ON THIS DAY

Meetings between Liverpool and Manchester United are always eagerly awaiting affairs and the same was true when the clubs met in the Premier League at Anfield on Sunday March 5th 2023. Mind you, building up to that match the clubs had contrasting fortunes. Liverpool had been beaten 5-2 at Anfield by Real Madrid in a Champions League match - that was the first time they had conceded 5 at home in a competitive match since 1953. In contrast Manchester United had recently won their first trophy since 2017 with a Carabao League Cup Final victory over Newcastle at Wembley. The picture below is a bit of a give-away as to the result of this meeting between the two clubs - Liverpool 7 Manchester United 0. It equalled Liverpool's highest League goals figure against United - they had previously got 7 in 1895 and 1908 - and equalled the most goals United had ever conceded in a League match, the last time they had let in 7 was back in 1931. It's a funny old game!

The record attendance at White Hart Lane was set – 75,038 for an FA Cup 6th Round tie between Tottenham and Sunderland. A Raich Carter goal gave cup holders Sunderland a 1-0 victory. Technically though the record Spurs 'home' attendance was set in November 2016 - 85,512 were present for their home Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen when Spurs were playing at Wembley while White Hart Lane was being rebuilt.

Before the Charity Shield/Community Shield came along the big charity match was the Sheriff of London Charity Shield which was competed for annually for 10 seasons from 1898. The competing teams were the best amateur side of the period - which was usually the Corinthian Football Club - and a top professional side. In 1904 the opposing teams were Corinthians and the side who had won the FA Cup the previous year, Bury. Played at the Queen's Club, which was Corinthians home ground and is better known now as a tennis venue, Bury fielded ten of the side who had beaten Derby County 6-0 in the Cup final - still a winning margin which has not been bettered in a final although Man City equalled it in 2019. In less than 10 minutes Bury were leading 2-0 but then the amateurs started to play with 'wonderful dash' and the Corinthians were 4-2 up at the break and won the match 10-3. Amazing!