Quarter-finals The quarter-finals were staged over three days in August 1988. Liverpool recorded the biggest win of the round, defeating Nottingham Forest 4–1 at a half-capacity
Anfield. The home side rested striker
John Aldridge and started
Ian Rush who
player-manager Kenny Dalglish said "...needed some matches. We might as well get him as fit as we can, as quickly as we can."
Gordon Strachan scored the game's only goal in the second half, heading in at the far post, Arsenal completed the semi-final line up with a 2–0 win away at Queens Park Rangers.
Semi-finals The semi-finals were played over two days in September 1988. Arsenal faced Liverpool at their home ground,
Highbury. Injuries to eight first-team players, notably goalkeeper
Bruce Grobbelaar, defender
Alan Hansen, and winger
John Barnes meant the visitors fielded an unfamiliar side, one which required the involvement of Dalglish towards the end of the tie. An audience of just under 15,000 – "one of the smallest crowds to gather at Old Trafford for a senior fixture in many years" – saw two halves of insipid attacking football but stout defending. Newcastle came close to scoring the winner two minutes before normal time was up, only for substitute
Mirandinha to miss. The first half, played under drizzle, saw Arsenal score twice in four minutes to take a commanding lead before the break.
Paul Davis broke the deadlock, before he turned provider and set
Michael Thomas up to score their second. Once the rain stopped and United introduced Strachan on to the field, both sides played at a frantic pace. United ended the second half strongly, and scored with six minutes of normal time remaining through
Clayton Blackmore. Strachan almost equalised but for
Lee Dixon's intervention on the goal line. Journalist Ian Ridley praised the end-to-end nature of the final and felt it showcased the best of English football, writing in
The Guardian: "[It] illustrated perfectly the major development in the modern game; the swiftness that English supporters demand and that excites overseas viewers." In his match report, Steve Curry of the
Daily Express summarised: "The League’s centenary celebrations have, overall, been a shambles, but this rousing finale at least left one worthwhile memory." ==Goalscorers==