Iconic goals, famous wins and a historic rivalry: Eight memorable clashes between Leeds United and Liverpool

Liverpool and Leeds United have a history of classic encounters, with their long-running rivalry established during the 1960s and 1970s.

Both clubs were crowned champions on England under Bill Shankly and Don Revie respectively and clashes between the clubs are not to be missed.

Here, DAZN News reporter Ross Heppenstall picks out eight memorable battles during the Premier League era as the old adversaries prepare to meet again at Anfield on New Year’s Day.

Leeds United 4-3 Liverpool (August 1992)

This Charity Shield clash at Wembley was the curtain-raiser to the inaugural 1992-93 Premier League season.

Howard Wilkinson’s Leeds were First Division champions and Liverpool had lifted the FA Cup after beating Sunderland at the national stadium three months earlier.

Eric Cantona took centre stage for the Yorkshire club with a hat-trick and left-back Tony Dorigo scored with a deflected free-kick.

Ian Rush, Dean Saunders and a Gordon Strachan own-goal accounted for the Reds’ strikes.

Leeds United 1-0 Liverpool (August 1995)

This was the night when Tony Yeboah scored one of the greatest, and most iconic, goals in Premier League history.

The Ghanaian striker lashed an unstoppable volley past David James, which flew in off the underside of the crossbar to secure Leeds a famous win in their opening game of the 1995/96 season.

Yeboah grew up supporting Liverpool and idolised Anfield great Ian Rush, but this strike against them etched him into Leeds folklore forever.

Yeboah would go on to score a similar stunner against Wimbledon just a few weeks later, as if he were holding a ‘Goal of the Season’ competition all on his own.

Liverpool 5-0 Leeds United 0 (January 1996)

Liverpool won this game at a canter, leading through a Neil Ruddock goal in the first half before running amok after the break.

Robbie Fowler grabbed a brace and Stan Collymore also netted before Ruddock rounded off the scoring with his second and Liverpool's fifth.

That completed a miserable day for Leeds, who had Gary Kelly sent off.

 

Liverpool 1-3 Leeds United (November 1998)

Boyhood Leeds fan Alan Smith had a debut to remember at Anfield in November 1998 as he stepped off the bench to turn this game on its head.

The 18-year-old, who had been on the pitch just three minutes, bagged with his first touch of the game to cancel out Robbie Fowler’s opener.

Smith then linked up with fellow forward Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who scored twice in five minutes in the closing stages to mark a historic 3-1 win on Merseyside.

Leeds would go on to finish the season in fourth place, 13 points ahead of the Reds in seventh.

 

Leeds United 4-3 Liverpool (November 2000)

Mark Viduka scored all four goals for Leeds in a truly amazing encounter at Elland Road.

Liverpool had gone 2-0 up early on with goals from Sami Hyypia and Christian Ziege, but Viduka scored either side of half-time to level the score.

Vladimir Smicer restored Liverpool's advantage before two goals in three minutes from former Celtic forward Viduka secured an incredible win for the hosts.

The game remains one of the most iconic in Premier League history and Viduka later reflected: “Every time I had a sniff of goal, I scored, but I have actually played better.

“These days are very rare, but it was a fantastic win for us.”

Liverpool 1-2 Leeds United (April 2001)

This match saw Leeds take a giant stride towards a Champions League place with a crucial victory against Liverpool at Anfield.

David O’Leary’s side - who at the time were still in contention to win the European Cup that season – moved menacingly into third place with an impressive display.

Leeds started in rampant mood and left Liverpool facing a massive task with first half goals from Rio Ferdinand and Lee Bowyer.

Steven Gerrard threw Liverpool a lifeline with a goal at the start of the second half - but was then sent off as Gerard Houllier’s men slipped to a costly defeat.

 

Leeds United 1-6 Liverpool (April 2023)

Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota both scored twice as Liverpool claimed a first win in five Premier League games.

Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez also scored for Jurgen Klopp’s Reds, while Leeds’ goal came from Luis Sinisterra.

 

Leeds United 3-3 Liverpool (December 2025)

This was a match which produced a remarkable sequence of events that will live long in the memory.

The action on the pitch really began in the second half when, after a goalless first half, the match sprung into life.

Hugo Ekitike scored two goals in three minutes to put Liverpool in early second-half control but the Whites hit back through Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Anton Stach.

Dominik Szoboszlai restored the Reds’ lead, but Ao Tanaka rescued a point for Leeds at the death.

After the game the drama continued when Mohamed Salah – an unused substitute – made the stunning claim to reporters that he had been “thrown under the bus” by Liverpool and that his relationship with head coach Arne Slot had broken down.

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