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Bunch of 5s - 'Best headed goals'

    Luis Suarez' fantastic headed goal from 18 yards at the weekend was a rare thing of beauty and prompted some serious debate as to whether it was the best headed goal scored by a Liverpool player. TLW Editor Dave Usher picks his top five LFC headed goals...


 

Number 5: Terry McDermott v Spurs, 1977

 

 

 

The header itself was good, but what made the goal so special was the run he'd made to get on the end of it and what an absolutely stunning team goal it was.

 

The perfect way to round off a 7-0 win and it's one of the most iconic goals in Liverpool history.  The kind of goal you can watch over and over again and never tire of it. Just truly marvellous.

 


 

Number 4: Steven Gerrard v AC Milan, 2005 Champions League Final

 

gerrardheader.jpg 

 

It's probably most people's favourite headed goal because of the importance of it. Leaving that aside for a second, it's worthy of a place in the top five based solely on the quality of the header itself.

 

As the cross comes in from the left and Gerrard soared to meet it, the likelihood it would result in a goal was fairly remote given the level of difficulty and quality of the opposition goalkeeper.

 

Gerrard is the man for the big occasion, however, and somehow he pulled it off and set Liverpool on the road to a famous comeback. The rest is history, but that header started the ball rolling and is one of the best five I've seen from a Liverpool player.

 

 


 

Number 3: Steve McMahon v Everton, 1986 Screensport Super Cup Final

 

mcmahonheader.jpg

 

With English sides banned from Europe, the FA decided it would be a good idea to have an English Super Cup. It flopped big time, attendances for it were pitiful and the clubs generally saw it as a waste of time.

 

Liverpool and Everton were kept apart at the group stages and ended up meeting in a two legged final. Liverpool won the 1st leg at Anfield 3-1 and the 2nd leg at Goodison 4-1. In the Anfield game McMahon scored a fantastic header from outside the 18 yard box off a Kenny Dalglish corner. Incredible power and precision, it flew into the net quicker than many shots.

 

The goal was extra special for McMahon who having once played for Everton had become public enemy number one as far as Evertonians were concerned after he joined the Reds in 1985.

 


 

Number 2: Luis Suarez v West Bromwich Albion, 2013

 

 luis-suarez-spectacular-header-b.gif?w=6

 

 

Not especially renowned for his heading, the Uruguayan found the net twice with his head in this game as he bagged his first Anfield hat-trick.

 

His second header was a peach, glancing a Gerrard free-kick over the head of Baggies keeper Boaz Myhill at the Kop end. It was his first header, however, that had everyone buzzing afterwards.

 

Suarez played the ball wide to Aly Cissokho and then set off towards the box. Cissokho drilled the ball back to him and Suarez met it on the run and caught it flush on his forehead to send the ball hurtling into the top corner of the Anfield Road end goal at a rate of knots.

 


 

Number 1: Steve Nicol v Arsenal, 1987.

 

 

 

Liverpool headed to Highbury on the opening day of the season with Peter Beardsley and John Barnes making their much anticipated debuts. Aldridge put the Reds in front with a brilliant header from a Barnes cross, but Paul Davis levelled for the Gunners before half time.

 

With the game seemingly destined for a draw, Liverpool were awarded a left wing free kick with three minutes remaining, and although it was initially cleared, the ball fell to Nicol near the corner of the box and he headed it straight back into the top corner. An amazing goal from a great player.

 

 


 

Honourable mentions:

 

Albert Stubbins bagged a hat-trick in an FA Cup 6th round tie with Birmingham at Anfield in the 1946-47 season.  There is no TV footage of the goal, only still photographs, but it's one of the most famous goals scored at Anfield and is simply known as 'the goal in the snow'. It was a spectacular diving header that left the striker covered in cuts and bruises from the frozen Anfield turf.

 

John Barnes diving header in the FA Cup 4th round at Villa Park in 1988.  In the build up to the game, Villa boss Graham Taylor had sang the praises of his former Watford protégé but stated the only weakness to Barnes' game was his heading. It was sod's law then that 'Digger' would score an absolute beauty with his head, as he arched his neck to meet a Ray Houghton cross that was a little behind him and powered a header into the far corner of Nigel Spink's goal to set the Reds on their way to a 2-0 win.

 

Nick Barmby's looping effort at the Anny Road end in his first game against the Blues since his controversial move across Stanley Park. That header spawned the chant "He's red, he's white, he scored against the s**te".

 

Peter Crouch's towering header against Arsenal in the game when he bagged a perfect hat-trick. Having earlier put us in front with a right footed poacher's effort, Crouch then met Aurelio's wicked cross with a picture perfect header that found the top corner of the net, before he completed his treble with some fancy footwork and a left footed shot into the roof of the Kop net. Great header.

 

Sami Hyypia against Arsenal in the Champions League quarter final in 2008. Gerrard whipped in a corner, Sami met it near the penalty spot and sent a thumping header into the top corner in off the post. Fabregas was guarding the post but couldn't get near it, such was the power and direction of the big Finn's header. Incredibly, it was Hyypia's third goal at the Champions League quarter final stage.

 

Robbie Fowler's last gasp winner in the second 4-3 over Newcastle. Having raced into a 3-0 lead Liverpool got complacent and allowed the Geordies to draw level at 3-3. It looked like we'd blown it, but then Stig Inge Bjornebye swung in a cross and Fowler soared above everyone to head a dramatic winner.

 

Dave Usher


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