On This Day At Manchester City

It might be Star Wars Day, but the force has definitely not been with Manchester City on this day over the years. Prepare for a batch of results that are a mixture of disappointment and…no that’s all I’ve got.

1991 – Manchester United

Hate it when we lose to United but we got used to it in the 90’s…and the decade that followed. In May 1991, City travelled out of Manchester to Old Trafford, looking for their first win in Stretford since the 70’s. City sat in fourth place in the First Division, four points ahead of United and a win would have consolidated that position. On top of that, the blues went into the match on the back of a seven match unbeaten run, including a 5-1 win at Villa Park in their last outing.

But it wasn’t meant to be as a solitary goal by Ryan Giggs proved to be the difference between the two sides and City slipped to their tenth defeat of the season.

2006 – Arsenal

City had nothing to play for when these two sides met in 2006, but Arsenal were aiming for European football after trailing champions Chelsea by 30 points in the race for the Premier League title.

Arsenal showed their brilliance against a struggling City side and took the lead on 30 lead. Freddie Ljungberg found some space to open the scoring, but David Sommeil equalised eight minutes later. A corner on the City right was headed back by Trevor Sinclair and Sommeil thumped home from a couple of yard out. City were holding their own against the Gunners but the visitors got a slice of luck when the referee gave a free kick for what looked at the time like an Arsenal player had slipped on the ball (going from memory). The ball was quickly played out to the right and the cross was met by Jose Antonio Reyes, who scored with a clinical finish. Arsenal made it 3-1 after good work from Thierry Henry found Reyes, who curled in his second and Arsenal’s third.

2008 – Liverpool

The 2007/08 season had started so promisingly for Sven Goran- Erikssen’s blues and were contenders to qualify for Europe. Unfortunately, the second half of the season saw the blues plummet down the table and had taken ten points from a possible thirty.

Liverpool had qualified for the Champions League and consolidated their place in the top four by beating the blues. Fernando Torres scored after 58 minutes to condemn the blues to yet another Anfield defeat.

2013 – Swansea

If the media were to be believed, Roberto Mancini’s days at City were numbered. They’d lost their Premier League title to United after a lacklustre attempt at defending their crown, but at least they had an FA Cup Final against Wigan to look forward to. What could go wrong there?

But before that, the blues had a trip to Swansea to deal with, and the two teams played out a goalless draw.

2016 – Real Madrid

Manuel Pellegrini final season at City had seen the blues falter in their bid for the Premier League crown, but had reached the semi-final of the Champions League for the first time. A goalless draw in Manchester meant the blues had to score in Madrid to progress outright, or hold out for another goalless draw and hope for the best on penalties.

Neither happened as an own goal from Fernando on 20 minutes saw the Spaniards progress to the final.

Maybe next year we’ll fare better on Star Wars day.

May the Fourth be with us all.