• Rewind to 1986

1986: The year Merseyside ruled English football

Liverpool completed the Double in 1986 © Getty Images

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When footballing rivalries get defined, one overriding factor distinguishes them from all others. One element, impossible to manufacture and even more impractical to explain, truly sets apart a Merseyside derby from an Old Firm derby, or a Milan derby from a North London conflict.

Atmosphere.

Derby games become treasured by classic back-and-forth 4-4 FA Cup encounters, they get archived by memorable Gary McAllister free kicks or towering Duncan Ferguson headers, and they provide endless talking points like Robbie Fowler's goal-line-snorting antics or Sander Westerveld's slapping contest with Francis Jeffers.

And at the very source of all these moments, is the outstanding catalyst that stirs footballers to show either their best or worst sides - and nothing in between. In North London or Glasgow it is more of a hate-fuelled emotion, whereas in Merseyside it is an atmosphere built on a longstanding collective togetherness - knitted together by poignant moments such as Hillsborough - that sees both sets of fans want to represent their city best.

On Sunday, that Merseyside pride will ensure a more fraught feeling around Goodison Park than has been witnessed in the majority of the past decade. Usually sold as the opportunity to win bragging rights around the city of Liverpool, Sunday's clash will simmer on a set of ingredients that sees the losers slip further towards an unexpected relegation battle. Desperation, rather than desires for braggadocio, will be the driving force behind what transpires over 90 minutes of football.

It all seems a far cry from 24 years ago when, after an epic battle for the league title, Liverpool and Everton headed for Wembley to determine the best team in the country in the FA Cup final. The Blues had occupied top spot in the old First Division for nearly the entire 1985/86 campaign, yet eight wins in their last nine matches saw Liverpool steal it.

Rather than fighting for their very existence in the High Court, or fearing for their status as top flight clubs in the league table, the only serious concern for Merseyside on May 10, 1986 was whether the FA Cup would finish the day adorned with red or blue ribbons. For Everton, memories of their cup final defeat to Manchester United 12 month previous still felt raw.

Everton fully deserved their first-half lead © Getty Images

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Ironically, given critics of Liverpool's present failure to nurture any fresh local talent since Steven Gerrard, the Reds created history prior to kick-off by naming the first FA Cup final side without a single Englishman in its starting XI. Only substitute Steve McMahon, unused in the final, featured under the England bracket.

By contrast, Everton had seven Englishman, and it was their most famous - Gary Lineker - who broke the deadlock in the 27th minute. Marked by Mark Lawrenson, a defender known for his exceptional pace, Lineker darted onto a long ball in behind the Liverpool defence and, feeling Lawrenson on his shoulder, intuitively opted to shoot early. Bruce Grobbelaar could only parry, and Lineker showed his reknowned predatory instincts to pounce at the second attempt to reward Everton for a dominant first half.

"The FA Cup final is a fantastic occasion, but it's horrible when you lose," commented Lineker, who would eventually win the trophy with Tottenham in 1991. "I'd played well in 1986 and scored, but I still felt awful when we lost."

The man he beat, Bruce Grobbelaar, was a maverick figure, one of the few custodians capable of creating more headlines from the confines of his own penalty area than the majority of the 20 outfield players in front of him. In years to come that would land him in trouble, when he was accused and later cleared of match-fixing, but on this day he became Liverpool's saviour. First he made his presence known with the visible berating of Jim Beglin during the Reds' lacklustre first half, and then later in the game he sprang to make one of the great cup final saves from Graeme Sharp at a critical time in the contest.

Liverpool, by their own exceptional standards, were lucky to be 1-0 down at half-time, yet they were about to produce a perfect encapsulation of their season, turning on the style in the second period as they responded to the words of player-manager Kenny Dalglish.

Ian Rush scored a 'classic Liverpool goal' © Getty Images

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Dalglish, still revered as the greatest player to have donned the Liverpool shirt, could not take the ultimate credit for this turnaround though. That honour belonged to Danish midfielder Jan Molby, a man of sublime passing ability that has best been compared more recently to that of Xabi Alonso. Twice in six second-half minutes Molby created Liverpool goals, cementing this day as the one to define his Anfield career.

"It's everyone's dream to play in an FA Cup final, but to play in one and make an impact was great, because I think a lot of people have played in FA Cup finals and are forgotten about. But I'm fortunate enough that people talk about my performance in that game," Molby reflects.

Molby's first assist was the trademark of a man who subscribed to the old adage of allowing the ball to do the work. Never the most athletic of players, his timing and weight of the pass to Ian Rush was faultless as Rush rounded Bobby Mimms for 1-1. While Rush will always be the official scorer of the goal, it will also carry the memory of Reds midfielder Craig Johnstone reverting to his schoolboy ways as he desperately tried to steal the glory on the goal-line.

"For the first goal it was about getting the ball into an area that I knew Rushie could get to and then we knew it was going to be a goal," said Molby. "It was a big goal and a big moment in that game because if we hadn't got that equaliser then Everton may have gone on to win the game."

Molby's influence undoubtedly took the game away from Everton. By the 62nd minute it was Liverpool who led as he danced his way into the box before crossing for Johnstone to this time grab a goal of his own, and then with seven minutes remaining Molby played a reverse pass of stunning vision to set Liverpool on their way to the clincher. The pass released Ronnie Whelan, who then famously ignored his manager Dalglish to chip a more difficult pass for Rush to slam home the winner.

"That third goal was what we were all about," said Molby. "Everton had to come out and attack us and left us room, and if there is one team that would exploit that space it was us. One or two quick passes, then Ian Rush, bang, 3-1 and we had won the game."

This weekend it is the job of Roy Hodgson and David Moyes to produce hope of a return to those heady days for Merseyside, days which provide perspective on how great a tragedy it would be for English football for either of these footballing institutions to suffer relegation.

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