Terry McDermott scored twice as Liverpool beat Arsenal 3–1 in the Charity Shield at Wembley on 11 August 1979. The league champions established a three-goal lead before Alan Sunderland's late reply for the FA Cup holders.
Liverpool arrived after a championship campaign of 30 wins and only 16 goals conceded in 42 league matches. Bob Paisley selected Phil Thompson as captain, with Kenny Dalglish and David Johnson in attack and McDermott among a midfield that also included Jimmy Case, Graeme Souness and Ray Kennedy.
Pat Jennings kept Arsenal level through the early exchanges, saving from Johnson, Dalglish and Souness. At the other end, Frank Stapleton brought Ray Clemence into action. The breakthrough came seven minutes before half-time: McDermott received Ray Kennedy's pass and beat Jennings with a low shot from outside the penalty area.
Liverpool carried that single-goal lead into the interval, then added two more after the hour. Dalglish scored the second, with Alan Hansen supplying him, before turning provider for McDermott's second goal. The midfielder who had opened the scoring had also put Liverpool three ahead.
Sunderland reduced the deficit in the 88th minute, but Arsenal had no time to build a recovery. Paisley had used the same eleven throughout the match. Liverpool took the Shield outright for the first time since beating Southampton in 1976; their previous appearance, against Manchester United in 1977, had ended in a goalless draw and a shared trophy.