Liverpool 2 v 0 Nottingham Forest
First Division
December 9th 1978
This win against a Forest side who were unbeaten in their last 42 league games finally ended an Indian sign that Brian Clough's men seemed to have held over the Reds since their promotion 18 months earlier. Although the Reds went into this league game on top of the table and six points ahead of 4th placed Forest, the oppositions two games in hand meant victory was crucial to keep them at bay, as well as settling a few scores.
Not content with winning the title in their first season back in the top flight, denying the Reds a hat trick of successes, Forest also beat Liverpool in the 1978 League Cup final after a contentious penalty was awarded in the Old Trafford replay. Then, to rub salt in the wounds, they denied the Reds a third successive European Cup, winning 2-0 on aggregate when the sides were paired together in the competition in September 1978. Despite Forest's unbeaten record, they were something of a 0-0 draw specialist and had mustered a meagre 19 goals in 16 games, compared to Liverpool's 42 from 18. It was clearly going to be a case of what was best, Liverpool's attack or Forest's defence.
Liverpool came tearing out of the starting blocks and took the game to Forest, who had no option but to try and hang on for 0-0, whether that was their game plan or not. After 27 minutes, Archie Gemmill upended Kenny Dalglish in the area and a penalty was awarded. Phil Neal, having missed a couple of spot kicks already that season was happy to stand aside to allow Terry McDermott to strike the ball home past a despairing Peter Shilton, who had dived the right way but failed to get a hand to it.
The only surprise at half time was that the scoreline was as low as 1-0, but any fears of a Forest comeback were allayed after 49 minutes when Peter Shilton saved brilliantly from an Alan Kennedy shot, but only into the path of Terry McDermott who knocked home his second. For McDermott it was a personal triumph, as he had goals disallowed in both the League Cup final and replay eight months earlier. After the game, even loudmouth Forest manager Brian Clough was complimentary, saying '..we didn't get a kick from three o'clock onwards.' The result could have been even more comprehensive, with Ray Kennedy having a goal disallowed while the score was 1-0.
Liverpool went on to win the title with a total of 68 points, a record under the two points for a win system. The number of goals conceded, just 16, was also a record low. Forest won the European Cup, having the good fortune of playing part timers of Malmo in the final, but they were never to bother us in our quest for league titles again.
Liverpool: Clemence, Neal, A.Kennedy, Thompson (Johnson), R.Kennedy, Hansen, Dalglish, Case, Heighway, McDermott, Souness. Att: 51,469
Scorers: McDermott pen 29,48