Manchester City Past Masters: When David White Took on Liverpool

Manchester City fans of a certain age will have great memories of winger David White. Making his debut in 1986 against Luton Town, White went on to make 343 appearances and notching 96 goals in the process, being one of three hat-trick scorers against Huddersfield Town in 1987 and hitting four at Aston Villa in April 1991.

But it was the 91/92 season that was one of White’s best campaigns as City finished fifth in the final season before the Premier League began. And it was against Liverpool that the winger took a liking to scoring, as he hit four past the Mersey reds in two league games as City took four points from the league matches.

In August 1991, City had won their opening game of the season 1-0 at Coventry, and faced Liverpool at Maine Road in the first home match of the season. The blues and the faithful were fired up to beat the team that had won 4-1 and 3-0 on their two previous visits.

White had already tested the palms of Bruce Grobbelaar and the match had been a fairly even contest until the 29th minute. Keith Curle broke up a Liverpool attack and his ball forward found Niall Quinn. The big Irishman controlled and released White, who fired across Grobbelaar into the far corner.

The winger almost made it 2-0 but hit the outside of the post as City started to take control of the match. White would eventually get his and City’s second midway through the second half. Quinn flicked on Tony Coton’s clearance and White turned Gary Ablett before firing a vicious shot that smacked into the underside of the crossbar. After a short delay, the referee and linesman declared the ball had crossed the line and City were 2-0 up.

Future blue Steve McManaman pulled a goal back, before Dean Saunders hit the crossbar with a penalty as City won 2-1.

In the final match before Christmas, City travelled to Anfield, looking to go one better than a 2-2 draw the previous season. Things didn’t look promising as the blues went in 1-0 down at the break, as Saunders’ shot in the 9th minute caught on the win and flummoxed Coton to give Liverpool the lead.

However, White soon put that right in the second half.

Quinn once again flicked on a long ball into the path of White, and the winger got in between two Liverpool defenders and lofted the ball over Grobbelaar and into the back of the net to make it 1-1 just three minutes after the break.

And City fans were dreaming of a win at Anfield 12 minutes later as White gave City the lead. Quinn was again involved as he went for a long ball forward. White latched onto the loose ball and, from an impossible angle, hooked the ball of Grobbelaar, then watched as the ball bounced off the post and into the goal.

Steve Nicol levelled with 8 minutes remaining, but this fixture belonged firmly to David White.