FOREST HISTORY · Historic event
Rice and Webb sink Liverpool
On this day in 1988 Forest beat Liverpool 2–1 at the City Ground in the First Division.
Nottingham Forest beating Liverpool at the City Ground in the late 1980s still carried the feel of a serious First Division statement.
Forest won 2–1, with Brian Rice scoring in the 48th minute and Neil Webb adding a second three minutes later. Liverpool pulled one back soon after, and a later Nigel Clough penalty was saved by Mike Hooper, so Forest still had to protect the lead.
The match had been goalless at half-time, which made Forest’s quick second-half burst decisive. In a side shaped by Brian Clough’s control and midfield quality, Rice and Webb gave the afternoon its decisive Forest names.
The result mattered because it was not simply another home win. Beating Liverpool in that period always felt like a measure of where a team stood, and Forest had enough authority and finishing edge to take the points against one of the country’s strongest sides.
Sources
The City Ground; 11v11; LFCHistory
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Peter Davenport gave Nottingham Forest a centre-forward’s afternoon to remember by scoring all three goals in a 3–2 First Division win over Arsenal. Forest…
Nottingham Forest beating Liverpool at the City Ground in the late 1980s still carried the feel of a serious First Division statement. Forest won…