Man United 1-0 Liverpool
FA Cup Final, 11th May, 1996
Liverpool’s last visit to Wembley saw them playing under the twin towers rather than the Wembley arch, coming seven years before the old stadium was demolished.
The 1996 FA Cup Final isn’t a happy memory in the distinguished history of The Reds, suffering defeat at the hands of their fiercest rivals as Eric Cantona’s late winner gave Man United victory.
The other enduring image of the day, other than David James’ superman attempt to catch the ball before dropping it at the Frenchman’s feet, is of those now infamous cream Armani suits complete with Gucci shoes. The ‘Spice Boys’ were born – a team of good looking players who would never fulfil their potential, perhaps personifying the changing face of English football in the nineties as the glitz and glamour of the Premier League swept the nation.
Cantona’s goal completed a League and Cup double for United, while Roy Evans’ team finished the season trophyless. It was a sign of the times as United’s domestic dominance continued throughout the decade and Liverpool were always the ‘nearly men’.
The match also brought to an end Ian Rush’s career at Liverpool, after 660 appearances and 346 goals.
Liverpool (3-5-2): James, Scales, Wright, Babb; McAteer, Redknapp, Barnes, Jones (Thomas); McManaman; Fowler, Collymore (Rush).
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