Profiles: The giants of 1978 Liverpool who visited Dubai when it was still a small town

Gary Meenaghan looks at the starting XI from the 1978 friendly between Liverpool and Al Nasr in Dubai.

Liverpool keeper Ray Clemence shown in the 1977 FA Cup Final. Liverpool travelled to Dubai for a friendly against Al Nasr the following year. Central Press / Getty Images

Gary Meenaghan

Keeper: Ray Clemence – Legendary goalkeeper who won five league titles, three European Cups, three Uefa Cups and 61 caps for England during a career that spanned 23 years. As well as making 470 appearances for Liverpool, he also enjoyed successful spells at Scunthorpe United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Right-back: Phil Neal – Industrious English right-back with an eye for goal. Neal joined Liverpool from Northampton Town in 1974 and went on to win eight league titles, four European Cups, a Uefa Cup and a Uefa Super Cup, scoring 41 times in 455 league games. Capped 50 times for his country and scored five times.

Centre-back: Alan Hansen – The centre-back joined Liverpool from Partick Thistle in 1977 and finished his first season in England with the first of three European Cups. Yet it was not enough to earn him a place in the Scotland squad for the 1978 World Cup, so while Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness flew to Argentina, Hansen flew to Dubai.

Centre-back: Phil Thompson – The other half of Bob Paisley's defensive partnership, Thompson was Liverpool through and through, playing 340 times in the league between 1971 and 1984. He was at the heart of the defence for seven domestic titles, three European Cups and two Uefa Cups, as well as the 1977 Super Cup.

Left-back: Joey Jones – The left-back was the only player to start against Al Nasr who did not take to the field in the 1978 European Cup final two weeks earlier. The previous year, he had become the first Welshman to receive a European Cup winners' medal and earned a reputation as a tough tackling left-back during three years at Anfield.

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Midfielder: Emlyn Hughes – The versatile Liverpool captain could play in midfield, centre-half or left-back and was such a natural leader he would go on to captain England under Alf Ramsey during a 20-year career. After 12 years at Anfield, he left for Wolverhampton Wanderers and won four league titles, two European Cups, two Uefa Cups and the Super Cup.

Midfielder: Steve Heighway – The Irishman was a second-half substitute in the 1978 European Cup final, but he played the full match against Al Nasr. A quick and powerful winger with an undervalued left foot, Heighway won four league titles and two European Cup winners' medals before departing for the Minnesota Kicks of the North American Soccer League in 1981.

Midfielder: Ray Kennedy – The England international moved to Anfield from Arsenal, where in six years he had helped them win a league and FA Cup double. At Liverpool, he was converted from a striker into a left-sided midfielder and his trophy haul continued to grow. He added five league titles, three European Cups as well as a Uefa Cup and Super Cup before moving to Swansea City in 1982.

Midfielder: Terry McDermott – Signed by Paisley, McDermott took two years to break into the team but soon became an important figure, scoring the opening goal in the 1977 European Cup final and a hat-trick in the 1977 Super Cup final. By the time he left for Newcastle United, in 1982, he had notched 54 goals in 232 league appearances.

Midfielder: Jimmy Case – Renowned for his rocket right foot, Case started his career in 1973 with Liverpool, where he eventually made one of Paisley's central midfield berths his own. After helping the club to four league championships and three European Cups in six years, he was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion, where he continued to flourish.

Striker: David Fairclough – Born in Liverpool, the striker averaged roughly a goal every three league games and found himself behind the likes of Keegan and John Toshack or Dalglish and Ian Rush in attack. In 1977/78, he enjoyed his most productive spell in the side and started the European Cup final. In 1983, he was sold to Swiss side Luzern.

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