There are always debates relating to greatness in sport. Constant comparisons between individuals and teams from various eras spark conversations in pubs, on phone-ins and social media, as those involved dig their heels in and present evidence supporting their case.
Arguing about the greatest football team to ever play the sport could prove tiring. Judgement is often clouded by club allegiances, recency bias, or the more mature among us refusing to believe that a team from the distant past will ever be surpassed.
Take the Liverpool team in the 1987/88 season. Surely there can be no argument that Kenny Dalglish's side were great, as they swept aside the rest of the First Division with football that seemed to be from a different planet. The last great Liverpool team of that era has to enter a competitive field as the best to hail from Anfield during the glory years.
Just take a look back at that 1987/88 campaign. After experiencing a rare trophy free season the previous year, Dalglish responded by adding Peter Beardsley, John Barnes, and Ray Houghton to his squad, and along with John Aldridge - purchased in January 1987 - Liverpool's attacking potency proved too much to handle.
A 29-match unbeaten run at the start of the league campaign - equalling the mark set by Leeds in 1973/74 - confirmed Liverpool's superiority over the rest of the pack, with particular highlights including a 2-1 win at Highbury on the opening day of the season, a 4-1 win at Newcastle live on the BBC, a 4-0 crushing of early season leaders QPR, and a 2-0 derby win over Everton at Anfield.
It wasn't just the unbeaten run that left the other contenders feeling helpless. It was the class of this Liverpool team that took the breath away. Come the end of the season, the BBC Match of the Day Goal of the Season competition consisted solely of goals from Liverpool players, a move that would go down well now in the social media age, but at the time one that was hard to argue with (although we tried our best).
If there is one performance that can be used to demonstrate Liverpool's dominance then look no further than Wednesday April 13, 1988. A night at Anfield that combined the brilliance and flair of Brazil, Real Madrid and the Harlem Globetrotters saw Liverpool rightfully showered with praise and accolades aplenty as you pondered a display bordering on perfection.
Liverpool 5 Nottingham Forest 0. For a tenth time in the league season Liverpool scored four or more goals in a match, but this was no ordinary victory. Forest were third in the table as they arrived on Merseyside, and it is often forgotten how good a team Brian Clough built towards the end of the 80s. Yet his young team were lambs to the slaughter that evening. It was truly men against boys.
Even those of us at the time who held an "anyone but Liverpool" grudge were lucky enough to witness the exhibition on Sportsnight. Admittedly you watched the highlights and wondered about the competitive nature of the league if one team were this far in front of the others. But it was hard not to be blown away by such a stunning example of beautiful football.
Coming just four days after the clubs at met in the FA Cup semi-finals, Forest were out for immediate redemption after losing 2-1 at Hillsborough. One of just two teams at that point that had defeated Liverpool in the league, there was also the opportunity of completing the double over Dalglish's side.
Yet it soon became apparent that Liverpool were playing fantasy football that night. The opening goal in the 18th minute was a sign of things to come. Alan Hansen sublimely intercepted a pass with ease before laying the ball off to Houghton, the midfielder then playing a one-two on the edge of the box with Barnes, before slotting past Steve Sutton.
"It looked simple but done as speed it's a great testament to the way Liverpool play," commentator John Motson noted, a quote that justifiably could have been used for most of Liverpool's display in the 72 minutes that followed. It wasn't just the chances Liverpool capitalised on. Some of their near things were just as thrilling.
Jinking away from Stuart Pearce, Barnes threaded a lovely pass through to Beardsley who would be denied by Sutton. Barnes then hit the post after Sutton had saved from the excellent Steve McMahon. The PFA Player of the Year, Barnes was simply unplayable, an outstanding combination of pace, power, grace and flair that made his £900,000 transfer fee look the bargain of the decade.
Beardsley was not far behind Barnes on the evening, and it would be his delicious turn and through ball that led to the second goal scored in the 37th minute. The collective gasp from the crowd as the brilliance of Beardsley's pass became apparent indicated just how good it was. Aldridge chipped past Sutton for his 26th goal of a memorable season.
Before half-time, Beardsley struck the bar, Sutton would thwart Houghton after a brilliantly worked free kick involving Barnes and Beardsley, and Aldridge would go close after a McMahon dummy that caused Motson to emit a sound that summed up his growing feeling of pleasure as the match progressed.
"Nottingham Forest are doing their best but what can they do against this tidal wave?", Motson enquired as the half came to an end. "Something close to a 45-minute football fantasy," he added. This was far from hyperbole from the often excitable voice of football on the BBC. It was that good.
There was more to come. Losing Des Walker at half-time was a blow for the visitors, although it is questionable if Forest's classy centre back could have done anything to repel the constant wave of attacks surging towards the Kop. For 19-year-old substitute Darren Wassall, it must have been the steepest of learning curves.
Barnes continued to entertain, his run from the edge of the box seeing him glide past Forest defenders as if they were training cones, as McMahon tested Sutton again. Forest's keeper, who was superb on a chastening evening, then denied Beardsley, before Gary Gillespie swept home after a neatly worked corner in the 58th minute.
After exchanging passes with Beardsley, Hansen could have scored himself, but unselfishly he attempted to square the ball to Aldridge for what would have been another delightful goal. But on a night where the Liverpool faithful were spoilt, there was not too long to wait for a moment of magic.
Fittingly it was Barnes who provided the assist, nutmegging Steve Chettle on the touchline and gliding away from Gary Crosby, as Motson chuckled at the audacity of it all. Beardsley fired past Sutton to cap a fine display but there was still time for the final cherry on the cake.
Nigel Spackman set up a glorious chance for Houghton, bursting into the area down Forest's right, only for the Irish international to blaze into the Kop. But when Spackman repeated the run in the 88th minute, Aldridge was left with a tap-in, putting the finishing touches on Liverpool's five-star performance.
"They've proved tonight that they have no peers in the modern First Division," Motson concluded as Liverpool's players left the field to an ovation. He may have been stating the obvious, but there could be no doubting the bare facts. The gap between Liverpool and the rest seemed scary. "No one could have competed them," Forest chairman Maurice Roworth stated. "They are the best team in Europe."
The newspaper reports rightly lauded the display. "With a turn of speed and swiftness of foot that deceived the eye and bemused their opponents, they gave the 39,535 at Anfield last night a display of precision and power that seems unstoppable," Cynthia Bateman wrote in the Guardian. The Times' Stuart Jones remarked "the evening would embrace such sweeping beauty."
"This was definitely the best performance since I came here, especially when you consider we were playing one of the top three sides in the country," Barnes added. Hansen confirmed the display had been "the best since I've been here". Ten days later, Liverpool clinched their 17th title. Wimbledon may have denied them the double, but this was a season to remember.
Perhaps the final word should go to Sir Tom Finney who was present to witness the thrilling performance against Forest. "It was the finest exhibition I've seen the whole time I've played and watched the game. You couldn't see it bettered anywhere, not even in Brazil. The moves they put together were fantastic."
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