Liverpool have an extended historical past of piling on the targets and inflicting distress, and one should spare a thought for Stoke, who have been on the receiving finish of a report that also stands 24 years later.
It’s a totally different feeling when your facet feels virtually invincible, that all the pieces they contact turns to gold – we’ve had that have with virtually each supervisor on the helm.
Bob Paisley had the 11-0 win over Stromsgodset, Invoice Shankly the 10-0 overcome Dundalk, Kenny Dalglish with one other 10-0 vs. Fulham, Jurgen Klopp with a 9-0 over Bournemouth and Rafa Benitez loved an 8-0 rout of Besiktas.
Gerard Houllier also can attest to seeing his facet activate the magic and have Liverpool followers in dreamland whereas the opposition dwell out a nightmare.
It was November 29 within the 12 months 2000, a season chances are you’ll recall ending with a historic cup treble, however earlier than any trophy was lifted that marketing campaign, Houllier’s males romped to an 8-0 win at Stoke.
It stays the largest win away from Anfield within the membership’s historical past.
Can they do it on a chilly, wet evening in Stoke? The reply was an emphatic sure!
A double hat-trick
A League Cup fourth-round tie took Liverpool to Stoke, who have been within the Championship, and what unfolded was nothing in need of a demolition job.
Houllier named Richie Partridge in his beginning XI handy him the primary of three first-team video games, Stephen Wright would come off the bench and make his debut, and a sure Robbie Fowler ran riot.
Between minute six and 85, the No. 9 scored three and assisted three in a charming particular person efficiency.
Christian Ziege (1-0), Markus Babbel (3-0) and Danny Murphy (6-0) all had the striker to thank for teeing up their strikes, and Fowler himself netted the sport’s fourth, seventh and eighth targets.
Vladimir Smicer and Sami Hyypia obtained in on the motion, too, making it six totally different goalscorers on the evening – and all this occurred with out Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen!
Liverpool XI: Arphexad; Babbel, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Ziege; McAllister, Murphy, Partridge; Fowler, Smicer
The Britannia Stadium hosted 27,109 followers that November evening, its report crowd on the time, and because it started to empty, followers sang their anthem – it was poignant that they might utter “I simply couldn’t take any extra.”
So, Liverpool progressed within the League Cup and would go on to carry the trophy on the finish of the season, and this end result away from residence has not been bettered within the virtually 24 years since.
It has been near being equalled on three totally different events – 7-0 vs. Birmingham (2006), 7-0 vs. Maribor (2017) and 7-0 vs. Crystal Palace (2020) – however Houllier’s males stay untouched.
Will it ever be crushed?
