9th February 1980
NORWICH CITY (2) 3 (Peters 1, Reeves 37, Fashanu 81)
LIVERPOOL (2) 5 (Fairclough 4, 18, 75, Dalglish 88, Case 89)
NORWICH CITY: Keelan; Bond, Jones, Brown, Downs; Mendham (McGuire), Ryan, Paddon, Peters; Reeves, Fashanu
LIVERPOOL: Clemence; Neal, Thompson, Hansen, A.Kennedy; Lee, Case, McDermott, R.Kennedy; Fairclough, Dalglish
A classic encounter talked about for years to come, although this had more to do with the plight of one particular player than the fact the game was an exciting battle.
Liverpool came into the game top of the league, ahead of Manchester United on goal difference. It had been two weeks since their last league game when they surprisingly lost at Coventry, ending a 16-game unbeaten run. Norwich were sitting in 9th and on an 8-game unbeaten run, although they’d only managed to win 2 of those 8 games.
Norwich were first out of the blocks and had soon forced a couple of corners. The second was flicked on at the near post and Martin Peters headed in unchallenged from about 2 yards out. However, instead of galvanising the home side into taking control it simply provoked the visitors into a reaction. Three minutes later, David Fairclough drifted to the right wing to receive a pass from Terry McDermott. Fairclough knocked the ball first time inside to Sammy Lee who then gave it back to Fairclough, now free in the area, and his shot was too hot for Keelan to keep out. 1-1. Sammy Lee was making his first appearance of the season and Fairclough only his 3rd, and his first for 5 months.
Eighteen minutes in and Alan Hansen embarked on a, now familiar, surge forward and as the defence concerned themselves with McDermott and Fairclough to his right, Hansen was able to make it all the way to the edge of the area. Once at the area he then played Fairclough in and his first time shot beat Keelan, for his and Liverpool’s 2nd goal. Norwich were continuing to cause problems at set-pieces but then with just 8 minutes before the break, Norwich equalised. Fashanu and Mendham combined on the right and Mendham’s ball into the area was nodded on by Graham Paddon and Kevin Reeves went in at the near post to beat Clemence and Neal to put things back on a level footing at 2-2 for half-time.
Both teams had chances in the second half to add to the score but with 15 minutes to go, Ray Kennedy put Dalglish in on the left and his ball across the goal was turned in at the far post by Fairclough to complete his hat-trick. It was his first ever hat-trick for Liverpool, having made his debut back in November 1975.
Norwich came back at the league leaders and forced Clemence into some vital saves and then with 9 minutes to go came the iconic moment of the game. In the inside right position, John Ryan knocked the ball to Justin Fashanu who was on the edge of the area with his back to goal. Ryan was expecting it back as he carried on into the space on the right wing. But Fashanu flicked the ball up with his right foot, swivelled and met it sweetly on the volley with his left. Clemence stood no chance and Fashanu calmly walked away with his finger in the air. He seemed destined for great things but this was probably as good as it got for Fashanu, but that’s another story.
Norwich had kept battling and were rightly confident of getting something from the game, but they were victims of Liverpool’s unrelenting will to win. Fairclough missed a golden opportunity to grab his fourth as he was put clear by a ball from defence, but in a move synonymous with his famous goal against St.Etienne, Fairclough fluffed his lines somewhat and Keelan managed to stop the ball between his knees. With two minutes to go, Case put McDermott in on the right of the area and his shot across the goal was headed in on the line by Dalglish. It was an incisive move and Liverpool were clinical in their pressure. Within minutes of the kick-off Case and Dalglish played a one-two on the edge of the box and Case held off David Jones to fire into the roof of the net and put the result beyond doubt.
Liverpool won 5-3 and Norwich were so close to mixing it with the Champions but ultimately fell foul of a side who went onto retain their title. Norwich finished 12th in the table.