CITY 2 EVERTON 1
League Division 1
8th February 1975
attendance 44,718
scorers
City Bell(17), Tueart(25)
Everton Horswill(85 og)
Ref Denis Turner
City Macrae, Pardoe, Donachie, Doyle, Booth, Oakes, Summerbee, Bell, Marsh, Royle, Tueart – sub Horswill(62)
Everton Davies, Scott, Sargeant, Clements, Kenyon, McNaught, Pearson, Dobson, Lyons, Latchford, Telfer – sub Bernard(58)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
TONY PAWSON WRITING IN THE OBSERVER 9TH FEBRUARY 1975
The battle for the leadership of the First Division looks about as confusing as that for the Tory party after Manchester City’s 2-1 defeat of Everton at Maine Road. In an average season, Manchester are anything but average, with their startling alternations from the brilliant to the banal. This fortunately was one of their glory days, though not unmarred by slapdash moments.
Manchester City have the best home and the worst away record in the division; they are a split personality side capable of anything except consistency, Bell’s intelligent running, Tueart’s verve, Royle heading and Marsh’s versatility gave them a massive advantage in skill. Yet instead of building on that, they had to try to match Everton for strength and aggression. That came close to costing them the match.
The most impressive feature of Everton’s defence was the speed with which the back four were reinforced when danger threatened. Lyons, in particular, was coming deep to shadow Royle, as if determined that the man he replaced at Everton should have no opportunity to shine.
Royle, indeed, was too often loitering, lost and lonely by the far post as Summerbee’s centres failed to clear Davies. But once Tueart switched to the right wing, and was sent clear by Marsh, his centre floated deep to Royle, the firm header back came to Summerbee and when his shot was smothered, Bell sent the rebound dipping into the net off the bar.
Everton’s spirited retaliation was in the popular manner with crunching tackles that set the tempers flaring and referee talking. An aberration by Booth could well have brought them level had Latchford not been taken by surprise as the centre half twice let him have the ball a few yards out from goal.
As Everton pressed forward, they were left vulnerable once more to Tueart’s speed of thought and action. First he came darting in from the wing to test Davies with a raking left foot shot; then, moving into the centre, he gathered Royle’s header to hit another blistering shot that squirmed into the goal beneath Davie’s right hand.
… City were generous enough to give Everton the goal they had never looked like scoring themselves. With four minutes to go, Telfer’s corner was neatly glanced inside the post by Horswill.