Everton v Manchester City 1977/78

EVERTON 1 CITY 1

League Division 1

1st October 1977

Attendance 43,286

Scorers
City Hartford(49)
Everton Latchford(60)

Ref D Turner

City Corrigan, Clements, Donachie, Owen, Watson, Booth, Barnes, Kidd, Power, Hartford, Tueart – sub Royle(45)

Everton Wood, Darracott, Pejic, Lyons, Higgins, Rioch, King, Dobson, Lathford, McKenzie, Thomas – sub Pearson(unused)

FROM THE PRESS BOX

ALAN THOMPSON WRITING IN THE DAILY EXPRESS 3RD OCTOBER 1977
Manchester City might be top of the heap this morning, but the team of 1978 will be Everton.
Whether that forecast becomes fact at the end of this season or midway through next is entirely up to them. But by the time they have beaten West Brom and QPR this week, everyone will sit up and take notice of a side that has come on beyond recognition.
There were times in the 1-1 draw on Saturday when they threatened to wipe the floor with City.
Times like that brilliant move 10 minutes from the end. Faster than you can read this, the ball went crossfield via Bob Latchford, Duncan McKenzie, Martin Dobson, Andy King and Bruce Rioch, and while City were tackling shadows McKenzie and Latchford galloped into the goalmouth. Then both of them missed the centre and with it an open goal!
“Even you could have scored from that position,” snorted McKenzie. Modestly I have to agree.
So what have Everton got to make me discover them after all this time? In two words, class and crash.
McKenzie, Dobson, King and Rioch have attacking ability to drive defences dizzy and at the back men like Terry Darracott, Mike Pejic and Mark Higgins might not be over-blessed with skill but will stop at nothing to rob the opposition.
McKenzie disdainfully dismisses one third of the First Division, saying: “We had played nothing until today, City were the first good side we’ve come across and we were their equals, at least West Brom in midweek will give us a better idea of how good we are,”
I don’t think Everton have much to worry about. But Manchester City have.
They did score when McKenzie, indulging in a piece of unnecessary flashiness, lost the ball and Dennis Tueart put Asa Hartfordbthrough for a 20 yard shot.
Everton equalised when Latchford went low to head Dave Thomas’s corner.