BY STEVE MITCHELL
LIVERPOOL TURN ON THE STYLE TO THRASH NORWICH CITY AT ANFIELD:
Sometimes you just have to sit back and enjoy an exhibition of attacking football that leaves you breathless.
This is exactly what happened at Anfield last night, as Liverpool thrashed Norwich City 6-0 to take a three point advantage at the top of the First Division.
The only question on everyone’s lips at the end of this commanding display, was why the league leaders only managed to score six; such was their superiority on the night; England goalkeeper Ray Clemence merely a spectator for 99 per-cent of the game.
In front of a disappointing crowd of just over 35,000 (15,000 down on this season’s average) both Kenny Dalglish and Alan Kennedy were the stand-out players and after the former headed the home side in front after just three minutes, the writing was already on the wall for a Norwich side, who had come to stifle the Reds by using a five-man back-line.
Dalglish was simply magnificent, involved in everything that Liverpool did, whilst helping himself to two goals; his second coming three minutes after half-time.
Incredibly, the visitors held out for the rest of the first-half after the Scotland international’s early strike, withstanding a barrage of opportunities from their hosts, but just a minute after the interval, David Johnson hammered home Liverpool’s second, followed quickly by Dalglish, to put the game out of sight.
Embed from Getty ImagesOn 51 minutes, Johnson got his second after Norwich keeper Kevin Keelan fumbled a corner to make it three goals in five minutes. Not a bad night’s work for a player who has been absent for nearly two months.
Chance after chance then went begging for the home side as the crowd begged for more. Their calls were answered ten minutes from time, when Alan Kennedy capped off a wonderful evening by knocking home the fifth, before the other Kennedy, Ray, grabbed a sixth on the stroke of full-time.
On this form, better teams that Norwich would have also been blown away and to the Canaries credit, they continued to try to play football right up until the final whistle, which must have brought a merciful release to the men from East Anglia.
Liverpool: Clemence, Neal, Hansen, Hughes, Kennedy (A), McDermott, Souness, Kennedy (R), Johnson, Dalglish, Heighway, sub: Lee
Norwich City: Keelan, Symonds, Bond, Forbes, Hoadley, Ryan, Peters, Powell, Lythgoe, Neighbour, Chivers, sub: Robson
Att: 35,754
COVENTRY CITY HEAP MORE MISERY ON CHELSEA:
Chelsea’s woeful season continued last night as the west London club were beaten 1-3 at home by Coventry City. All the goals came in the opening 45 minutes with Mick Ferguson, Ian Wallace and Barry Powell scoring for the visitors; Tommy Langley grabbing Chelsea’s consolation.
SPURS EDGE OUT WREXHAM IN FA CUP THRILLER AT THE RACECOURSE GROUND:
Spurs finally made it into the fifth-round of the FA Cup after a 3-2 win over Wrexham last night. After a 3-3 thriller at White Hart Lane in the first match, the Welsh crowd had to wait an extra week to see the replay due to the awful winter weather this month.
The night was a personal triumph for Spurs striker Chris Jones, whose hat-trick got the First Division side over the line after extra time.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Second Division side can be proud of their achievements however, scoring five goals against the club from the capital over two matches; their goals last night coming courtesy of Gareth Davis and Dixie McNeil.
Spurs now face Oldham Athletic in the fifth-round with the winners of that tie hosting Manchester United in the quarter-finals.
GREENHOFF ON TARGET AGAIN AS UNITED SEE OFF COLCHESTER:
A late goal from Manchester United striker Jimmy Greenhoff, ensured the Red Devils overcame Third Division Colchester United in the fifth-round of the FA Cup in front of a packed house at Layer Road on Tuesday.
The former Stoke City man is making this cup competition a personal crusade after grabbing both of his side’s goals in the previous round against Fulham.
RESULTS ROUND-UP:
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 20:
FA CUP FIFTH ROUND:
Aldershot 2-2 Shrewsbury Town (Dungworth 2; Maguire, Tong)
Colchester United 0-1 Manchester United (Greenhoff J)
FIRST DIVISION:
Southampton 2-0 Bristol City (Hayes, Holmes)
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 21:
FA CUP FOURTH ROUND:
Burnley 1-1 Sunderland (Thomson; Entwhistle)
FOURTH ROUND REPLAY:
Wrexham 2-3 Tottenham Hotspur (Davis, McNeil; Jones 3) aet
FIRST DIVISION:
Chelsea 1-3 Coventry City (Langley; Ferguson, Wallace, Powell)
Liverpool 6-0 Norwich City (Dalglish 2, Johnson 2, Kennedy A, Kennedy R) (FULL MATCH PROGRAMME BELOW)
League Division One table after close of play on 22 February 1979
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 24 | 18 | 3 | 3 | 56 | 10 | 46 | 39 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 26 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 45 | 22 | 23 | 36 |
| 3 | Everton | 26 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 37 | 22 | 15 | 36 |
| 4 | West Bromwich Albion | 23 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 48 | 22 | 26 | 34 |
| 5 | Leeds United | 27 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 49 | 32 | 17 | 33 |
| 6 | Nottingham Forest | 22 | 9 | 11 | 2 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 29 |
| 7 | Bristol City | 28 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 34 | 33 | 1 | 28 |
| 8 | Coventry City | 25 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 33 | 40 | -7 | 27 |
| 9 | Tottenham Hotspur | 26 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 29 | 42 | -13 | 27 |
| 10 | Manchester United | 24 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 35 | 41 | -6 | 26 |
| 11 | Southampton | 26 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 31 | 32 | -1 | 25 |
| 12 | Aston Villa | 22 | 7 | 10 | 5 | 27 | 20 | 7 | 24 |
| 13 | Ipswich Town | 25 | 9 | 4 | 12 | 33 | 34 | -1 | 22 |
| 14 | Norwich City | 24 | 4 | 14 | 6 | 33 | 39 | -6 | 22 |
| 15 | Derby County | 24 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 29 | 42 | -13 | 22 |
| 16 | Manchester City | 25 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 21 |
| 17 | Middlesbrough | 24 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 32 | 35 | -3 | 18 |
| 18 | Bolton Wanderers | 23 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 29 | 41 | -12 | 18 |
| 19 | Queens Park Rangers | 25 | 4 | 10 | 11 | 24 | 37 | -13 | 18 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 25 | 7 | 3 | 15 | 24 | 46 | -22 | 17 |
| 21 | Chelsea | 25 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 28 | 54 | -26 | 14 |
| 22 | Birmingham City | 25 | 2 | 4 | 19 | 21 | 43 | -22 | 8 |
UPCOMING FIXTURES:
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 24:
FIRST DIVISION:
Arsenal v Wolves
Birmingham City v Tottenham Hotspur
Bolton Wanderers v Chelsea
Coventry City v Manchester City
Derby County v Liverpool
Everton v Ipswich Town
Manchester United v Aston Villa
Norwich City v Middlesbrough
Nottingham Forest v Bristol City
Q.P.R v Southampton
W.B.A v Leeds United
FOLLOW THE WHOLE 1978-79 SEASON IN THE ENGLISH FIRST DIVISION WITH STEVE MITCHELL HERE ON THE FOOTBALL PINK. FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @barafundler
PROGRAMMES COURTESY OF MILES MCCLAGAN https://www.flickr.com/photos/114058793@N05/sets
