In 2019, Liverpool collected the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and the World Club Cup. This was an unprecedented ‘world treble’ for the Reds, but back in 2001, the club got its hands on another treble. Three years into Gerard Houllier’s reign as manager, his team lifted three pieces of silverware, precuring the League Cup, the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup. Born in 1995, I was too young to watch or appreciate this marvellous trio of trophies at the time, though have since seen highlights and heard stories of them. I have recently sat down and watched full reruns of the finals (available on YouTube) and the roads to those finals too. You can read the first part, about the League Cup, here: This is the second part of my story of re-watching the 2001 treble, nineteen years on…
FA Cup
Gerard Houllier’s run to delivering Liverpool’s sixth FA Cup began with a home win over Rotherham United. The Millers put up a brave defence against a strong Liverpool lineup, but a brace from Emile Heskey and a goal for Didi Hamann did the damage. A tricky trip to Elland Road awaited in the fourth round, and it was a hard-fought, even game which looked to be heading for a replay until the final moments. Nick Barmby finished the rebound after Robbie Fowler had hit the post on 87 minutes before Heskey sealed the deal in injury time. I found it unusual to see the away fans in the South Stand (soon to be the Norman Hunter stand) when they have been situated in the John Charles stand for the best part of a decade now. For me, away fans should be behind a goal at every ground – the atmosphere is much better when this is the case, particularly for a cup game like this where the allocation is higher.
Next up was Manchester City in the last 16, a game that came a week before the League Cup final and in between the two legs of the UEFA Cup last 16, so it was unsurprising that Houllier rotated his squad, with none of Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard or Fowler starting. Nevertheless, Liverpool were 2-0 up quickly. Jari Litmanen made no mistake from the penalty spot after referee Graham Poll had awarded a spot-kick before taking a tumble himself in a moment high on comic value. Litmanen was at the centre of the second, sending a raking ball for Heskey to finish. City got one back but another penalty, this time from Smicer and a goal for Markus Babbel put paid to City’s hopes, though they did get one back late on.
Liverpool didn’t have to travel far in the quarters – Prenton Park for a tie with Tranmere Rovers. It was another 4-2 win for the Reds in an eventful clash settled with goals from Danny Murphy, Owen, Gerrard and Fowler, all of whom scored past current Liverpool goalkeeping coach John Achterberg. The sheer number of away fans in amongst home areas was splendid too, utterly hilarious seeing members of home sections celebrating when Liverpool took the lead. And then came the semi-final, Liverpool drawing League One Wycombe Wanderers – a dream semi-final draw, so you’d think. It took 78 minutes for the Reds to beat inspired goalkeeper Martin Taylor, Heskey heading the opener before Fowler struck a sweet free-kick. A tense finish was set up when Wycombe got one back but Liverpool held on to book their place in a second cup final for the season. On another note, seeing this game at Villa Park made me even more certain in my belief that FA Cup semis should still be held at neutral venues – big grounds with plenty of history like Old Trafford, Villa Park, Hillsborough, St James’ Park, or The City Ground are perfect – save the trip to London, and Wembley, for the final.
Of course there would be no visit to Wembley for this final – that was some six years away from opening – so it was another journey to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, a ground which Liverpool built a great record at over the Wembley-less years. Arsenal had got past rivals Chelsea and Tottenham to get to the final and were slight favourites for the trophy. It was a battle of Frenchmen – Arsene Wenger vs Gerard Houllier in the first ever FA Cup Final with two overseas managers. Liverpool lined up with the same goalkeeper and defence as in the League Cup Final, but made two changes further up the pitch – Igor Biscan was out, with Danny Murphy in his place on the wing, while Houllier decided not to start Fowler, instead going with Owen and Heskey up front. Club captain Jamie Redknapp was unavailable for this final through injury, so Sami Hyypia led the team out. Arsenal’s team looked formidable, boasting the likes of Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires and Ashley Cole, but Wenger opted not to start Dennis Bergkamp, instead going with Sylvain Wiltord alongside Henry.
Liverpool were in their changed yellow and black kit for the final, with Arsenal in the traditional red and white. Only three minutes in, Jamie Carragher was seeing red with Stephane Henchoz – who came so close to losing the League Cup Final for Liverpool – after he got absolutely rinsed in the channel by Henry. Carragher was only 23 at the time but it is interesting to see what a natural leader he was. That was a trait that Liverpool were not short on – Carragher, Gerrard, Hyypia, Fowler and of course Redknapp, the captain of the side who was watching on from the stands. Other early observations of mine included that Ashley Cole’s shirt was too baggy for him.
In my article about Liverpool winning the League Cup a few months earlier, I suggested that Lady Luck was not just on Liverpool’s side, but had entered a marriage with Liverpool after Henchoz somehow didn’t give a penalty away in extra time. Well, it would appear that the wedding vows need renewing. Sixteen minutes in, Henry rounded Westerveld and aimed for the near corner. His shot wasn’t the best and in all probability, was going to hit the post. But it didn’t. It hit Henchoz’s outstretched hand. Neither referee or linesman gave a spot-kick, leaving Henry apoplectic, which he had every right to be. Some might say that if his shot was better, it would’ve gone in and he wouldn’t have had a problem, but that would be me being a smug bastard. Which I can live with.
Owen saw his shot well blocked by Martin Keown four minutes later in the last major action of the first half. Despite being well in the match, Liverpool were quite fortunate to go in at the break level. Arsenal had looked dangerous and though Houllier’s team had defended resolutely so far, they caught a break with the penalty decision which went in their favour. In the ITV studio at half time, the punditry team of Des Lynam, Andy Townsend and Terry Venables discussed how the intense heat was playing a part – the game had started in very lively fashion but had slowed down towards the end of the first half.
The first chance after the interval fell Liverpool’s way, Heskey having his header well saved by David Seaman in the Arsenal goal. From there on though, it was all Gunners pressure. Wenger’s team somehow didn’t go in front when beautiful combination play between Henry and Pires resulted in the former having his chance parried by Westerveld to the onrushing Cole, who was denied by a heroic block from Hyypia on the line. Hamann was replaced by McAllister in the first sub of the day, in a bid to add some creativity and attacking impetus to the Liverpool side.
Arsenal’s pace on the break was lightning and Liverpool simply couldn’t cope with it. The Gunners created a four-on-two situation and only the offside flag saved the Reds from going a goal down. Hyypia then made his second off-the-line clearance, this time from Ljungberg after Henry had squandered an opportunity. Finally, Arsenal got the lead that they deserved. Ljungberg made no mistake this time, rounding Westerveld after the goalkeeper had played a shocking pass, and slotting home for a 1-0 lead with less than 20 minutes left. Henry really should’ve settled the game moments later when he had a pair of chances, but he was having a rare off-day and wasted both.
Let’s be right about this, Arsenal should’ve been out of sight. If they were 4-0 or 5-0 up at this point, I don’t think anyone could have complained. What happened in the space of the next ten minutes was miraculous. A free-kick was initially dealt with by Arsenal, but Babbel won the second ball, and it dropped to Owen, who had been so quiet and so isolated all day. He instinctively swung a stretching half-volley at it, and the ball crashed into the bottom left corner of Seaman’s goal. From nowhere, Liverpool were on level terms with seven minutes to play. The game was heading for extra time, just like the League Cup Final.
Except, it wasn’t. Arsenal had a free-kick in Liverpool’s half which came to nothing. A well-timed long ball over the top from substitute Patrik Berger released Owen. He had to fight off the challenge of Tony Adams. He was all on his own. For a second, time stood still. He had beaten Adams. Owen’s next touch took him twelve yards from goal and to Seaman’s right. Seaman had the near post covered. The far post was free, but it would be incredibly difficult to aim for that area, because the Liverpool striker now had Lee Dixon on him. Owen’s shot was absolutely perfect. It wasn’t a powerful one, and Seaman even got a slight touch on it, but it nestled right in the very bottom of the far corner. Owen had put it in the one place that it could not be stopped. While falling to the floor. They had been battered all day, and don’t ask me how, but Liverpool now led in the FA Cup Final with two minutes to go.
In fact, do ask me how. The answer is simple: Michael Owen. As Clive Tyldesley said on commentary, “he has won the cup for Liverpool all on his own”. In the space of five minutes, he had turned the final around. The whistle blew and Liverpool had done it. The cup double. Celebrations spilled onto the pitch and the trophy was lifted jointly by Fowler and Redknapp, which presumably Hyypia had given the green light to. Hyypia was the only man other than Owen to have a genuine case for being man of the match, the Finn being a rock at the back as Liverpool resisted attack after attack.
The two sides finished the Premier League season just a point apart – Arsenal in 2nd with 70 and Liverpool in 3rd on 69 – and this competition split the two teams by fine margins as well. Those fine margins were the performances of the respective strikers. Thierry Henry and Michael Owen were two of the best strikers in the country at the time, and one of them had a bad day, and the other had a great one. Whatever you think of Owen and his career moves since leaving Liverpool, don’t let that make you forget what a phenomenal player he was, and how he won the 2001 FA Cup for Liverpool almost on his own – a day he still describes as the best of his footballing life.
League Cup. Check. FA Cup. Done. Now, what could possibly be left? Join me for part three soon where I look back at how Liverpool concluded their remarkable treble four days later with a quite incredible UEFA Cup win.
Daniel Daykin
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