January 3, 1975
Fitness tests and injury problems rounded off F.A. Cup week for Bob Paisley on the eve of their round cup tie at Anfield. But Liverpool had a big Cup lift when skipper Emlyn Hughes, injured in training on Wednesday, passed a test on his knee and keeps his place in what will almost certainly be an unchanged team.
The all-clear for Hughes, now facing his 120th consecutive tie in home and European cup competition, left only one new Liverpool casualty – manager Paisley himself, who has gone down with a sudden attack of Euro-flu.
Mr. Paisley, watching from a distance at Melwood, saw Hughes through his fitness check and then went off home to spend the rest of the day in bed, hoping to recover in time to see to-morrow’s tie against Stoke City.
In ‘flu-affacted tones, Mr. Paisley told me: “I’ve seen the doctor and I’m dosed up. I kept well away from the boys at Melwood this morning so as not to pass on the ‘flu but I had to see Emlyn go through his test.
“He’s all right and I’ve added Ray Kennedy, Terry McDermott, Chris Lawler and Phil Boersma to the team which played so well against Manchester City on Boxing Day.”
They have already beaten Stoke, 3-0, at Anfield, this season, although I’m not anticipating such a clear-cut victory to-morrow.
Yet, I’m confident that Liverpool, with their poor spell behind them, will begin the defence of the Cup with a commanding win. The players have been lifted by that Boxing Day show; they believe they can take it from there.
Liverpool (from): Ray Clemence, Phil Neal, Alec Lindsay, Phil Thompson, Peter Cormack, Emlyn Hughes, Kevin Keegan, Brian Hall, Steve Heighway, John Toshack, Ian Callaghan, Ray Kennedy, Terry McDermott, Chris Lawler, Phil Boersma.
Stoke City (from): Peter Shilton, Jackie Marsh, Michael Pejic, John Mahoney, Denis Smith, Alan Dodd, Terry Conroy, Jimmy Greenhoff, Geoff Hurst, Alan Hudson, Geoffrey Salmons, Eric Skeels, Sean Haslegrave.
All turnstiles at Anfield will be opened from 1 p.m. to-morrow and some paddock customers will be able to pay at the gate. Stoke are expected to return a few hundred tickets and they will be on sale at Anfield from 10:30 a.m. to-morrow.
(Source: Liverpool Echo: January 3, 1975)
"Play Up, Liverpool" 