Liverpool had beaten Arsenal. Seven days later, they beat the league leaders too.
An early John Toshack shot settled the match at Elland Road on 6 February 1971. Liverpool won 1–0, leaving Leeds United with a rare league defeat and Bill Shankly with consecutive victories over the two strongest sides in the championship race.
The goal began with a mistake. Gary Sprake failed to hold the ball, Toshack seized the opportunity and his effort went into the net off Norman Hunter. Leeds had given themselves almost the entire match to chase.
Don Revie was already working around important absences. Billy Bremner, Jack Charlton and Eddie Gray were missing, with Paul Madeley required in central defence. Liverpool also had an enforced change from their usual defensive arrangement: Ron Yeats was covering for the injured Alec Lindsay.
The advantage gave Liverpool something to protect. Leeds pressed forward, but Shankly’s defence held its shape and restricted their attempts to break through. The hosts increasingly tried their luck from distance.
Liverpool could still threaten on the counter-attack. Steve Heighway hit the woodwork and later had an effort cleared from the line by substitute Terry Yorath. The score remained close without Leeds having all the chances to change it.
Ian Callaghan replaced Phil Boersma in the second half. Liverpool held on to the same lead they had taken into the interval, and the victory lifted them to fifth.
For Arsenal, who beat Manchester City that day, Liverpool’s win offered an immediate benefit. The gap at the top narrowed to three points, with Arsenal still holding a game in hand. A week after damaging one title challenge, Liverpool had checked the other.
Shankly’s immediate reward was more direct: another away victory and a second successive league clean sheet. The team that had struggled to turn draws into wins had found a way through two demanding fixtures.