CITY 1 LIVERPOOL 1
FA Premier League
23rd October 1993
Attendance 30,403
Scorers
City White(66)
Liverpool Rush(88)
Ref M Bodenham
City Coton, Flitcroft, Phelan, McMahon, Curle, Kernaghan, White, Sheron, Quinn, Edghill, Simpson – subs Lomas(53), Vonk(unused), Dibble(unused)
Liverpool Grobbelaar, Jones, Nicol, Wright, Stewart, Rush, Walters, Bjornebye, Matteo, Fowler, Ruddock – subs Redknapp(52), Hutchison(unused), James(unused)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
NEIL ROBINSON WRITING IN THE OBSERVER 24TH OCTOBER 1993
Having played well in defeat at Chelsea and woefully in victory over Oldham, Liverpool levelled out against Manchester City.
Once again they left it until the final throws to score. This time, with City fans preparing their victory chants, it was Rush who came To the rescue, pouncing on a centre from Jones after the full-back picked his way into the penalty area. As the final whistle sounded, the familiar chants of ‘Swales out’ rang around Maine Road.
If Liverpool’s supporters were more content with their lot, they will not be fooled by this result. This team may have retained the grand Old Anfield tradition of scoring at the death, but they waste possession in a way that would have shocked their predecessors.
Before the game, manager Souness said they would pass their way out of trouble. In fact, they often did the opposite. For all their profligacy, Liverpool did manage to conjure the best two attempts on goal in a scrappy first half. Jones, who had an excellent attacking game, almost gave them the lead in the 20th minutes after Simpson played a ridiculous backpass to Coton. The ball Ricocheted off Rush and Jones shot, which went under Coton’s legs, was hacked off the line by Kernaghan. Stewart produced the best move of the half when he fired a superb cross-field ball to the byline. Walters stuck out a boot to drag it back, and there was Jones again to shoot just over the bar.
City did not find their stride until after the break when they enveloped Liverpool with wave upon wave of attacks. The pressure took its toll on Wright. He twice deflected towards his own goal.
The introduction of Lomas for Simpson lifted City and within minutes they were ahead. Flitcroft spent all afternoon threatening to deliver the killer ball and finally produced it in the 66th minute when he dissected Liverpool’s defence.
White, who had appeared only half fit after four games out with an ankle injury, found an extra yard of pace and poked the ball past the advancing Grobbelaar. Quinn should have increased their lead soon afterwards from another Flitcroft-induced move. Sheron dragged the ball back, but this time Grobbelaar’s reactions were quick enough and Quinn’s shot bounced off his knees.
If another goal seemed imminent, few anticipated it at the other end. But with the game entering the closing minutes, Liverpool thrust downfield and Rush finished immaculately.
