Match From The Past – The Day Manchester City Actually Won At Anfield

3^rd May 2003

To say Manchester City’s record at Liverpool is dismal is one of the biggest understatement’s in football. It is worse than dismal, so when Premier League new boys City recorded a 2-1 win at Anfield in 2003, City fans were both shocked and delighted at the same time. It didn’t last, obviously, but let’s take a look back at that day, knowing it will happen again at some point before the end of time.

It was City’s penultimate game of the season and the blues were in 11^th place in the league, as opposed to Liverpool who sat in fifth. The reds had only lost one match at home all season, while City’s travels had yielded just five wins and nine defeats. A defeat for the blues was the most likely outcome.

The home side had the better of the first half, with Peter Schmeichel denying Liverpool by saving two free kicks, the second of which looked like he knew nothing about until the last second. The blues managed to hold out for a goalless first half.

The second half changed things though and it looked a familiar story for the blues. A cross from the Liverpool right was turned in by Milan Baros. There looked to be a foul on a City defender as the ball was played out wide, but the referee played on and City were a little aggrieved by the award of the goal.

Liverpool pushed for a second goal, and Schmeichel had to be alert to prevent the blues from going 2-0 down as he managed to get a hand to a powerful shot and knock the ball onto the bar, before collecting the rebound.

City hadn’t been in the match a lot but were awarded a penalty in the 74^th minute. Ali Benarbia’s through ball found Nicolas Anelka, and the French striker was upended in the box. The striker dusted himself off to score City’s first and only penalty of the season.

With the clock ticking down, City grew in confidence and had one attack left in them. The ball was played forward to Shaun Wright-Phillips, whose first time pass found Anelka in space, and the Frenchman fired a powerful shot past the keeper to win the match for City.

Final Score: Liverpool 1-2 Manchester City