off the post.

Portugal World Cup midfielder RAUL MEIRELES, all of a sudden a scoring threat under the reign of new manager KENNY DALGLISH, accounted for Liverpool’s first goal two minutes after the restart. The summer acquisition costing 11.5 million English pounds from Portuguese outfit FC Porto did not register a goal for Liverpool while the departed ROY HODGSON was in charge. Meanwhile, the strike against Stoke City marked a third goal for Meireles in FC Liverpool’s last four matches.

With the win over Stoke, Dalglish’s charges claimed their third Premier League match on the trot and have climbed to within two points of sixth place Sunderland in the English top flight.

Watching from the stands was Liverpool’s other high-priced acquisition and the new ‘most expensive man in the history of English football’. England international striker ANDY CARROLL has arrived at Anfield following his record-breaking move from Newcastle United for the transfer fee of 35.0 million English pounds. Unfortunately for the Reds, however, the 22-year-old is still out of action on account of a thigh injury.

========================================================

========================================================
(IHN/dailymail.co.uk)

Ajax Amsterdam Agree Luis Suarez Sale To FC Liverpool

========================================================
Uruguay World Cup striker LUIS SUAREZ (16), who led the Eredivisie with 35 goals for Ajax Amsterdam and was named Dutch Footballer of the Year last season, attempts to avoid the challenge of AJ Auxerre’s Switzerland World Cup defender STEPHANE GRICHTING (4) during the mid-October UEFA Champions League Group G match at the Amsterdam Arena in the Netherlands. (Robin van Lonkhuijsen/Reuters)
========================================================

Dutch Eredivisie club AJAX AMSTERDAM have agreed to sell controversial Uruguay World Cup striker LUIS SUAREZ to English Premier League side FC LIVERPOOL for the reported transfer fee of 26.5 million Euros (22.8 million English pounds).

The reigning Footballer of the Year in Holland certainly has generated some headlines since the end of the 2009-10 campaign. While representing Uruguay in South Africa this past summer, the 24-year-old striker garnered world-wide attention for his handball on the goal line in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinal match with Ghana. This past November, Suarez earned a seven-match suspension from the KNVB for biting PSV Eindhoven’s Holland international midfielder OTMAN BAKKAL.

After a spectacular haul last campaign, the goal-scoring of Suarez in the Dutch top flight has dropped dramatically this term. Serbia World Cup striker MARKO PANTELIC, who scored 16 Eredivisie goals for Ajax Amsterdam a season ago, was not offered a multi-year contract as was desired and departed for Greek table-toppers FC Olympiakos Piraeus. And the new partnership with Morocco international striker MOUNIR EL HAMDAOUI was not quite as successful for Suarez.

Ajax Amsterdam stand to profit a great deal, however, should the Uruguayan agree personal terms with FC Liverpool — Suarez was originally purchased by de Godenzonen in August of 2007 from FC Groningen for the transfer fee of 7.5 million Euros.

————————————————————————————————————————

LUIS SUAREZ
career record
===========

League
———–
2005-06 — 27 games – 10 goals — CF Nacional Montevideo – (URG)
2006-07 — 29 games – 10 goals — FC Groningen – (HOL)
2007-08 — 33 games – 17 goals — Ajax Amsterdam – (HOL)
2008-09 — 31 games – 22 goals — Ajax Amsterdam – (HOL)
2009-10 — 33 games – 35 goals — Ajax Amsterdam – (HOL)
2010-11 —- 13 games —- 7 goals — Ajax Amsterdam – (HOL)

Europe
————
2006-07 —– 2 games – 1 goals — FC Groningen – (HOL)
2007-08 —– 4 games – 1 goals — Ajax Amsterdam – (HOL)
2008-09 — 10 games – 5 goals — Ajax Amsterdam – (HOL)
2009-10 —– 9 games – 6 goals — Ajax Amsterdam – (HOL)
2010-11 —— 8 games – 4 goals — Ajax Amsterdam – (HOL)

Closing The Books On Benitez

=====================================================

FC LIVERPOOL made a pile of dough with the sale of Spain World Cup midfielder XABI ALONSO to Spanish La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid in the summer of 2009. A tidy profit of 19.5 million English pounds, to be precise. Outside of a few notable exceptions, however, the transfer policy of the long-since-departed RAFAEL BENITEZ yielded little results with the final three years of the Spanish manager’s stewardship standout out, in particular, for all the wrong reasons.

Over the six-year period Benitez was behind the purse strings, Liverpool shelled out the kind of money most football clubs can only dream of. The not-so-austere amount of 228.6 million English pounds, for anyone keeping track. And yet, at this point in time, the Reds first team is still worth just 99.05 million English pounds in terms of transfer fees paid out for the current staff.

The profit and loss from the departed Spanish manager’s last three recruiting classes is rather poor. Benitez brought in 19 players and exactly seven are still on the Reds first team squad. By the blog’s calculations, the former Liverpool leader has lost almost 36.0 million English pounds on the transfer market with the other twelve of his transactions in that time frame.

=====================================================

=====================================================

FC LIVERPOOL
profit and loss
players bought between 2007-2009
==========================

NET GAINS
———————

+ 4.00 m EP — Javier MASCHERANO (bought 18.0, sold 22.0)
+ 1.15 m EP — Sebastian LETO (bought 1.85, sold 3.0)
+ 0.50 m EP — Yossi BENAYOUN (bought 5.0, sold 5.5)
+ 0.11 m EP — Alvaro ARBELOA (bought 3.0, sold 3.11)

+ 5.76 million English pounds

NET LOSSES
———————-

- 7.00 m EP — Roy KEANE (bought 19.0, sold 12.0)
- 6.70 m EP — Jermaine PENNANT (bought 6.7, left on free transfer)
- 6.33 m EP — Alberto AQUILANI (bought 20.0, sold 13.66)
- 5.70 m EP — Ryan BABEL (bought 11.5, sold 5.8)
- 4.70 m EP — Albert RIERA (bought 8.0, sold 3.3)
- 3.70 m EP — Andrea DOSSENA (bought 7.0, sold 3.3)
- 1.80 m EP — DIEGO Cavalieri (bought 3.0, sold 1.2)

- 35.93 million English pounds

NOTES
————
(a) Italy international midfielder ALBERTO AQUILANI is on loan to FC Juventus for the 2010-11; the Turin club have the option to make the move permanent for the fee listed above at the end of the term.

(b) Spain international winger ALBERT RIERA was sold to Greek side FC Olympiakos Piraeus for the initial fee of 3.3 million English pounds. Terms of the agreement call for an additional payment of 1.6 million English pounds if Olympiakos capture the Greek title. At this point in time, Olympiakos are out in front by seven points over Panathinaikos Athens.

Liverpool Sell Babel, Absorb Loss

========================================================
Holland World Cup reserve winger RYAN BABEL signals his goal for FC Liverpool in injury time of the first half against visiting Turkish side AS Trabzonspor during the mid-August UEFA Europa League match at Anfield in England. (Phil Noble/Reuters)
========================================================

FC LIVERPOOL have unloaded little-used and underachieving Holland international winger RYAN BABEL on German Bundesliga side TSG 1899 HOFFENHEIM for a transfer fee thought to be 5.8 million English pounds.

The 24-year-old Dutchman, who has earned 40 caps and scored five goals for the Netherlands in his career, had started just one of Liverpool’s first 23 Premier League games this season and appeared just nine time in the English top flight this term.

Babel, who made Holland’s 23-man World Cup squad only to not play a single minute in South Africa this summer, was originally bought by Liverpool in the summer of 2007 from traditional Dutch powerhouse Ajax Amsterdam for a reported transfer fee of 11.5 million English pounds but never really did fulfill his enormous promise after arriving at Anfield.

————————————————————————————————————————

RYAN BABEL
career league record

2004-05 — 20 games – 7 goals — Ajax Amsterdam – (HOL)
2005-06 — 25 games – 2 goals — Ajax Amsterdam – (HOL)
2006-07 — 27 games – 5 goals — Ajax Amsterdam – (HOL)
2007-08 — 30 games – 4 goals — FC Liverpool – (ENG)
2008-09 — 27 games – 3 goals — FC Liverpool – (ENG)
2009-10 — 25 games – 4 goals — FC Liverpool – (ENG)
2010-11 —— 9 games – 1 goals — FC Liverpool – (ENG)

Merseyside Photo Story (Anfield Edition – Derby # 215)

========================================================
(Darren Staples/Reuters)
========================================================

January 16, 2011
at Anfield
Liverpool, England

2 – FC Liverpool ———— Meireles 29′, Kuyt pen 68′
2 – FC Everton ————– Distin 46′, Beckford 52′

FC LIVERPOOL : Reina – Kelly, Skrtel, Agger (Kyrgiakos 46′), Johnson – Meireles (Shelvey 81′), Lucas – Spearing, Rodriguez, Kuyt – Torres

FC EVERTON : Howard – Neville, Heitinga, Distin, Baines – Coleman, Fellaini, Arteta, Osman (Rodwell 77′) – Anichebe (Bilyaletdinov 81′), Beckford (Vaughan 73′)

========================================================

========================================================
(Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
(Darren Staples/Reuters)
========================================================

========================================================
(Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
(Ian Hodgson/dailymail.co.uk)
========================================================

========================================================
(Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
(Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
(Tim Hales/AP)
========================================================

========================================================
(Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
(Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
(Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
(Tim Hales/AP)
========================================================

========================================================
(Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
(Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images)
========================================================

MERSEYSIDE DERBY
FC Everton v FC Liverpool
all-time record

Premier League ———— Liverpool 16, Everton 9, tied 13
League 1st Division —— Liverpool 55, Everton 48, tied 43
FA Cup ————————- Liverpool 9, Everton 7, tied 6
League Cup ——————- Liverpool 2, Everton 1, tied 1
Charity Shield ————– Liverpool 1, Everton 1, tied 1
Super Cup ——————– Liverpool 2, Everton 0, tied 0

TOTAL WINS ————– Liverpool 85, Everton 66, drawn matches 64

Restoration Of King Kenny

========================================================
(Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
(Tim Hales/AP)
==============================================

==============================================
(Darren Staples/Reuters)
========================================================

========================================================
(Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images)
========================================================

========================================================
(Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

1989 F.A. Cup Final – Everton v Liverpool

========================================================
With an excellent turn and half-volley, Wales international striker and second half substitute IAN RUSH (14) of FC Liverpool shoots past his highly-skilled countryman, FC Everton’s Wales international goalkeeper NEVILLE SOUTHALL, in extra time of the 1989 F.A. Cup Final at famed Wembley Stadium in London, England. (Bob Thomas/Getty Images)
========================================================

Contested just five weeks after the infamous Hillsborough Disaster in which 96 fans were crushed to death, the 1989 Football Association Cup Final between Merseyside rivals FC EVERTON and FC LIVERPOOL was among the most exciting and dramatic matches ever played at Wembley Stadium — a fitting memorial for the victims of the tragedy, then.

The decade of 1980s was a glorious period for Merseyside football, at least on the actual pitch itself, that is.

Liverpool, of course, won six English First Division championships in addition to European Cup crowns in 1981 and 1984. The Reds also defeated Everton in the first-ever all-Merseyside F.A. Cup Final in 1986. The Toffees, meanwhile, captured the English First Division title in 1985 and 1987 and had success in Europe, as well, with a UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup trophy won in 1985.

========================================================

========================================================
IAN RUSH re-joined FC Liverpool in August of 1988 after transferring from Italian outfit FC Juventus of Turin for a fee of 2.7 million English pounds; having scored 30 goals in 42 English First Division matches the season before, the Wales international striker scored seven goals in 29 Serie A games for Juventus during the 1987-88 campaign following his original sale from the Reds for a fee of 3.2 million English pounds. (Bob Thomas/Getty Images)
========================================================

Ireland international striker JOHN ALDRIDGE, who had the misfortune of becoming the first man ever to have a penalty kick saved in the long history and storied history of the English F.A. Cup Final the previous year for FC Liverpool against FC Wimbledon at Wembley, got the Reds off to a fast start with a curling finish in the fourth minute after a fine ball from England international midfielder STEVE MCMAHON.

But, 24-year-old uncapped Scottish midfielder STUART MCCALL, a second half substitute in his first season with Everton following a transfer costing 850,000 English pounds from Bradford City, brought the Blues level in the 89th minute by stabbing home a loose ball in front.

A memorable extra session ensued.

========================================================

========================================================
Wales international striker and second half subsitute IAN RUSH (14) of FC Liverpool heads past FC Everton’s diving Wales international goalkeeper NEVILLE SOUTHALL to score his second goal of the extra time session during the dramatic 1989 F.A. Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in London, England. (Bob Thomas/Getty Images)
========================================================

Already a Liverpool scoring legend and back from a season of exile with Italian club FC Juventus of Turin in Serie A, Wales international IAN RUSH was sent on as a second half replacement for the Reds’ goal-scorer Aldridge. The Ireland international led Liverpool with 21 goals in the league for the 1988-89 season while Rush had just seven strikes in the English First Division that year. But, the 27-year-old striker would more than justify the faith shown by Liverpool’s aging player-manager KENNY DALGLISH.

An excellent turn and clinical finish by Rush with a ball played into penalty area by Scotland international defender STEVE NICOL restored Liverpool’s lead in the 95th minute. McCall, however, was not finished making a name for himself. A spectacular blast from the edge of the box into the top corner equalized for Everton, yet once more.

And so it was left for Rush to run onto the curling cross of England World Cup winger JOHN BARNES and beat Southall with a header for his second goal in extra time. Once again, Liverpool had defeated Everton 3-2 in the F.A. Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in London. Once again, the deadly-accurate Wales international striker had bagged a brace for the Reds to kill off the trophy aspirations of the arch-enemy and cross-town rivals, the Blues.

========================================================

1989 FA Cup Final
LIVERPOOL v EVERTON
Match Highlights

========================================================

FC LIVERPOOL
===========

GK —- 1 — Bruce GROBBELAAR —– (Zimbabwe 80-98 : 32 caps)
DF —- 2 — Gary ABLETT
DF —- 3 — Steve STAUNTON ——— (Ireland 88-02 : 102 caps, 8 goals)
DF —- 4 — Steve NICOL —————— (Scotland 84-92 : 27 caps, 0 goals)
MF —- 5 — Ronnie WHELAN ———- (Ireland 81-95 : 53 caps, 3 goals)
DF —- 6 — Alan HANSEN —————- (Scotland 79-87 : 26 caps, 0 goals)
ST —- 7 — Peter BEARDSLEY ——— (England 86-96 : 59 caps, 9 goals)
ST —- 8 — John ALDRIDGE ———— (Ireland 86-96 : 69 caps, 19 goals)
MF —- 9 — Ray HOUGTON ————- (Ireland 86-97 : 73 caps, 6 goals)
MF – 10 — John BARNES ————— (England 83-95 : 79 caps, 11 goals)
MF – 11 — Steve MCMAHON ———- (England 88-90 : 17 caps, 0 goals)

substitutes
——————
ST – 14 — Ian RUSH ———————- (Wales 80-96 : 73 caps, 28 goals)
for Aldridge (73rd minute)

DF – 12 — Barry VENISON ———— (England 95 : 2 caps, 0 goals)
for Staunton (90th minute)

———————————————————————————————————————-

FC EVERTON
==========

GK —- 1 — Neville SOUTHALL ———- (Wales 82-98 : 92 caps)
DF —- 2 — Neil MCDONALD
DF —- 3 — Pat VAN DEN HAUWE —– (Wales 85-89 : 13 caps, 0 goals)
DF —- 4 — Kevin RATCLIFFE ———– (Wales 81-93 : 59 caps, 0 goals)
DF —- 5 — Dave WATSON —————– (England 84-88 : 12 caps, 0 goals)
MF —- 6 — Paul BRACEWELL ———– (England 85 : 3 caps, 0 goals)
MF —- 7 — Pat NEVIN ———————- (Scotland 86-96 : 28 caps, 5 goals)
MF —- 8 — Trevor STEVEN ————– (England 85-92 : 36 caps, 4 goals)
ST —– 9 — Graeme SHARP ————— (Scotland 85-88 : 12 caps, 1 goal)
ST — 10 — Tony COTTEE —————- (England 86-89 : 7 caps, 0 goals)
MF – 11 — Kevin SHEEDY —————- (Ireland 84-93 : 46 caps, 9 goals)

substitutes
——————
MF – 14 — Stuart MCCALL —————- (Scotland 90-98 : 40 caps, 1 goal)
for Bracewell (59th minute)

MF – 12 — Ian WILSON ——————— (Scotland 87-88 : 5 caps, 0 goals)
for Sheedy (78th minute)