Five memorable FA Cup clashes with Everton

The Reds have met the Toffees more times in the FA Cup than any other team and there have been some cracking moments down the years: jaw-dropping goals, red cards, trophy-winning showdowns, poignant occasions and more.

So, ahead of the 230th Merseyside derby, we've taken a look back through the archives and picked out five of the best in this particular tournament...

1. The second chance semi-final

We begin back in 1977. Bob Paisley's Liverpool were on course for an unprecedented treble of league, European Cup and FA Cup when they were drawn against city rivals Everton in the semi-final of the latter.

The tie would go to a replay after the Reds escaped with a 2-2 draw in the initial meeting at Maine Road, when Everton's Bryan Hamilton had an apparent winner chalked off by Welsh referee Clive Thomas.

"If you look at my body language after Bryan has knocked the ball in, I turned away and just thought 'goal'," former Liverpool skipper Phil Neal later explained. "As I was walking back to the centre circle, I realised, unexpectedly, that Mr Thomas had given us a second chance."

The Reds made no mistake in the replay. Paisley's tactical tinkering nullified the threats Gordon Lee's Everton had posed in the first clash and, when Neal opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 31 minutes, Liverpool never looked back.

Jimmy Case and Ray Kennedy made certain of victory with goals in the dying minutes to book a Wembley date against Manchester United. The Reds would unfortunately fall short in the final but could console themselves with a league and European Cup double.

2. A double dose for the Blues

Liverpool headed into the 1986 FA Cup final having pipped Merseyside rivals Everton to the league title just seven days earlier. It ensured Kenny Dalglish would end his debut season as player-manager with at least one trophy.

But it was Howard Kendall's Everton that made the brightest start at Wembley as summer signing Gary Lineker fired them into a 27th-minute lead and frustration appeared to be getting the better of the Liverpool players when Bruce Grobbelaar and left-back Jim Beglin had a mini bust-up.

But Dalglish's team were level on 57 minutes and, as usual, it was Ian Rush who broke Evertonian hearts. Gary Stevens gave the ball away and Rush, racing onto Jan Molby's pass, rounded Everton 'keeper Bobby Mimms to equalise.

Grobbelaar made a stunning save to deny Graeme Sharp and the Reds took the lead for the first time just past the hour mark when a brilliant run from Molby down the left ended with Craig Johnston slotting home his cross to make it 2-1.

Rush had the final say as he made certain of victory six minutes from time, drilling Ronnie Whelan's beautifully crafted pass past Mimms, famously knocking down a camera that was positioned at the back of the net.

Captain Alan Hansen proudly lifted the FA Cup as Liverpool won the double.

3. The poignant 1989 FA Cup final

Just weeks after the tragic events at Hillsborough, Liverpool and Everton met in an emotionally charged and poignant all-Merseyside FA Cup final at Wembley.

There had been doubts over whether the Reds would continue in the competition following the terrible events that occurred during the semi-final against Nottingham Forest, which resulted in 96 fans losing their lives.

But the feeling was that the city wanted Liverpool to go on. On an incredible day, Gerry Marsden was on the pitch pre-game to sing a spine-tingling, emotional version of 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.

When the match got under way, John Aldridge scored after four minutes, his first ever strike in a red shirt against the Blues, and Liverpool dominated. But with a victory one minute away, Everton substitute Stuart McCall smashed home a loose ball in the box to force extra-time.

And then came the goals. Rush, on for Aldridge, spun and finished past Neville Southall, McCall responded with a volley to make it 2-2 and then Rush contorted his body to head the winner from Barnes' left-wing cross. The Welsh goalscorer supreme had repeated his feat of 1986 by scoring twice against the Blues in the FA Cup final.

The Reds had won. It was a victory that extended far beyond the FA Cup final.

4. Dalglish signs off with thriller

Hailed in the immediate aftermath as one of the most dramatic Merseyside derbies in living memory, most Reds now remember this thrilling encounter as the final match of Dalglish's trophy-laden first stint as Liverpool boss.

Just two days after this replay at Goodison Park, the country's top manager shocked the football world by announcing his resignation. Having led the Reds to three league titles and two FA Cup triumphs while dealing with the disasters at Heysel and Hillsborough, the Scot revealed he had 'pushed himself to the limit'.

"In the dressing room after the 4-4 with Everton no-one had an inkling of what was to follow," Liverpool forward Ray Houghton told the Guardian.

On the pitch that day, Peter Beardsley twice put the Reds ahead but Sharp struck to equalise on each occasion. Rush nodded in from Molby's cross to net his 24th goal in 28 Merseyside derbies and the Reds looked set for victory only for substitute Tony Cottee to nip in and make it 3-3 in the dying seconds.

In extra-time, Neville Southall made a pair of brilliant saves to deny Rush and Barry Vension before John Barnes curled a sensational right-footed strike into the top corner for what would have been a worthy winner. However, with six minutes remaining, Cottee struck once again to force another replay. 

5. Carroll completes Wembley comeback

Having returned to the Anfield hotseat in January 2011, Dalglish's Liverpool side headed into a Wembley semi-final against Everton in April 2012 having won the League Cup at the same stadium just two months earlier. 

But the Reds had been frustratingly inconsistent during the Premier League campaign and it was David Moyes' Blues who were the team in form.

With 24 minutes gone, a mix-up between centre-backs Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger allowed striker Nikica Jelavic to slot past Brad Jones and give Everton an early lead on what looked like being a gloomy day in London.

However, with tens of thousands of nervous fans looking on from the stands, Liverpool found new conviction after the break and equalised when Luis Suarez converted from Sylvain Distin's misplaced backpass.

Then, with extra-time just minutes away, 6'4" striker Andy Carroll rose to the big occasion, leaping above Marouane Fellaini to head in Craig Bellamy's free-kick. The Reds were in raptures and the Blues in despair.

"We put our supporters through it in every big game," defender Jamie Carragher said after the match. "It's not going our way and then we find a way to win. It's something in our DNA."