CITY 1 LEEDS UNITED 0
League Division 1
31st March 1973
attendance 35,772
scorer Towers(83)
Ref Jack Taylor
City Healey, Book, Donachie, Doyle, Booth, Oakes, Summerbee, Bell, Marsh, Lee, Towers – sub Carrodus(unused)
Leeds Harvey, Reaney, Cherry, Bremner, McQueen, Madeley, Lorimer, Clarke, Jones, Giles, Yorath – sub Jordan(87)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
ERIC TODD WRITING IN THE GUARDIAN 2ND APRIL 1973
Manchester City, without Malcolm Allison, recorded their first victory in 10 successive matches when they defeated Leeds United 1-0 on Saturday at Maine Road.
… From the moment a valediction to Allison was delivered over the tannoy system to the euphoric scenes after the game, the premises were a breeding ground for gossip and conjecture. The presence of Bill Nicholson, Tottenham Hotspur’s manager, inspired rumours that he was going to sign Rodney Marsh (“no comment”) or else he was going to become City’s next manager. Frank O’Farrell, it was said, had been entering the ground during the week and, along with various other visitors, was being considered for the post.
Various people were interviewed, and the answers were as peculiar as they were inconsistent. In the end most people departed tolerably satisfied that (a) controversy would leave City alone for a day or two, and (b) that Leeds United’s chances of winning the championship were negligible.
Whatever the reasons, City played more like a team and with more united conviction than they had done for several weeks. There was no evidence to support a popular belief that some players resented the presence of others, none to support another belief that A would never give the ball to B. This was something like the authentic City without being perfection especially in attack where Bell had moments of sheer inspiration but where only Towers and Summerbee were consistent throughout.
The recall of Alan Oakes, for too long a forgotten man, was an inspired and inspiring move. And with Book again in great fettle the City defence looked good apart from some weak kicking by Healey, who provided Leeds with several useful openings of which they did not take advantage. Nevertheless, after a few kindly words from Book, the young goalkeeper did much better.
Leeds were dreadfully disappointing, and not for the first time I fear that so far as they are concerned vaulting ambition once again will o’erleap itself. They were without Gray and Hunter, but their performance suggested that they had resigned themselves to the fact that the championship was out of their reach and that the FA Cup now was uttermost in their thoughts. And on the day they were up against a better side.
… City attacked from the start and they were assisted by a few indifferent clearances by Leeds Lee, Bell and Summerbee all tested Harvey, and Oakes shot just wide. City were given a corner when McQueen fouled Summerbee in the penalty area, and they were unlucky again when with Harvey helpless a shot by Lee smote Clarke in the back.
In the second half the referee again was unsympathetic towards City when Cherry brought down Marsh in the penalty area and when Reaney appeared to handle the ball. Oakes for the second time missed by inches and in the 63rd minute Leeds squandered the chance of a lifetime. Healey missed a centre by Madeley, Jones failed to connect from six yards, and Clarke hit a post. And that was Leeds finished.
Seven minutes from the end Madeley fouled Summerbee and after the free kick Towers delivered a magnificent shot from about 20 yards. Marsh’s diversionary acrobatics confounded Harvey, and the ball entered the net off a post. City were not done with. Harvey saved from Bell, and Summerbee fired one over the bar. A deserved victory for City, but my goodness, it had been a rum sort of week even by Maine Road standards.
