Manager Graeme Souness resigned on 29 January 1994 after just under three years in charge following a shock FA Cup exit at the hands of Bristol City, and he was succeeded by long serving coach Roy Evans, who guided the Reds to eighth place in the final table.
It was the last season at Anfield for long-serving goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar and midfielder Ronnie Whelan, who had both been at the club for well over a decade and signed for Southampton and Southend United respectively.
1 Game re-arranged from 8 January; original tie abandoned due to floodlight failure After Paul Stewart's first season at Anfield had been plagued by injury and loss of form, manager Graeme Souness paid £2.275 million for Nottingham Forest striker Nigel Clough as strike-partner to Ian Rush in hope of getting Liverpool challenging for the title again.
Clough made an excellent start to his Liverpool career, scoring two goals on his debut against Sheffield Wednesday in a 2–0 home win on the opening day of the Premier League season.
Liverpool recorded a three-match winning start to the season on 22 August when they crushed newly promoted Swindon Town 5–0 at the County Ground.
[1] After an excellent August, the Reds fell to earth in September as all four of their Premier League games ended in defeat at the hands of Blackburn Rovers at Anfield, Coventry City at Highfield Road, Everton at Goodison Park and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
[3] The only positive note that month came in the Football League Cup second-round first leg at Craven Cottage, in which the Reds beat Fulham 3–1, with Ian Rush and Nigel Clough getting on the scoresheet along with 18-year-old Robbie Fowler, who scored his first goal for the club.
September saw the arrival at Anfield of West Ham United defender Julian Dicks, who was signed in part exchange for David Burrows and Mike Marsh.
The next game saw the Reds draw 1–1 with Manchester City at Maine Road, before the month ended on a high note with a 4–2 home win over Southampton; Robbie Fowler scored a hat-trick.
[6] 1994 began with a 2–1 win for the Reds against Ipswich at Portman Road, and three days later they came from three goals down to draw 3–3 at home to Manchester United in which Nigel Clough (struggling to stay in the first team following the emergence of Robbie Fowler) scored twice.
[8] March was a mixed month for the Reds, who began it with a 2–0 defeat at Kenny Dalglish's Blackburn Rovers, who were hoping to overhaul Manchester United with late run for the title.
A 2–1 home win over Chelsea at Anfield followed, but the month ended on a low note with away defeats to Arsenal and then Manchester United which left the Reds sixth and looking increasingly unlikely to qualify for the UEFA Cup.
[2][9] April was another mixed month for the Reds, who managed to beat Ipswich and West Ham, but were beaten by Sheffield United, Newcastle and Norwich and held to a draw by Wimbledon.