THE Reds were five games into their 1978/9 campaign when Spurs visited Anfield, and Bob Paisley’s side had only lost one game — a 1-0 league cup defeat to Sheffield United.

Liverpool came into the new season off the back of a Champions League final win at Wembley, and had optimism that they could go one better in the league, having finished second to Nottingham Forest the previous year.

Three league wins in as many games sent them on their way to doing just that.

But the wins didn’t get much bigger, or sweeter, than this. The star of the show, Kenny Dalglish, started off the scoring — spinning in the box before slotting the ball under the ‘keeper. The Scot doubled the lead by tapping in Jimmy Case’s long range effort, which appeared to be going wide.

Ray Kennedy headed in just before the half hour mark, to send the Reds in at half time with a 3-0 lead. Things got worse for Spurs after the break. David Johnson, who had come on for Emlyn Hughes in the 25th minute, scored the fourth after Dalglish’s shot cannoned back off the ‘keeper and into his path — and Dalglish was creator once again, as he played through Johnson for Liverpool’s fifth.

Paisley’s men showed no signs of abating. Phil Neal converted from the spot to make it 6-0 — despite missing his first attempt, before the referee ordered a retake — and Terry McDermott completed the scoring, by nodding in from a Steve Heighway cross.

The Anfield crowd — of 50,705 — witnessed an absolute rout, and a true showing of what Paisley’s team were capable of on their day.

They went on to win the league by eight points, having remained top since their second game of the season, without losing a single game at home — and Dalglish finished as the Reds’ top scorer, with 21 league goals.

Also this week…

RAFAEL Benitez’s Reds blitzed Derby County 6-0 in a near perfect afternoon at Anfield.

Xabi Alonso opened the scoring with a free kick from just inside the Derby half, before Ryan Babel scored his debut goal for the club on the stroke of half time.

Fernando Torres got the third and fellow Spaniard Alonso grabbed his second, Liverpool’s fourth, to put them out of sight with 20 minutes remaining.

Andriy Voronin was given a tap in to make it 5-0, before Fernando Torres notched again to complete the rout in an absolutely dominant performance from Rafa’s side, outclassing Derby from the first minute until the last.

That win saw the Reds move to the top of the table for the first time under Rafa Benitez, though they would finish the season in fourth spot, with their opponents relegated by a landslide — picking up just 11 points all year.

IT’S 29 years since Peter Beardsley’s first Liverpool goal, scoring with seven minutes remaining in a 4-1 win over Coventry City.

Steve Nicol’s double, and a John Aldridge penalty, put Liverpool three ahead prior to the hour mark, before Beardsley gave the fans a sign of things to come with a great individual effort to put the game out of sight — despite a late consolation from Cyrille Regis.

The Reds went on to win the league by nine points, losing just twice all season, and it was just the start for one of the most exciting Liverpool sides of all time.

THIRTEEN years this week since Gerard Houllier’s team brushed Everton aside, winning the Merseyside derby by three goals to nil.

Michael Owen’s double, as well as Harry Kewell’s first goal for the club, gave Liverpool’s under-pressure manager some temporary respite with a crucial win over their neighbours.

Liverpool finished fourth that season, while Everton finished in 17th — six points above the relegation zone.

FINALLY, it’s two years this week that Liverpool dispatched Spurs in convincing fashion, with a 3-0 win at White Hart Lane.

Mario Balotelli made his first appearance, while Alberto Moreno scored his debut goal, as Raheem Sterling and a Steven Gerrard penalty ensured a comfortable afternoon for Brendan Rodgers’ side.

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