Liverpool’s Best Unbeaten Starts to a Season

Few English clubs are as synonymous with success as Liverpool FC. Picking up their first League title in 1900-01 and a record-equalling 20th in 2024-25, few decades have passed without Liverpool lifting the First Division or Premier League trophy. Enjoying huge success on the European front – six European Cup/Champions League titles by 2018-19 – Reds fans have had more reasons to celebrate than most over the years.

With so many trophies littering the Anfield trophy cabinet, Liverpool have clearly ended many seasons well. However, here we look back at the other end of the campaign. Starting with the historic 1893-94 season and continuing through to the modern day, we highlight the years where the Reds have burst out of the traps with a blistering unbeaten league run. How long was the longest unbeaten run of all? And does a fast start always lead to a glittering silverware-laden finish?

1893-94: The Barclay & McKenna Invincibles

Liverpool began life in the English Football League in fine style. One year after their formation, the Reds kicked off in Division Two. Under the guidance of managers William Barclay and John McKenna, the club produced Liverpool’s first and, as of 2025/26, only unbeaten season.

Starting with a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough Ironopolis, Liverpool mastered sides including Ardwick, Small Heath, Burton Swifts, and Burslem Port Vale to win the Second Division in an unbeaten canter. However, 22 wins and 6 draws were still not enough to earn automatic promotion. The Reds booked their place in the top flight when beating Newton Heath (the club that would become Manchester United) in a playoff, extending their unbeaten run to 29 games.

1949-50: A Season of Two Halves

Following a disappointing 12th-place finish in 1948-49, Liverpool weren’t among the favourites to lift the title in 1949-50. However, once the season began, the Reds started like champions. Future manager Bob Paisley scored the first goal of the campaign in a 4-2 win over Sunderland, triggering a 19-game unbeaten run.

That streak ended with back-to-back 3-2 defeats at Huddersfield Town and Sunderland, signalling a downturn in fortunes. The goals of Scottish duo Willie Fagan and Billy Liddell kept Liverpool top of the league on Good Friday – but then the wheels came off. Starting with a 5-1 thrashing at Newcastle, Liverpool lost four of their final five games to slump to eighth in the table. Liverpool then lost 2-0 to Arsenal in the FA Cup final to cap a disappointing end to a season that promised so much.

1987-88: Barnes, Beardsley, and Aldridge Shine

With Bruce Grobbelaar in goal, Alan Hansen marshalling the defence, and Steve McMahon patrolling the midfield, Liverpool had a solid base to work from in 1987/88. However, with player-manager Kenny Dalglish reducing his playing time and Ian Rush departing for Juventus, much depended on how the new-look attack would click.

Happily for the Anfield faithful, new signings Peter Beardsley and John Barnes struck up an immediate understanding with hitman John Aldridge. The trio helped Liverpool go unbeaten in a record-equalling 29 games at the start of the season. Everton ended that run with a 1-0 win at Goodison Park, but that was one of only two league defeats all term. A home win over Spurs confirmed Liverpool as champions with four games to spare as they finished nine points clear of Manchester United. Things didn’t go so well in the FA Cup Final, as Liverpool suffered a shock defeat to Vinnie Jones and the Wimbledon Crazy Gang.

1990-91: Flying Start Comes to Nothing

As the reigning champions, Liverpool showed no sign of relinquishing their crown in the early stages of 1990/91. Getting underway with a 3-1 win at Bramall Lane, the Reds embarked on an eight-game winning streak, including a 4-0 victory over Manchester United at Anfield. Across the first 14 games, only draws at Norwich and at home to Manchester City interrupted their perfect start. With Ian Rush back in the fold and John Barnes continuing to thrive, another title looked on the cards.

However, the 14-game unbeaten run ended with an emphatic 3-0 defeat at Arsenal in December. By February, Dalglish had resigned, Alan Hansen had confirmed his retirement, and Peter Beardsley found himself out of favour. In the end, Liverpool set a record with a 10th consecutive top two finish, but were no match for champions Arsenal, who lost only once all season.

2007-08: 14-Unbeaten and Trophyless for a Second Time

With Rafa Benitez at the helm and a squad including Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, and Fernando Torres, Liverpool were the early pacesetters in 2007/08. Winning 2-1 at Villa Park on the opening day, the Reds won eight and drew six of their opening 14 games to head into the festive period on a high. Would this be the year they claimed their first title since the 1989-90 season?

The unbeaten run surprisingly ended with a 3-1 loss at Reading, who were ultimately relegated that year. From there, Liverpool could never quite claw themselves back into contention. They lost only three times that season, but 13 draws proved too many for a title challenge, seeing the Reds finish fourth behind winners Manchester United.

2018-19: When 97 Points Wasn’t Enough

In many ways, the 2018/19 season was one of the most impressive in the history of Liverpool Football Club: 30 league wins equalled the club record at the time, they went unbeaten at home for the second consecutive season, and 97 points represented the third-highest total by any side in the history of the English top-flight.

Those impressive stats were fuelled by a sizzling start: 17 wins and three draws from their first 20 games. The incredible run ended with a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad – their only league loss of the season, but one that proved hugely significant. Despite winning 13 and drawing 4 of their final 17 fixtures, Liverpool finished one point behind Manchester City, who ended the season with an incredible 14 consecutive wins. The Reds did, however, end the year on a high with a 2-0 win over Spurs in the Champions League final.

2019-20: A Season of Two Halves

Having come up short in one of the most thrilling battles for the Premier League title, Jurgen Klopp’s Reds were in no mood to play second fiddle for a second time. In 2019/20, Liverpool simply didn’t give City or anyone else a chance.

Opening up with eight successive wins, Liverpool’s first minor bump came in a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford. With Mo Salah, Sadio Mané, and Roberto Firmino firing on all cylinders, they responded to that blip by winning their next 18 games on the spin. By the time Liverpool suffered a shock defeat at Watford, they had won 26 and drawn one of their first 27 games – the best start ever recorded in any of Europe’s top five leagues.

25 points clear at one stage; Liverpool could afford to ease off slightly towards the end. Even so, their final total of 99 points and 32 wins were both new club records as they won the title with seven games to spare – finishing 18 points clear of Manchester City.