Norwich City v Manchester City 1991/92

City Coton, Hill, Pointon, Reid, Curle, Redmond, white, Brightwell, Heath, Megson, Brennan – subs Sheron(unused), Hendry(unused)

Norwich Gunn, Culverhouse, Bowen, Butterworth, Blades, Crook, Gordon, Fleck, Newman, Beckford, Phillips – subs Fox(78), Sutton(unused)

FROM THE PRESS BOX

COTON PULLS OUT THE STOPS

RUSSELL THOMAS WRITING IN THE GUARDIAN 29TH AUGUST 1991
Tony Coton gave a timely exhibition of his goalkeeping expertise last night when Manchester City lost their 100% record, and with it the embryonic League leadership that fell into the enemy Mancunian hands.
Coton’s fingertips certainly averted a worse dent in City’s early sequence against a Norwich side eager to build on their own unbeaten start, and the £1 million City goalkeeper may have clawed his way, via Carrow Road’s examination of agility, into another England squad place for the prestige friendly with Germany in a fortnight. With England’s two senior goalkeepers, Seaman and Woods in unconvincing form and Martyn debarred by FA policy from the Wembley international after his sending off. City’s own candidate took the opportunity of self-promotion with both hands.
Coton deserved the one break he enjoyed when Newman’s high-velocity shot from 25 yards almost bent the crossbar asunder with just 30 seconds remaining. Perhaps, after his four magnificent saves, that late delivery was destined to rebound to safety.
Gunn was never under such pressure, partly because Quinn’s absence with a tooth abscess left City without aerial bite. The ever willing, surging White chipped wide after two minutes and that, apart from Megson’s second-half curler, was virtually the sum of their attacking menace.
Norwich adapted admirably after an opening 20 minutes in which they were regularly caught offside by City’s quickness to push up. When they managed to reach shooting range, Phillip’s 22-yard drive forced the first of Coton’s marvelous interventions.
The second was the save of the night, Coton somehow stopping and holding Phillips venomous close range volley. The next a full-stretch plunge to block Crook’s curled free kick, was not far behind. Coton completed his quartet by showing marvelous anticipation in launching himself at Gordon’s feet.
There was only one opportunity for Beckford, Norwich’s £925,000 record signing to seize his opening First Division goal, but the striker, having for once eluded the £2.5 million Curle, shot narrowly wide from Fleck’s incisive pass.