CITY 3 LIVERPOOL 1
League Division 1
29th October 1977
attendance 49,207
scorers
City Kidd(60), Channon(70), Royle(87)
Liverpool Fairclough(29)
Ref W Johnson
City Corrigan, Clements, Donachie, Doyle, Watson, Owen, Barnes, Channon, Royle, Kidd, Power – sub Keegan(unused)
Liverpool Clemence, Neal, Jones, Hansen, Kennedy, Hughes, Dalglish, Case, Heighway, Fairclough, Callaghan – sub McDermott
League favourites Liverpool were totally in control for the first half hour and they deservedly took the lead in the 29th minute through David Fairclough, indeed City were lucky to go into the break with just a one goal deficit.
15 minutes into the second half Brian Kidd fired home the equaliser, after a move involving Peter Barnes and Mick Channon, and it was Channon who put the Blues ahead. latching on to a defence splitting ball from Dave Watson and beating Clemence with a left foot drive.
With minutes to go Joe Royle was set up by Peter Barnes to score the third
MEMORY MATCH
An article by John Maddocks published in the City programme 17th January 1987
Over the years Manchester City have been involved in many backs-to-the-wall situations, staring defeat in the face, and have then come roaring back to seize the initiative and the points.
Let’s go back to October 1977. Liverpool came to Maine Road as European Cup holders and Football League Champions, and were lying second in the table, two points behind Nottingham Forest. They had strengthened their squad during the summer by purchasing Kenny Dalglish for £440,000 from Glasgow Celtic to replace Kevin Keegan who had moved abroad to Hamburg SV.They also had another newcomer in the team in the shape of Alan Hansen, signed from Partick Thistle the previous May and who only recently made his League debut for the Merseysiders.
Not that City were doing too badly either. Settling in was England international Mike Channon, bought from Southampton during the close season. The Blues were 5th on the day of the match, having lost only 3 of the opening 12 League games, and had been to Luton four days earlier to gain a League Cup replay having achieved a 1-1 draw. The only disappointment had been an early exit from the UEFA Cup, going out to the Poles of Widzew Lodz on the away goals rule.
City made a couple of changes for the Liverpool game, out went Tommy Booth and Ged Keegan, in came Mike Doyle and Joe Royle.
Asa Hartford was already missing completing a three match suspension, and leading scorer Dennis Tueart was out injured. Liverpool scored the only goal of the first half, neatly tucked away by David Fairclough just before the half hour. Seven red shirts had been involved in the move, initiated by the young Hansen, and it ended when Fairclough traded a one-two with Dalglish and tucked the ball crisply past Joe Corrigan.
At this point and for the remainder of the first half Liverpool were firmly in the driving seat, and they had further chances to clinch the game before the interval. They were to regret those scorned chances
City Manager Tony Book clearly had some strong observations to make during the interval in the privacy of the dressing-room, and the Blues emerged for the resumption in a more determined mood.
The Reds started off the second period promising to increase their lead, but it was a false promise, due mainly to the alertness of Joe Corrigan. His positioning caused both Dalglish and Fairclough to hesitate in the penalty area thus wasting good chances, and the latter also blazed another shot high over the bar.
City then started to show what they could do when the chips were down. They launched a series of attacks which startled the Reds into giving the ball away when in possession, and into conceding corners. It was a corner that brought the equaliser. Peter Barnes drove the ball in low, Channon touched it on, and Brian Kidd’s lethal left foot did the rest.
The goal had come after 60 minutes.Then Dalglish almost regained the lead for Liverpool when he hit a Jimmy Case centre against a post. City resumed the attacking, sensing that Liverpodl might just be having a rare off-day, and ten minutes after equalising the Blues went in front. Dave Watson split the Liverpool back four with a beautiful ball and Mike Channon raced onto it, beating the challenges from Emlyn Hughes and Joe Jones to score with a left-foot drive.
The scoring was completed three minutes from the end. Peter Barnes went off on one of his gallops and centred for Joe Royle to guide the ball home.
… The Blues now firmly held the reins, and Ray Clemence had to make three superb saves to keep the score respectable. In addition, Mike Doyle had a superb solo run in the last minute but was thwarted to see his shot, under Clemence’s challenge, trickle the wrong side of the post.
Tony Book and Bob Paisley agreed afterwards that the game was an excellent showcase for British soccer. And the game stands out as a firm example that all is not necessarily beyond recall when you go a goal down . . .
