02 April 1995

Steve McManaman hit a magnificent brace as Liverpool claimed a record fifth league cup success at the expense of Bolton Wanderers at Wembley.

The home-grown star was in irrepressible form as the Reds avenged their shock FA Cup defeat against the Division One outfit two years earlier, with a hard-fought 2-1 win to secure the first trophy of the Roy Evans era.

McManaman had been the star of Liverpool's FA Cup final triumph over Sunderland three years earlier and he produced more Wembley wizardry against Bruce Rioch's side to add further weight to the belief that the Reds were once again a force to be reckoned with.

Prior to the clash the England man had netted just once in five months, but great players have a habit of rising to the big occasion, and after terrorising the Bolton rearguard throughout the opening exchanges it was no surprise that he was the man to break the deadlock on 37 minutes.

John Barnes played a clever ball into space and as McManaman ran onto it, he drifted beyond Alan Stubbs and cut inside full-back Scott Green before placing a side footed effort past Keith Branagan.

If the winger's first was pleasing to the eye, then his second was truly majestic as he all-but wrapped up the contest on 68 minutes with another moment of individual brilliance.

Picking up the ball down the left hand channel he cut inside past Green, outfoxed future red Jason McAteer and committed Mark Seagraves before curling a delightful, low shot into the far corner of the net.

It was a fitting way to mark Liverpool's 30^th Wembley appearance and although Alan Thompson hit an almost instantaneous reply with a magnificent volley, the Reds held on to see Ian Rush climb the steps to raise the Coca-Cola Cup aloft - his first and last trophy as Liverpool captain.