Liverpool secured their eighteenth league championship on 28 April 1990, but the final confirmation came after the football had finished at Anfield. They beat Queens Park Rangers 2–1, then waited for Aston Villa’s 3–3 draw with Norwich City to become final.
Kenny Dalglish’s side had needed four points from their last three matches to guarantee the title. Victory over Rangers would be enough that afternoon if Villa failed to win.
QPR made Liverpool work for it. Roy Wegerle scored in the 14th minute, and Colin Clarke later struck the underside of the crossbar. The visitors might have doubled their lead before Ian Rush equalised five minutes before half-time.
Rush’s first control of a cross was awkward, but he adjusted quickly and squeezed his finish between David Seaman and the near post. Seaman used an outstretched foot to deny him again soon afterwards.
The decisive goal came just after the hour. Referee Robbie Hart awarded a penalty for a challenge on Steve Nicol near the edge of the area, and John Barnes converted. The decision was disputed in contemporary reporting: The Times judged the contact to have been outside the box.
Liverpool held the lead. When their match ended, Villa were still playing, and the players remained on the pitch acknowledging the crowd while awaiting news. Confirmation left Liverpool on 73 points, four ahead of Villa, who had only one match remaining.
Alan Hansen, replaced by Gary Gillespie during the second half, had made what proved to be his final competitive Liverpool appearance. His side had two games left and the championship already won.