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Liverpool will hope that once Premier League football is back in business, the 19th League championship will soon be over.
Continuing our series on how the previous Reds titles were won, we look at issues 10, 11, and 12.
Note: GR = Proportion of objectives or average of objectives. This was used in place of the goal difference until 1977/78 and a system was used to divide the number of goals scored by the number conceded.
Title number 10: 1976/77
P42 W23 D11 L8 F62 A33 GR 1,879 Pts 57
A historic season as Liverpool not only retained the League Championship for the second time in its history (the previous occasion was 1922 and 1923) but also lifted the first of their six European Cups to date.
Bob Paisley’s team’s internal success relied on Fort Anfield, where the Reds completed the season undefeated, winning 18 of their 21 home games.
Interestingly for a team that was on its way to conquering Europe, Liverpool suffered from travel illnesses at the national level and only won five of their away games and averaged less than one goal per game.
A notable win away they scored was 3-2 in Derby County, the last club to fight the League Championship in 1975 on September 11, which placed the Reds at the top of the table.
In what was a close race for the title (runner-up Manchester City finished just one point behind), Liverpool were eliminated from first place on several occasions, but after a 2-0 victory over Arsenal at Anfield on April 16, they remained on pole position for the match.
However, before their first European Cup victory, the Reds had to endure a stuttering end to their domestic campaign, failing to win any of their last five games, including defeating the FA Cup final 2-1. against old enemies of Manchester United.
Manchester City boss Tony Book ‘awarded’ the title after Liverpool’s 0-0 draw at Coventry City on Tuesday May 10, but the Championship was not officially secured until the following Saturday after another stalemate with West Ham United facing at 55,675 at Anfield on May 14)
Title number 11: 1978/79
P42 W30 D8 L4 F85 A16 GD +69 Pts 68
After giving up his crown to Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest in the previous season, Liverpool returned forcefully to return home with their 11th League Championship.
Undefeated at Anfield, having been in their previous title two seasons earlier, the Reds conceded just four goals on their territory throughout the season and a measly 16 overall with goalkeeper Ray Clemence and his four imperious forwards.
Defending champions Forest, also undefeated at home, were Liverpool’s closest challengers, but ultimately finished eight points below the pace.
The Reds had risen to the top of the table in August for just two games and stayed there throughout the season.
They finished with two games to spare with a 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Tuesday, May 8 versus 50,576 at Anfield.
Alan Kennedy fired the hosts after just 47 seconds and other attacks by Kenny Dalglish (38) and Terry McDermott (57) ended with complete success both on the night and on the season.
Title number 12: 1979/80
P42 W25 D10 L7 F81 A30 GD +51 Pts 60
Paisley’s second success in a row and another First Division season ended unbeaten at Anfield, but Liverpool were pushed harder this time.
While Manchester City fell just one point three years earlier, it was United’s neighbors ‘turn to be Reds’ bridesmaids this time around, as Dave Sexton’s side was two points behind them.
A relatively slow start saw Liverpool drop to ninth place after a 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest on September 29, their second loss of the season.
However, after six wins and two draws from their next eight games, they rose to the top with a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on November 17.
They would remain there for the remainder of the season from December 8 onward, and while a 2-1 trade against Manchester United at Old Trafford on April 5 made things interesting, the Reds always kept their nose in front.
For the second consecutive season, Liverpool took the title with a victory over Aston Villa in their last home game at Anfield.
Overcoming the disappointment and weariness of losing a third repeat of the FA Cup semifinal (yes, they met four times) against Arsenal less than 48 hours earlier, the Gunners triumphed 1-0 at Highfield Road in Coventry City. Liverpool finished with a 4- 1 victory against Villa.
David Johnson put them on the road in just three minutes, but Avi Cohen’s own own goal increased things in 26 minutes.
Then the Israeli found the net on the far right to restore the Reds’ lead in 50 minutes and his lead extended through Johnson’s second goal of the night in 72 minutes and another own goal on goal, this time from Noel. Blake, 12 minutes from the end.
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