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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Paul Wheelock

Gary Lineker reveals Liverpool gave him 'one of the worst days of his life'

Gary Lineker has described how Liverpool gave him "one of the worst days" of his life.

The Match of the Day host was speaking on BBC One after the FA Cup semi-final between Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester United at Wembley.

United won a thrilling clash that finished 0-0 after extra-time 7-6 on penalties to set up a showdown in the final with their neighbours Manchester City. It will be the first time the Manchester clubs have met in an FA Cup final.

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The first Merseyside FA Cup final was back in 1986 when Liverpool beat Everton 3-1 at Wembley to complete the league and cup double for the first time in the Anfield club's history.

Lineker had given Everton a 27th-minute lead. It was his 40th and final goal in his one and only season at Goodison Park.

And it was a season that ended trophyless given the Reds had already pipped the Blues to the league championship.

But worse was to follow after the FA Cup final, as Lineker relayed after United's dramatic win over Brighton.

"I managed to play in the first-ever Merseyside final in '86," said former England international Lineker, who was sold to Barcelona after the 1986 World Cup, where he won the Golden Boot.

"Liverpool had already won the league and then we lost in that (the final) as well.

"But they'd already organised an open top bus ride around the city for both teams. So they had the old Division One trophy and the FA Cup and we were in the bus behind without a trophy!"

Upon hearing the story for the first time, pundit Alan Shearer replied: "And you agreed to do that?"

Lineker then said: "Everyone did it. Well, Peter Reid walked off actually! I should have done the same!

"They (Liverpool) were all on the top, waving the trophies, and we were on the bottom, hiding behind the window. It was one of the worst days of my life!"

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