Fortress Anfield? Five unlikely Liverpool defeats in front of the Kop

By Richard Aikman in Mirror Football Blog

Published 13:08 04/10/10

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Blackpool won 2-1 at Liverpool on Sunday as the clouds continue to grow over Anfield and the Seasiders pulled off one of the biggest shocks in Premier League history.

But they are not the first unlikely team to grab all three points at Anfield, here are five other games that shook the Kop.

Liverpool 0-1 Barnsley, November 22, 1997
Barnsley were one of the most unfashionable teams to play in the Premier League when they had their season in the spotlight in 1997-98.

The South Yorkshire club were thrashed 6-0 at home to Chelsea in their third game of the season and heavy defeats at Manchester United (7-0) and Arsenal (5-0) had followed. Before heading to Anfield, their previous game also saw them concede four at Southampton.

In contrast, Liverpool had won all their previous five home games with a hatful of goals and were supposedly winding themselves up for a genuine title challenge. However, Ashley Ward - making his comeback from viral meningitis - decided the contest in the 35th minute.

Liverpool 0-1 Watford, August 14, 1999
Graham Taylor's Watford had just been promoted and were very much the underdogs when the fixture list sent them to Anfield in only their third game of the season, having already been beaten at home by Wimbledon and away to Sunderland.

However, the Hornets, who had not spent any money over the summer in comparison to their opponents' £25million outlay, won with Tommy Mooney's 14th minute goal. It was their only away win of the season.

Liverpool 1-2 Barnsley, February 16, 2008
Just over a decade after their previous visit to Anfield, Barnsley made it back-to-back wins at Liverpool with a famous upset in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

The Tykes had failed to regain their top-flight status following relegation in 1998 and few gave them a chance of repeating their previous success.

The Reds went ahead in the first half through Dirk Kuyt, but goalkeeper Luke Steele kept the visitors in the game and Rafael Benitez was left to regret leaving Steven Gerrard on the bench until 15 minutes to go as Stephen Foster and Brian Howard netted for the visitors.

Liverpool 1-2 Reading, January 13, 2010
It had seemed like Liverpool's terrible season could not get any worse. Having slipped out of the title race and been dumped out of the UEFA Champions League, the FA Cup was one of their few remaining hopes of silverware but the campaign plunged to new depths as they suffered a humiliating defeat in the third-round replay against a side who were battling relegation in the Championship and with Brian McDermott in temporary charge following the departure of Brendan Rodgers.

Gerrard's shot was deflected home by Reading defender Ryan Bertrand to give Liverpool the lead in the final seconds of the first half but a Gylfi Sigurdsson penalty took the game to extra-time and Shane Long's headed winner completed the turnaround.

Liverpool 2-2 Northampton (Northampton win 4-2 on penalties), September 22, 2010
League Two Northampton became the latest shock victors at Anfield as Liverpool suffered an embarrassing penalty shoot-out Carling Cup defeat.

Milan Jovanovic gave the hosts the lead but Billy McKay and Michael Jacobs gave the Cobblers a shock lead. David Ngog looked to have spared Liverpool's blushes when he snatched a late equaliser but the visitors held their nerve during the shoot-out in front of the Kop.

Northampton's Steve Guinan and Liverpool's Ngog missed the first spot-kicks and when Nathan Eccleston hit the bar, Abdul Osman scored to win it for the Cobblers.

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