If QPR are to secure an unlikely victory against Liverpool on Saturday, they’ll have to overcome a dreadful record on this ground to do so. The solitary win to date came in 1991, inspired by Les Ferdinand.

Recent Meetings

QPR 1 Liverpool 2, Sunday February 11, 1996, Premiership

Liverpool are one of those top flight mainstays that we’ve avoided in cup competitions since our 1996 relegation season and so Saturday will be the first meeting between the clubs for 15 years. The R’s were staring the First Division square in the face when Roy Evans brought his side to W12 back then, Ray Wilkins’ men had lost six league games on the spin since Christmas and went into the Super Sunday clash extremely low on confidence. The game played out much as you would expect, with Liverpool cruising into a two goal lead in the first half before Danny Dichio gave the R’s false hope in the second. Although QPR did win the next match, 3-1 away at Sheff Wed, and rallied late in the season it wasn’t enough to save them from demotion.

QPR: J Sommer, D Bardsley, R Brevett, D Maddix, S Yates, S Barker, I Holloway, N Quashie, D Dichio, K Gallen, T Sinclair

Subs not used: G Goodridge, B Allen, T Challis

Goals: Dichio

Liverpool: D James, R Jones, P Babb, M Wright, J Scales, J McAteer, M Thomas, S McManaman, J Barnes, R Fowler (J Redknapp, 76), S Collymore

Subs not used: T Warner, I Rush

Goals: Wright, Fowler

Liverpool 1 QPR 0, Wednesday August 30, 1995, Premiership

There were warning signs of the trouble to come at the start of the season, Rangers were embarking on a top flight campaign without Les Ferdinand for the first time in the 1990s after all, but there was still some optimism around as they headed to Anfield for a midweek game at the end of August. The Super Hoops had secured a first win of the season at Loftus Road against Man City on the Saturday thanks to Simon Barker’s goal and set up in a very cagey formation aimed at winning a point from the Scousers – new signing Simon Osborn joined player manager Ray Wilkins in midfield. In the end Rangers weren’t that far away from getting what they came for but an improvised first half finish from Neil Ruddock won the game for the hosts.

Liverpool: D James, R Jones, M Wright, P Babb, N Ruddock, S Harkness, S McManaman, J Redknapp, J Barnes, R Fowler, I Rush

Subs not used: M Kennedy, M Thomas, T Warner

Goals: Ruddock

QPR: T Roberts, D Bardsley, R Brevett, S Barker, A McDonald, D Maddix, A Impey, K Gallen, T Sinclair, S Osborn, R Wilkins, G Penrice

Subs not used: S Dykstra, K Ready

Bookings: Penrice

Previous Results

Head to Head >>> Liverpool wins – 30 >>> Draws – 8 >>> QPR wins – 7

1995/96 QPR 1 Liverpool 2 (Dichio)

1995/96 Liverpool 1 QPR 0

1994/95 Liverpool 1 QPR 1 (Gallen)

1994/95 QPR 2 Liverpool 1 (Ferdinand, Sinclair)

1993/94 Liverpool 3 QPR 2 (Ferdinand, Barker)

1993/94 QPR 1 Liverpool 3 (Wilkins)

1992/93 Liverpool 1 QPR 0

1992/93 QPR 0 Liverpool 1

1991/92 QPR 0 Liverpool 0

1991/92 Liverpool 1 QPR 0

1990/91 Liverpool 1 QPR 3 (Ferdinand, Wegerle, Wilson)

1990/91 QPR 1 Liverpool 1 (Falco)

1989/90 Liverpool 2 QPR 1 (Wegerle)

1989/90 Liverpool 1 QPR 0*

1989/90 QPR 2 Liverpool 2* (Wilkins, Barker)

1989/90 QPR 3 Liverpool 2 (Wright 2, Falco)

1988/89 Liverpool 2 QPR 0

1988/89 QPR 0 Liverpool 1

1987/88 QPR 0 Liverpool 1

1987/88 Liverpool 4 QPR 0

1986/87 Liverpool 2 QPR 1 (Fillery)

1986/87 QPR 1 Liverpool 3 (Bannister)

1985/86 Liverpool 4 QPR 1 (Rosenior)

1985/86 Liverpool 2 QPR 2** (Whelen og, Gillespie og)

1985/86 QPR 1 Liverpool 0** (Fenwick)

1985/86 QPR 2 Liverpool 1 (Fenwick, Bannister)

1984/85 QPR 0 Liverpool 2

1984/85 Liverpool 1 QPR 1 (Fereday)

1983/84 Liverpool 2 QPR 0

1983/84 QPR 0 Liverpool 1

1978/79 QPR 1 Liverpool 3 (Eastoe)

1978/79 Liverpool 2 QPR 1 (McGee)

1977/78 Liverpool 1 QPR 0

1977/78 QPR 2 Liverpool 0 (Bowles, James)

1976/77 QPR 1 Liverpool 1 (Givens)

1976/77 Liverpool 3 QPR 1 (Eastoe)

1975/76 Liverpool 2 QPR 0

1975/76 QPR 2 Liverpool 0 (G Francis, Leach)

1974/75 Liverpool 3 QPR 1 (G Francis)

1974/75 QPR 0 Liverpool 1

1973/74 Liverpool 2 QPR 1 (Thomas)

1973/74 QPR 2 Liverpool 2 (Bowles, McLintock)

1968/69 QPR 1 Liverpool 2 (Bridges)

1968/69 Liverpool 2 QPR 0

1913/14 Liverpool 2 QPR 1* (Mitchell)

* - FA Cup

** - League Cup

Connections

Sammy Lee >>> Liverpool 1975-1986 >>> QPR 1986-1987

The diminutive figure of Sammy Lee became part of the Liverpool furniture during the late 1970s and 1980s – given the club’s dominance of the English game in that period it’s no surprise to find his personal trophy cabinet bulging with medals. Lee won the league title three times, the League Cup four times, and the European Cup twice during an 11 year stint at Anfield. He was also capped 14 times by England.

Lee was a graduate of the famed Anfield youth academy during the days of Bob Paisley’s management, and he scored on his debut against Leicester in 1975 after coming on as a sixth minute substitute for the injured David Johnson. In 1980/81 he played in the semi and final of the European Cup as Liverpool beat first Bayern Munich and then Real Madrid to lift the trophy. Lee played every game en route to the 1984 final as well, and scored a crucial goal in the second leg of the semi final against Dinamo Bucharest at Anfield.

When injuries restricted Lee’s impact on Merseyside QPR manager Jim Smith splashed out £175,000 to bring him to West London where he made 33 starts and two sub appearances, scoring once in a 5-2 FA Cup win against Leicester City, in the 1986/87 First Division season. The following summer QPR made a profit on the 28 year old by selling him to Osasuna for £200,000 where he joined another former QPR and Liverpool stalwart Michael Robinson.

He returned to these shores in the early 1990s for brief spells with Southampton, and Bolton where he was made manager in 2007 after Sam Allardyce’s departure for Newcastle. Lee had coached at the Reebok Stadium for two years but nevertheless promised a complete departure from Big Sam’s renowned direct style of play – he won just one of his 11 matches and was sacked in October that same year. He rejoined the Liverpool coaching staff immediately but left the club this summer and recently expressed an interest in replacing Nigel Worthington as Northern Ireland manager – a job which he will compete for with former QPR and Liverpool man Jim Magilton among others.

Others >>> Raheem Sterling, QPR YT, Liverpool 2010-present >>> Peter Crouch, QPR 2000-2001, Liverpool 2005-2008 >>> Paul Jones, Liverpool (loan) 2004, QPR 2006-2007, Neil Ruddock, Liverpool 1993-1998, QPR (loan) 1998 >>> Mark Kennedy, Liverpool 1995-1998, QPR (loan) 1998 >>> Jim Magilton, Liverpool 1988-1990, QPR (manager) 2009 >>> Paul Walsh, Liverpool 1984-1988, QPR (loan) 1991 >>> Nigel Spackman, Liverpool 1987-1989, QPR 1989 >>> Jimmy Carter, QPR 1985-1987, Liverpool 1991 >>> Michael Robinson, Liverpool 1983-1984, QPR 1984-1986 >>> Bobby Campbell, Liverpool 1958-1961, QPR (coach) 1986-1988

Memorable Match

Liverpool 1 QPR 3, Saturday March 30, 1991, First Division

The head to head record between these clubs speaks for itself – QPR have eight wins to Liverpool’s 30. That was largely due to a period through the 1980s when Liverpool dominated English football, and QPR struggled to even register a goal against them when the two sides met. There had been notable success in 1986 when Rangers reached the League Cup final by beating the Reds over two legs in the semi final, a 2-2 draw at Anfield sealed by two own goals from Gary Gillespie and Ronnie Whelen saw the R’s to Wembley, but a first win on this ground remained elusive until 1991.

Liverpool, typically, were battling for the title against Arsenal and had gone top the week before with a 7-1 win against hapless Derby County. Rangers were therefore heavy underdogs despite the continued astute management of Don Howe, but they gave an indication of what was to come when a young Les Ferdinand collected possession after a tangle of legs between Gillespie, Sinton and Barker and fired a powerful drive which Mike Hooper the Liverpool goalkeeper had to tip over the bar. At the other end Ian Rush headed wide from close range after Peter Beardsley had reached the byline and cut a cross back into the six yard box.

As the first half progressed Andy Sinton fired over after being put clean through in the area by a glorious backflick from Ray Wilkins but the R’s had to muscle up in defence to clear a goalmouth scramble after Czech World Cup goalkeeper Jan Stejskal had made an excellent save to keep out Rush’s volley.

There was much talk in the press after the match about how poor Liverpool had been, and indeed when Les Ferdinand struck the outside of the post from an acute angle the move had begun when Glenn Hussein gave the ball away in his own half. But QPR were excellent on the day, directed around the park by Ray Wilkins and lead from the front by Ferdinand who was just starting to hint at what a super player he was going to become after a slow start to life at Loftus Road. With the ball still in play after Ferdinand’s first effort Simon Barker crossed deep into the area and the powerful striker got in front of his man to head home the opening goal in front of the travelling Rangers fans.

That lead was doubled on the stroke of half time with a goal entirely of Liverpool’s making. Steve Staunton played a lazy back pass to David Burrows on the edge of the area, he let it run under his foot to Hooper but Wegerle had read the situation in advance and rounded the goalkeeper before finishing high into the net from the corner of the six yard box.

Liverpool, especially at Anfield, were renowned for receiving favourable refereeing decisions in the same way that Manchester United are these days. Rangers have certainly been on the receiving end of some dodgy calls in matches against both teams, few quite as bad as the penalty kick awarded in this game which got Pool back into the match after half time. Rufus Brevett was clearly pushed in the back as he got to a bouncing ball first in the area but as he crashed to earth the referee claimed that he’d handled the ball and awarded a spot kick to the hosts which Jan Molby tapped home.

Liverpool sent on Ronny Rosenthal to hunt for an equaliser but Rangers scored a third at the Kop End when Ferdinand’s deep cross was miscontrolled at the back stick by Steve Nicol and Don Howe’s own substitute Clive Wilson nipped in, poked home and sealed a memorable three points. QPR’s first ever win at Anfield, Liverpool’s first home defeat of the season.

Liverpool: M.Hooper, G.Hysen, D.Burrows, S.Nicol, J.Molby, G.Ablett, P.Beardsley, R.Houghton, I.Rush, S.Staunton (R.Rosenthal), G.Gillespie

QPR: J.Stejskal, D.Bardsley, R.Brevett, A.Tillson, D.Peacock, D.Maddix, R.Wilkins, S.Barker, L.Ferdinand, R.Wegerle (B.Allen), A.Sinton (C.Wilson)

Highlights >>> QPR 0 Liverpool 1 1992 >>> Liverpool 1 QPR 3 1991 >>> QPR 2 Liverpool 2 FA Cup 1990 >>> Liverpool 4 QPR 0 1987 >>> League Cup semi final 1986 >>> QPR 1 Liverpool 1 1977 >>> Liverpool 3 QPR 1 1976 >>> QPR 2 Liverpool 0 1975

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SonofNorfolt added 19:30 - Dec 7 How many of us on here were at Anfield in '91?
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enfieldargh added 20:39 - Dec 7 Jimmy Carter played for Liverpool???!!!! must have been a Souness signing
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dixiedean added 10:21 - Dec 8 yep, count me in for Anfield '91. I bumped into Alan Wilder of Depeche Mode fame who was in my class at school. Acton boy and R's fan.Clive Wilson a sub ?! That was a proper team !
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smegma added 13:36 - Dec 8 Any gamblers put some wedge on them getting a penalty at some point. I believe they've somewhere in the region of 14 penalties against us at Anfield.There were even two in one game once and two red cards for us !!! To say some were dubious is an understatemnet. The biscuit being taken in the 86 semi when Ian Dawes controlled the ball on his thigh some 6 yards outside the box and the ref pointed to the spot. Even Ian St John in his commentary was forced to say it was a ridiculous decision.

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AshteadR added 13:40 - Dec 8 I didn't make 91, but i was there in 86 - great night!
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themodfather added 16:04 - Dec 8 after that famous 3-1 win ( capital radio covered london games..we were going to win there for our first time, i so wanted to hear that final whistle, history etc..and they went to derby v arsenal and a 0-0!! ) lo and behold our bog got blogged so call out the council..a few hours later, door ball goes, whoopee it's the plumber..in LIVERPOOL shirt with a blinding scouse accent and there's me in my HOLLAND KLM qpr shirt, great, he nearly walked away!!

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MoonshineSteve added 16:50 - Dec 8 I was there. Rather enjoyed that one.
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