2002–03 Liverpool F.C. season

Season summary

Having finished second the previous season, Liverpool had high hopes to win their first league title since 1990. Indeed, they topped the Premier League table after their first 12 games (including a seven-game winning streak), picking up 30 points out of a possible 36, a run which saw them four points clear at the top from reigning champions Arsenal. However, on 9 November 2002, they suffered a surprise 1–0 away defeat at the hands of high-fliers Middlesbrough. This wasn't completely disastrous; it did see their lead cut to one point but three days later, they completed a miserable week after they bowed out of the Champions League after failure to beat Basel. That week's two results started a freefall of 13 matches without victory (including 11 league games) and a dismal run of only two wins in 16 league matches (both away at Southampton and West Ham United) which ended such title hopes. They were, in fact, out of the top four, altogether never to return after a shock 2–1 defeat at struggling Sunderland. However, their first home league win in four months came in a 2–0 win over Bolton Wanderers on 8 March 2003, starting a more promising run of seven wins in eight league games which almost took the club to Champions League qualification anyway, but defeats at the hands of Manchester City and Chelsea in the final two games of the season buried those hopes. A League Cup win following a 2–0 victory over arch-rivals Manchester United was the sole glorious moment of a disappointing season.

First-team squad

Left club during season

Statistics

Appearances

:As of end of season

Transfers

In

Out

• In: £18,400,000
• Out: £5,250,000
• Total spending: £13,150,000

Competitions

Premier League

Main article: 2002–03 FA Premier League

League table

Results by round

Matches

Murphy Grabbi Riise Owen Shearer Gerrard Campo Heskey Riise Owen Davis Baroš Konchesky Proctor Heskey Bergkamp Gerrard Heskey Morrison Owen Sheringham Heskey
Gerrard Murphy Gerrard Giggs Solskjær Owen Murphy Gerrard Baroš Grønkjær

FA Cup

Matches

Replay Henchoz

League Cup

Matches

Diouf Baroš Baroš Riise Carragher Diouf Clapham Magilton Miller Armstrong Hitzlsperger Henchoz Baroš Gerrard First leg Second leg Owen Owen

Champions League

Main article: 2002–03 UEFA Champions League group stage

Group B

Matches

Baraja Cheyrou Hyypiä Diao Giménez Atouba Šmicer Owen

UEFA Cup

Main article: 2002–03 UEFA Cup final phase

Matches

First leg Second leg First leg Second leg Murphy First leg Second leg Hartson

References

Notes

References

1. (2003-03-02). "Liverpool lift Worthington Cup". BBC Sport.
2. "All Liverpool players: 2003".
3. (16 May 2002). "Cheyrou joins Liverpool". BBC News.
4. (9 July 2002). "Liverpool sign Diarra". BBC News.
5. (24 June 2002). "Diao confirms Liverpool move". BBC News.
6. (8 August 2002). "Barmby lands at Leeds". BBC News.
7. McNulty, Phil. (14 August 2002). "Wright agrees Sunderland deal". BBC News.
8. (30 August 2002). "Ajax sign Litmanen". BBC News.