Midfielders

Steve McMahon

Appearances: 38
Goals: 5

Steve McMahon was the sole outfield player to appear in all 38 of Liverpool FC's league games in 1989/90, the only one of the Scouse midfielder's seven seasons at Anfield in which he didn't miss a game. Providing grit, steel and drive in the centre of the park, he also weighed in with five goals including a delightfully chipped finish to round off arguably the Reds' best team goal of the season during the 5-2 win against Chelsea FC at Stamford Bridge in December. A month earlier he had driven home the opening goal in a huge 2-1 home win against defending Champions Arsenal FC. That win took the Reds from third to first, and they remained in the top two for the rest of the season.

John Barnes

Appearances: 34
Goals: 22

Undoubtedly Liverpool FC's Player of the Season, John Barnes struck 22 goals in 34 league games and was named as Football Writers' Footballer of the Year for a second time. Playing both on the left wing and as a central striker, Barnes scored some absolutely sensational goals including brilliant free-kicks at home to Crystal Palace FC, Arsenal FC and Luton Town FC and an outrageous chip at Millwall FC. He also netted in home and away wins against Everton FC, 3-2 at Goodison Park and 2-1 at Anfield, and got both goals in the 2-1 victory against Manchester United FC at Old Trafford in March. Add to that an important equaliser, four minutes from time, to earn a 1-1 draw against Arsenal FC at Highbury in April, and it was fitting that a Barnes penalty clinched Liverpool FC's 18th league title in the 2-1 win against Queens Park Rangers FC at Anfield. He celebrated in style by netting a hat-trick on the final day of the season as the Reds completed their championship-winning campaign with a 6-1 win at Coventry City FC.

Ronnie Whelan

Appearances: 34
Goals: 1

Vice-captain Ronnie Whelan lifted the FA Cup for Liverpool FC in 1989 and remained a vital member of Kenny Dalglish's 1990 title-winning side, operating in central midfield alongside Steve McMahon. With McMahon an ever-present and Whelan only missing the final four games of the season after suffering an injury during the 1-1 draw against Arsenal FC at Highbury in April, the consistency of both players was a huge factor in Liverpool FC's success. Whelan would tend to sit deeper than McMahon and only scored once, the winning goal at Wimbledon FC in October, but he also netted a famous own goal during the 2-1 win at Manchester United FC. Attempting to play the ball back to Bruce Grobbelaar, he lobbed the Liverpool FC goalkeeper from the edge of the box – although with John Barnes having already netted twice it didn't affect the outcome of the game.

Ray Houghton

Appearances: 19
Goals: 1

Right-sided midfielder Ray Houghton wasn't fit enough to start a league game until the last weekend of October, but when he returned to Kenny Dalglish's side, for Tottenham Hotspur FC's visit to Anfield, he made an immediate impact. It was from Houghton's through-ball that John Barnes raced clear to net the only goal in a 1-0 win. In each of his other four seasons at LFC Houghton netted between seven and 12 goals, but his only league strike in 1989/90 came during the 5-2 win against Chelsea FC at Stamford Bridge. That was largely due to another injury. Sustained after the 2-1 Boxing Day win at home to Sheffield Wednesday FC, it meant the Republic of Ireland international started just five league games in 1990, but ended the campaign with the second league winners' medal of his Liverpool FC career.

Jan Molby

Appearances: 17
Goals: 1

Regarded as one of the finest passers of the ball to have worn the red of Liverpool FC, Danish midfielder Jan Molby had to wait until November before he started a league game with Kenny Dalglish bringing him in as a sweeper for the 2-1 win at Millwall FC. Molby was selected to play there in a number of games in December as the Reds boss dealt with an injury crisis by reverting to a five-man defence with Big Jan, as he was known, scoring his only goal of the season against Sheffield Wednesday FC on Boxing Day. After starting in LFC's final game of 1989, a 1-0 Anfield victory against Charlton Athletic FC, he didn't play again until April when Ronnie Whelan was ruled out for the remainder of the season.