13 Liverpool Wins That Changed Soccer Forever
Some matches leave a mark on history, on the opponents, and sometimes, on the scoreboard so hard you wonder if the numbers will ever come off. Liverpool has delivered more than a few of these over the years.
Let’s relive the biggest and boldest Liverpool wins that made the world sit up.
Liverpool 11–0 Strømsgodset (1974)
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Bob Paisley had only just taken over, and the squad delivered eleven goals from just about everywhere on the job. Phil Boersma scored twice, Alec Lindsay converted early, and the scoreboard kept spinning. Even the players were double-checking the scoreboard to see who’d scored what. It was indeed Liverpool’s biggest win ever.
Liverpool 10–0 Fulham (1986)
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By the time this one kicked off, Liverpool were already double winners. Fulham were just trying to stay upright. Steve McMahon helped himself to four goals, including one after bungling a penalty. Ian Rush did what Ian Rush does. John Wark and Steve Nicol added their names, because why not?
Liverpool 10–0 Dundalk (1969)
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With big names rested, Shankly’s side still steamrolled the Irish part-timers. They were five goals up at the half and added five more before the end. That night on the Kop, a young Gérard Houllier watched in awe. Decades later, Houllier returned as manager—a full-circle moment born from that rout.
Liverpool 10–1 Oulun Palloseura (1980)
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The first leg in Finland ended in frustration. A goalless draw, icy pitch, nothing to smile about. Anfield turned into a release valve for that pent-up aggression. Souness and McDermott took control with hat-tricks. The rest of the squad filled in the blanks. That blowout helped kickstart a campaign that ended in silverware in Paris.
Liverpool 10–1 Rotherham Town (1896)
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Soccer looked very different in the 1890s, but this margin still leaps off the record books even today. In one of their earliest Football League seasons, Liverpool racked up double digits against Rotherham. More than just numbers, it showed that even back then, Liverpool weren’t content with narrow margins.
Liverpool 9–0 Crystal Palace (1989)
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Palace had only just come up to the First Division. By halftime, they were down three, and by full-time, eight different Liverpool players had scored. John Aldridge signed off his Anfield career with a penalty, and Steve Nicol capped both halves with goals. The match became part of club folklore, despite Palace later getting their revenge in the FA Cup.
Liverpool 9–0 Bournemouth (2022)
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Liverpool had looked toothless at Old Trafford. Against Bournemouth, they had something to say about that. It was a reset. By the sixth minute, the game was over in all but name. Attack after attack found the net from every direction. Salah didn’t even score, and somehow it didn’t matter. When Klopp summed it up afterwards with one word, “Needed,” he wasn’t wrong.
Stoke City 0–8 Liverpool (2000)
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This was a League Cup trip to a tough, physical Stoke side. But Houllier’s team, which was led by Robbie Fowler’s hat-trick, never let them breathe. It was a key moment in a season that ended with three trophies and a return to European relevance.
Liverpool 8–0 Beşiktaş (2007)
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After a rocky group-stage start, Liverpool needed a result. What they delivered set a Champions League record. Yossi Benayoun’s quickfire hat-trick led the charge, and by the time Babel, Crouch, and Gerrard were done, Beşiktaş looked shell-shocked. It was a turnaround that helped propel Liverpool deep into the knockout rounds.
Liverpool 9–0 Newtown (1892)
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Barely a few months old, Liverpool entered the FA Cup like a wrecking ball. Newtown was the unfortunate first victim. The team was still new, still finding its shape, but the intent was already clear. Nine goals, none conceded. It’s still one of the biggest margins Liverpool has posted in the FA Cup.
Liverpool 7–0 Manchester United (2023)
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When the rivalry runs this deep, scorelines like this don’t happen. But at Anfield, they did. After a competitive first half, Liverpool pulled away with a flurry. Seven goals, three assists from Salah, and a stunned Manchester United side. It was the kind of result that lives in fans’ heads forever.
Liverpool 8–0 Swansea City (1990)
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The FA Cup can surprise you. This one didn’t. Swansea, then in the Third Division, arrived knowing what was coming. Liverpool didn’t disappoint. Barnes, Rush, Beardsley—all switched on, all ruthless. The match played out without a twist or fightback. It may have been expected, but the scale of the result still raised eyebrows.
Liverpool 8–0 Burnley (1928)
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Back when goals were scarce and pitches were trenches, this was an outlier. Burnley were taken apart in a match that showed how ahead of the curve Liverpool’s attacking instincts were. It showed Liverpool knew how to break down even the most rigid defenses of the era.
Liverpool 7–0 Maribor (2017)
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Away in Slovenia, midweek, in a Champions League group game that barely made headlines—until kickoff. Firmino, Salah, Coutinho, and others turned the match into a finishing clinic—efficient, elegant, and emphatic. The scoreline equalled the record for the biggest away win by an English club in the competition.