Liverpool vs Leeds: Classic Clashes Ahead of Saturday's Premier League Curtain Raiser

Champions Liverpool kick off their defence of the Premier League title with a mouthwatering clash against newly promoted Leeds United.

For Marcelo Bielsa's Whites, the game represents a baptism of fire. Leeds have not faced off against the Reds in the Premier League since 2004 and they have not tasted victory at Anfield since 2001.

It wasn't always like this though. When Leeds were at the peak of their powers in the 1970s, the two sides enjoyed one of the fiercest rivalries in English football.

Here are six of the best clashes between the teams...

1965 FA Cup Final

We love watching highlights of old FA Cup finals. The swaying crowds, the immaculate haircuts and the ludicrously posh commentator are all box office viewing.

You can join the party by reliving the 1965 FA Cup final between Liverpool and Leeds via the link above. As the commentary so aptly put it, this was: "English football's War of the Roses."

Leeds were favourites going into the game, finishing five First Division places above Liverpool in second. However, Bill Shankly's Reds would upset the odds, securing a 2-1 win.

At the end of 90 minutes, the deadlock had not been broken but goals from Roger Hunt and Ian St John cancelled out a strike Billy Bremner to secure Liverpool their first ever FA Cup triumph.

FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

Anyone who's read or watched The Damned United - the part fiction, part biopic account of Brian Clough's disastrous 44 day reign in charge of Leeds - will be very familiar with this infamous game.

The 1974 Community Shield was supposed to be a friendly, but that was never going to be the case with Leeds involved, even if their patriarch Don Revie had been replaced by Clough.

An off the ball tussle resulted in Whites midfielder Johnny Giles punching Kevin Keegan square in the face. The referee's decision? Just a yellow. Then, on the hour mark there was more trouble.

Keegan was involved once again, this time with Billy Bremner. The pair both saw red, stripped down to the waist and stormed off down the tunnel. Oh yeah, the game finished 1-1 by the way...not that anyone asked.

Wondergoal

At first glance, Leeds' 1-0 victory over the Reds back in August 1995 may not seem that noteworthy - and in many ways it wasn't. However, it makes this list thanks to a few seconds of magic from a certain United striker.

Tony Yeboah was synonymous with scoring bangers and his strike on that particular evening was one of his best ever. You definitely will have seen it - it has appeared on every Premier League goal compilation of all time - but let us refresh your memories anyways.

It all started with a typically English long ball which was nodded down delicately in Yeoboah's path by Rod Wallace. Without any hint of a misstep, the Ghanaian took three quick sidesteps and shaped to volley from 30 yards out.

It was a sweet strike. So sweet that it left a fresh faced David James with no chance, passionately kissing the underside of the bar on its way in.

Razor at the Double

Neil 'Razor' Ruddock was not known for his scoring exploits, racking up just a handful of goals during his 18 year career.

It remains a mystery how he managed to strike not once, but twice, in Liverpool's win over Leeds back in 1996. The tough tackling defender did still manage to pick up his customary yellow card, adding some sense of normalcy to proceedings.

It was a miserable afternoon for Howard Wilkinson's side with further goals from the free-scoring Robbie Fowler and Stan Collymore eventually condemned them to a 5-0 defeat.

Four Goals Mark? Four? That's Insane

Only 27 players have ever managed to net four goals or more in a Premier League game. One such player is Mark Viduka, who bagged a quad-trick (is that a thing?) against Liverpool back in 2000.

After going 2-0 down, things were looking pretty bleak for Leeds. Step forward Viduka who netted a brace before the Reds poked their noses back in front courtesy of Vladimir Spicer.

A two minute double salvo from the Australian then earned his side the three points. It was one of the all-time great Premier League forward displays. Will Patrick Bamford repeat the trick on Saturday? No, almost certainly not.

The Last Meeting...Until Now

The last Premier League meeting between the two sides at Anfield took place all the way back in October 2003 - and it was a pretty intriguing contest.

Leeds went into the game in the relegation zone after one of their worst ever Premier League starts. The disappointment continued against Gérard Houllier's Reds with Michael Owen, Danny Murphy and, embarrassingly, Florent Sinama-Pongolle all netting in a 3-1 Liverpool win.

Things would little improve as the season progressed with the Whites eventually succumbing to the drop. On Saturday though, their 16-year wait for top flight football will finally come to an end.