1988-89   Prev: 1987-88   Next: 1989-90

• Another season of appalling tragedy for Liverpool. Their FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough is abandoned after 6 minutes following crushing at the Leppings Lane end of the stadium in which 96 supporters die, allegedly due to a poor lack of organisation and coordination by the South Yorkshire Police.
• A fortnight later Liverpool play a Disaster Appeal game at Celtic which raises more than £300,000. Dalglish plays at Parkhead on an emotional occasion, his first start for the club since a pre-season friendly in Copenhagen in July 1987, and scores in a 4-0 win.
• Dalglish and many of the club's players and staff attend as many funerals as they could, as the club and city grieve together.
• After long deliberation about their FA Cup future in the aftermath of Hillsborough, Liverpool continue in the competition and beat Forest 3-1 in the re-staged semi-final at Old Trafford to book an all-Merseyside final with Everton. Rush comes off the bench to score twice in extra-time and give Liverpool a thrilling 3-2 win.
• Six days later, in an incredible climax to the season, Arsenal snatch the championship and deny Liverpool the double with a goal in the dying seconds from Michael Thomas at Anfield. Arsenal win 2-0 to go level on points (76) with Liverpool and with an identical goal difference (37), but win the title on superior number of goals scored (73 to 65).