Liverpool FC’s 2023/24 Premier League campaign kicks-off on Sunday 14th August with a trip to London to face Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea FC. The Reds have previously won nine Premier League matches away from home on the opening weekend of the season and we’re taking a look back at all eight…

CRYSTAL PALACE FC 1-6 LIVERPOOL FC

20 August 1994 @ Selhurst Park

Manager Roy Evans deployed winger Steve McManaman in a new roving attacking role and newly-promoted Crystal Palace FC simply couldn’t cope with him at Selhurst Park. Jan Mølby opened the scoring with a 12th minute penalty after Rob Jones was fouled in the box and two minutes later McManaman dribbled forward from the half-way line before curling home from just inside the Eagles’ penalty box.

When Robbie Fowler pounced on a sliced backpass to add an unerring third from 20 yards out it was all over before half-time and although Chris Armstring got one back for the hosts, the Reds had more goals in them.

Captain Ian Rush headed home a Stig Inge Bjornebye cross following a lovely passing move before McManaman arrived in the box to stab home Jamie Redknapp’s pull-back. The Eagles, who had future international managers Gareth Southgate and Chris Coleman in their side, had no response and when Barnes flicked on Bjornebye’s corner for Rush to head in a sixth, Liverpool FC had their biggest opening day win of the Premier League era.

LFC XI: James, Jones, Nicol, Ruddock, Bjornebye, Redknapp, Mølby (Thomas 87), Barnes, McManaman, Fowler, Rush (C). Subs not used: Stensgaard, Harkness.

SOUTHAMPTON FC 1-2 LIVERPOOL FC

16 AUGUST 1998 @ The Dell

The short-lived era of Liverpool FC having joint managers Roy Evans and Gérard Houllier got off to a winning start at Southampton FC with Michael Owen netting the winner following his FIFA World Cup ‘98 exploits in France.

Liverpool FC had right-back Vegard Heggem making his debut and Steve Staunton his second debut after returning from Aston Villa FC, but it was the Saints who took the lead when a deflected cross looped towards Egil Østenstad and his glancing header caught Paul Ince on the way in.

It took three minutes for the Redmen to respond - Karl-Heinz Riedle rising highest to convert an Owen cross - and it was the teenage star striker who earned all three points in the 74th minute when Southampton FC goalkeeper Paul Jones could only palm an Ince header towards him for a simple tap-in.

LFC XI: Friedel, Heggem, Carragher, Babb, Staunton, McManaman, McAteer, Ince (C), Berger (Harkness 75), Riedle, Owen. Subs not used: James, Kvarme, Leonhardsen, Thompson.

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY FC 1-2 LIVERPOOL FC

7 AUGUST 1999 @ HILLSBOROUGH

Gérard Houllier began his first full season in sole charge of Liverpool FC by giving six players - Sander Westerveld, Sami Hyypiä, Didi Hamann, Vladimir Šmicer, Titi Camara and Erik Meijer - their debuts as the Reds recorded an opening-day win at Hillsborough.

Despite all the news rivals, it was tried and trusted goalscorer Robbie Fowler who broke the deadlock in the 75th minute with a beautiful, clipped finish from Šmicer’s pass.

On a poignant afternoon - it was the first time the Reds had visited Sheffield Wednesday FC since a memorial to mark the 10th anniversary of the 1989 Hillsborough Disaster had been installed at the stadium - Guinea international striker Camara made it 2-0 from the rebound after Fowler’s powerful shot was parried by Pavel Srníček with Benito Carbone’s late goal merely a consolation for the Owls.

LFC XI: Westerveld, Heggem, Hyypiä, Carragher, Matteo, Šmicer, Redknapp (C), Hamann (Thompson 24, (Staunton 81)), Berger, Fowler, Camara (Meijer 89). Subs not used: Nielsen, Song.

ASTON VILLA FC 0-1 LIVERPOOL FC

18 August 2002 @ Villa Park

John Arne Riise got the winner, but it was El Hadji Diouf that everybody was talking about on his Premier League debut at Villa Park. Liverpool FC’s Senegalese forward caught the eye with his dribbling, skill and enthusiasm, but was also booked for dissent and missed a sitter before half-time.

Thankfully for Gérard Houllier’s Reds, Riise was more clinical in the 47th minute after Danny Murphy burst forward and supplied a perfect pass for the only goal of the game, yet this clash could easily have ended up with a bigger scoreline.

Jerzy Dudek made a stunning save to deny ex-Red Steve Staunton, who struck an upright from the rebound, and Michael Owen had a glorious opportunity to make it 2-0 from the penalty spot after Steven Gerrard was fouled by Gareth Barry, but his penalty was saved by Peter Enckelman.

LFC XI: Dudek, Xavier, Hyypiä (C), Traoré, Murphy, Hamann, Gerrard, Riise, Diouf (Carragher 90), Owen (Heskey 81). Subs not used: Kirkland, Šmicer, Cheyrou

ASTON VILLA FC 1-2 LIVERPOOL FC

11 August 2007 @ Villa Park

Fernando Torres made his Liverpool FC debut as Steven Gerrard scored arguably the Reds’ most famous winning goal on the opening day of a Premier League season. Rafa Benítez’s squad was so strong that Javier Mascherano, Yossi Benayoun and Peter Crouch didn’t even make the bench, but it was Aston Villa FC defender Martin Laursen who gave the Reds the lead on the half-hour mark with an own goal from Dirk Kuyt’s pull-back.

Villa rarely looked like getting level and Benítez sent on new signings Ryan Babel and Andriy Voronin for their LFC debuts, but when Jamie Carragher was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box Villa skipper Gareth Barry equalised from the spot with just five minutes to play.

It looked like two points dropped until Gerrard was fouled around 25 yards from goal. He stepped up to curl a stunning free-kick just inside the angle of crossbar and post with a full-stretch Stuart Taylor unable to prevent the Liverpool FC captain from securing a dramatic late 2-1 victory.

LFC XI: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Arbeloa, Pennant (Babel 73), Alonso, Gerrard, Riise, Kuyt (Sissoko 89), Torres (Voronin 78).

Subs not used: Itandje, Hyypiä.

SUNDERLAND AFC 0-1 LIVERPOOL FC

16 August 2008 @ Stadium of Light

Wearing their new silver away kit and with new signings Robbie Keane and Andrea Dossena making their Liverpool FC Premier League debuts, Rafa Benítez’s men left it late to claim a 1-0 victory at Sunderland AFC.

After a tight opening period, the game changed when midfield maestro Xabi Alonso - who had started on the bench after suffering a dead leg - came on for young French midfielder Damien Plessis at half-time. Alonso almost scored with an effort from the half-way line and created the winner for Fernando Torres.

Liverpool’s number nine hadn’t been at his best, but when Steven Gerrard dummied a deft Alonso pass Torres collected the ball, took a couple of touches and blasted a powerful low shot past Black Cats’ goalie Craig Gordon from 25 yards out. “We’re only talking about one moment, but that’s all-top players need,” said Sunderland AFC boss Roy Keane. “That’s why he cost a few bob.”

LFC XI: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Hyypiä, Dossena, Kuyt, Plessis (Alonso 46), Gerrard (C), Benayoun (Aurelio 80), Keane (El Zhar 77), Torres. Subs not used: Cavalieri, Agger, Škrtel, Ngog.

STOKE CITY FC 0-1 LIVERPOOL FC

9 August 2015 @ Bet365 Stadium

Brendan Rodgers’ final couple of months as Liverpool FC manager began with Philippe Coutinho striking a brilliant late winning goal at the Bet365 Stadium on an afternoon when Jordan Henderson officially began his stint as LFC captain and five Reds made their debuts.

New arrivals James Milner, Joe Gomez, Nathaniel Clyne and Christian Benteke all started, while Roberto Firmino came on in the 78th minute with the score at 0-0. One of these five new arrivals played at left-back and assisted the only goal of the game, but perhaps not who you would expect.

Coming in off the touchline, Gomez spinged a pass between two Stoke City FC defenders for Coutinho to control on the half-turn. The Brazilian shrugged off the attention of Steve Sidwell, nudged the ball forward a couple of times and let fly from 30 yards out with a dipping shot that crashed into the net for a stunning 86th minute winning goal.

LFC XI: Mignolet, Clyne, Škrtel, Lovren, Gomez, Henderson (C), Ibe (Firmino 78), Milner, Coutinho, Lallana (Can 63), Benteke. Subs not used: Bogdan, Touré, Moreno, Origi, Ings.

ARSENAL FC 3-4 LIVERPOOL FC

14 August 2016 @ Emirates Stadium

Sadio Mané, Gini Wijnaldum and Ragnar Klavan all made their debuts as Jürgen Klopp’s first full season in charge of the Reds began with an entertaining win against Arsenal FC at the Emirates Stadium.

Simon Mignolet saved a Theo Walcott penalty on the half-hour mark, but a minute later the Arsenal FC strike gave the Gunners the lead. A minute into first-half stoppage-time, Philippe Coutinho equalised with an unstoppable free-kick from as far out as his winner at Stoke City FC a year earlier.

Liverpool FC began the second half on fire with Adam Lallana chesting down Wijnaldum’s pass and slotting home before Coutinho met Nathaniel Clyne’s low cross to convert. When Mané sped down the right, cut between two defenders and curled a sensational left-footed shot into the top corner to put the Reds 4-1 up it looked like a thumping win was on the cards, but goals from future Red Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Calum Chambers got the Gunners back to 4-3 in a thrilling start to season 2016/17.

LFC XI: Mignolet, Clyne, Lovren, Klavan, Moreno, Wijnaldum (Stewart 88), Henderson (C), Lallana (Origi 76), Mané, Firmino, Coutinho (Can 70). Subs not used: Manninger, Grujić, Matip, Alexander-Arnold

NORWICH CITY FC 0-3 LIVERPOOL FC

14 August 2021 @ Carrow Road

Liverpool FC were two wins away from completing an unprecedented quadruple during the 2021/22 campaign and it all began with a comprehensive 3-0 win against Norwich City FC at Carrow Road.

Diogo Jota fired the Redmen ahead in the first half by wrong-footing Canaries’ goalkeeper Tim Krul with a low shot after Mo Salah touched the ball into his path, and it was the Egyptian King who created LFC’s second for Bobby Firmino with a low cross after Sadio Mané’s initial effort was blocked.

Salah then set a new Premier League record by becoming the first player to score on the opening day of five consecutive seasons with a lovely, curled finish, but Liverpool’s 3-0 win was only secured when Alisson made a world-class stop from Ben Gibson to preserve a clean sheet.

LFC XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Tsimikas, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Fabinho 61), Milner (C), Keïta (Elliott 83), Salah, Jota (Firmino 61), Mané. Subs not used: Kelleher, Konaté, Gomez, Minamino, Origi, Woodburn.