CITY 1 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1
League Division 1
12th January 1980
attendance 34,337
Scorers
City Robinson(21)
Spurs Hoddle(70)
ref J Sewell
City Corrigan, Donachie, Reid, Bennett, Caton, Power, Henry, Daley, Robinson, Viljoen, Lee – sub MacKenzie(46)
Spurs Daines, Hughton, McAllister, Yorath, Miller, Perryman, Ardilles, Jones, Armstrong, Hoddle, Villa – sub Pratt(78)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
JOHN ROBERTS WRITING IN THE GUARDIAN 14TH JANUARY 1980
The highest tribute one can pay to the style of Tottenham’s recent play is that only Liverpool have had as profound an effect on Manchester’s soccer this season, if Halifax can be categorised as a short, sharp shock.
Whether Tottenham can sustain the encouraging creative form that enriched their FA Cup replay at Old Trafford and League match at Maine Road last week depends on their ability to harness an incisive striker and a decisive defender to the abundant talent elsewhere in the side, needs common to most clubs. The loss of one of their full backs , McAllister, who has accumulated 20 disciplinary points, is an additional problem.
Irrespective of how they fare in the immediate future, Tottenham’s performances against Manchester United and Manchester City went some way towards reviving hopes that in seasons to come the race for the League title may have fewer non-runners and once again be considered as a classic.
City were able to restore a semblance of self-respect after their defeat at The Shay thanks mainly to the impressive handling of Corrigan, who frustrated Villa on four occasions and also made excellent saves from Armstrong and Jones, and the erroneous handling of Hughton, which enabled City to take the lead with a penalty scored by Robinson after 21 minutes.
The assessment by City’s team manager, Malcolm Allison, that Tottenham played good football and City competed well was an accurate one. Yorath was authoritative in midfield while Ardiles and Villa, and occasionally Hoddle, supplemented the endeavours of Jones and Armstrong in Attack.
Villa’s powerful incursions were again a feature of Tottenham’s play, and Allison theorised that the Argentinian’s tendency to make solo runs across or into crowded penalty areas was a blind spot. “He just doesn’t see team-mates making themselves available, and just runs at players, relying on his close control, strength, and the element of surprise. That’s why Ardiles sometimes gets annoyed with him,” Allison said.
Hoddle scored the equalising goal with a rising, swerving shot left foot shot from 20 yards that evaded Corrigan’s flailing right arm. At this point a linesman pulled a muscle and play was delayed for 10 minutes while a substitute was found.
