Date: Saturday, 30th January 1971.
Venue: Maine Road, Manchester.
Competition:
First Division.
Score: Manchester
City 0 Leeds
United 2.
Scorers: Manchester
City: Nil. Leeds
United: Clarke, Charlton.
Attendance:
43,517.
Teams:
Manchester
City: Corrigan; Book, Mann; Doyle, Booth,
Oakes; Heslop, Bell,
Lee, Carradus (Bowyer), Jeffries.
Leeds United: Sprake;
Reaney, Cooper; Bates, Charlton (Belfitt),
Hunter; Madeley, Clarke, Jones, Giles, Yorath.
Referee: K. Howley (Billingham).
Leeds were
without Billy Bremner, Peter Lorimer
and Eddie Gray through injuries, but they made light of that handicap on a
muddy Maine Road pitch. Even though Jack Charlton was injured
in the game and Rod Belfitt came on as substitute,
United still controlled the game as they re-organised
their forces. Leeds were,
without doubt, the team in command and their domination of midfield was clear
for all to see.
Francis Lee and Colin Bell
strove hard to give the City attack zest and scoring punch, but they could not
penetrate the Leeds defence. Francis
Lee did get the ball in the net once, but referee Kevin Howley
had blown for offside. Late on, as City made a last desperate effort, Gary Sprake was called into action three times in quick
succession to make magnificent saves, but by then Leeds were
already two goals to the good, and clearly were going to remain in front.
Leeds’ first goal, after just ten
minutes, came after Terry Cooper, marauding upfield,
slammed in a rocket-like shot which Joe Corrigan failed to hold. As the ball
came free, Allan Clarke was lurking to snap up the chance, and stabbed the ball
past the City keeper. Just inside the half-hour, City’s defence
failed to clear the danger from a corner kick, and Jack Charlton, who had come
up for the corner, was on hand to hammer home Leeds’ second goal.
The victory, which
completed the double over City, left United five
points clear at the top of the table and it was hard to understand how they
could lose such a lead, but Arsenal did the double that year, pipping Leeds by one point for the championship.
Teams:
Players:
Allan Clarke and Jack Charlton scored the Leeds goals