Since Aston Villa’s 3-0 semi-final win over Liverpool at Bramall Lane in March 1897, the Reds have won every FA Cup fixture between the two sides without conceding a single goal.
Here is a countdown of the Reds’ five most historic FA Cup triumphs over the Villans:
5) 5th January 1985, Third round – Liverpool 3-0 Aston Villa
Liverpool went into the 1984-85 season defending their European Cup, League Cup, and First Division title. The only trophy that had alluded them in the 1983-84 campaign was the FA Cup, after they were upset by Brighton & Hove Albion in the fourth round.
Liverpool team photo from the 1984-85 season
Joe Fagan’s men were tasked with a home tie against Aston Villa in the third round in 1984-85, and it was a routine win for the Reds.
It took just four minutes for Ian Rush to open the scoring, and settle any Anfield nerves.
The lead was doubled early in the second half by John Wark, who finished the season as Liverpool’s top scorer with 27 goals.
Rush claimed his second of the day with 16 minutes left on the clock to confirm the Reds’ passage into the fourth round.
Liverpool saw off Tottenham Hotspur, York City (after a replay), and Barnsley before being beaten in the semi-final replay by Manchester United at Maine Road.
4) 31st January 1988, Fourth round – Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool
Liverpool, under Kenny Dalglish, were in such irresistible form going into their fourth round tie at Villa Park in 1988, that it was almost inevitable that they would travel back to Merseyside safely into the last 16.
The Reds were unbeaten in the league, having won 19 and drawn five of their 24 First Division fixtures, and hadn’t conceded a goal in their last eight outings in all competitions.
The only blip on their near-perfect first half of the 1987-88 campaign was a third round League Cup exit at the hands of Everton.
Live television cameras were present at Villa Park, but the visit of Liverpool still attracted 46,000 spectators, the highest attendance for a Villa home game in seven years.
Liverpool’s Peter Beardsley in action at Villa Park
The Reds were on the back foot in the early going, and Villa missed two opportunities that “should have been tap-ins” according to their manager Graham Taylor.
Dalglish’s side weathered the storm, and after John Aldridge had already struck the woodwork, they hit the front through John Barnes 10 minutes into the second half.
The Jamaican-born winger got on the end of Ray Houghton’s floated delivery, and headed past Nigel Spink in the Villa goal.
Peter Beardsley completed the job shortly before the final whistle, turning home Aldridge’s low cross.
Liverpool went on to famously lose the cup final to Wimbledon, but did manage to regain their First Division crown.
3) 8th March 1992, Quarter-final – Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa
It took a huge gamble from Graeme Souness in terms of team selection for a stumbling Reds side to see off Villa and reach the semi-finals of the 1992 FA Cup.
Liverpool were without a win in four league games, and came into the quarter-final having been beaten 2-0 in the UEFA Cup by Genoa in midweek.
John Barnes, Ronnie Whelan, and Michael Thomas were all reintroduced to the lineup following lengthy injury lay-offs, and it was they who combined to create the decisive goal.
Midway through the second half, Whelan – who hadn’t featured for six months – gained possession and relayed it to Barnes, who had already gone close twice with clever free-kicks. Walters made a darting run through the middle, and finished with aplomb after being picked out beautifully by Barnes.
A penalty shootout victory in the semi-final replay against Portsmouth at Villa Park earned Liverpool a place in the final, and goals from Thomas and Ian Rush against Sunderland at Wembley meant that the Reds had their hands on the FA Cup for the fifth time.
The Reds celebrating their 1992 FA Cup triumph at Wembley
2) 28th March 1914, Semi-final – Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
Villa, embroiled in a title race with Blackburn Rovers, were considered dead certs for victory over a Liverpool side who were struggling towards the bottom of the First Division.
The Reds’ form away from Anfield was particularly discouraging, and there were not many travelling Liverpudlians in attendance at White Hart Lane for the FA Cup semi-final, due to a boycott of sorts.
Liverpool team photo from the 1913-14 season
The London Press had suggested that there was not much point in paying attention to the fixture, as it was a forgone conclusion that Villa would see off Liverpool and progress to the final.
The Reds had other ideas.
Jimmy Nicholl, who manager Tom Watson said “isn’t a brilliant forward, but he’s a useful one and he can shoot,” showed his eye for goal as he opened the scoring with a header on the half hour mark.
He added a second late on, pouncing from close range after Arthur Metcalf’s shot struck the bar.
Liverpool, courtesy of a 2-0 win, reached their first ever FA Cup final, in which they lost out to Burnley by a Bert Freeman goal to nil.
1) 31st March 1996, Semi-final – Liverpool 3-0 Aston Villa
Typically, it was Robbie Fowler who stole the headlines as Liverpool pushed past Villa at Old Trafford to set up a final with Manchester United.
The young striker was the Reds’ main man throughout the 1995-96 season, and it was he who, on 16 minutes, threw himself to the ground to meet Jamie Redknapp’s free-kick and head into the bottom corner at the Stretford End.
It was another Redknapp set-piece that led to Liverpool’s and Fowler’s second with five minutes left on the clock. Steve Staunton headed away the midfielder’s in-swinging cross, but only as far as Fowler who struck it sweetly with his left foot from the edge of the box into the net via the post.
Robbie Fowler scores Liverpool’s second against Villa in a 3-0 win at Old Trafford
The Liverpool number 23 – who had already scored a brace at Old Trafford in a 2-2 draw against United earlier in the season – was now on 33 for the campaign (he finished on 36).
Liverpool made it 3-0 in stoppage time with a classic counter-attacking goal, as Jason McAteer provided a simple finish from Steve McManaman’s cutback.
Roy Evans’ Reds were beaten at Wembley by Manchester United, in a day more remembered for Liverpool’s pre-match attire than the game itself.
Liverpool’s Robbie Fowler and Jamie Redknapp sporting white suits before the cup final against Manchester United
