CITY 1 ARSENAL 0
Barclays League Division 1
28th December 1991
Attendance 32,325
Scorer White(70)
Ref J Rushton
City Coton, Hill, Brightwell, Pointon, Reid, Curle, Redmond, White, Heath, Quinn, Hughes. Subs Megson(45), Sheron(unused)
Arsenal Seaman, Dixon, Winterburn, O’Leary, Bould, Adams, Rocastle, Wright, Smith, Merson, Davis – subs Linighan(59), Groves(82)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
CYNTHIA BATEMAN WRITING IN THE GUARDIAN 30TH DECEMBER 1991
After the first few minutes of every match, someone says “Peter Reid can’t go on at that rate,” and “City can’t keep playing at this pace” but somehow he does and somehow they can.
Arsenal were the latest to be blown away in City’s hurricane-force attack that begins its low growl somewhere deep in their player-manager’s psyche. Anyone who thinks the flesh cannot match the spirit should have seen Reid sprinting half the length of the pitch to challenge Seaman on the byline after 70 minutes in which neither side had paused for breath or thought. The final 20 minutes were said the Arsenal manager George Graham, “like a cup tie a week early.”
He also said he thought Arsenal could have won, which seemed a bit far-fetched when their only chances saw Bould head over the bar and the normally prolific Wright, subdued by the City defence, slice his one clear shot wide.
Indeed, Arsenal might have gone two goals down in injury time had Linighan not brought down City’s Hughes as he zig-zagged through the Arsenal shirts. Reid tried to persuade the referee it was not a red card offence: “I asked him just to book him because I thought Adams was coming across around the back.” but the referee Jim Rushton disagreed and Linighan was sent off. Winterburn, Dixon and Heath were also booked; Heath for retaliation on Adams which led to a minor fracas, although few could resist a smile at the sight of the itzy-bitzy striker squaring up to the towering Adams.
So City had to be content with White’s crisply taken right-foot shot driven into the left hand corner of the net in the 71st minute. it arrived from Brightwell’s cross from the right. Quinn surrounded by Arsenal defenders, squeezed a pass which bounced off Dixon and fell perfectly for White, who had got behind the defence so quickly that some Arsenal players alleged offside. it was his seventh goal in six games.
Graham withdrew his sweeper O’Leary and brought Groves into A midfield that missed Hillier And Limpar and relied without too much success on RoCastle and the unsettled Davis.
City where without McMahon, who made his debut on Boxing Day. but went off with a pulled hamstring, and their forwards suffered from a supply that came not to feet but by precarious roots from deep that left them struggling for control.
In effect, there was not a lot between the two sides, except the amazing driving force of Reid that seems to ripple through the side. Perhaps it is time that Maine Road’s prophets of doom switched from an anticipating City’s collapse to contemplating the possibility that they might still be challenging at the top in the spring. Arsenal now Well adrift of their leaders can only hope for a happier New Year.