User:Stevo1000/Ballet on Ice

Manchester City 4–1 Tottenham Hotspur, commonly referred to as the Ballet on ice. It is remembered in English football for being played in snowy conditions with the Maine Road pitch resembling more a ice rink than a football pitch and Manchester City fans fondly remember it being one of City's greatest performances.

As the teams came out onto the frozen pitch, BBC Match of the Day commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme dubbed the Manchester City team as "the most exciting team in England". As it proved, City produced one of their best footballing performances in their history, so much so the Tottenham players were convinced the City players were using more effective studs with one Spurs players quoted as saying, "It was extraordinary. City moved like Olympic speed skaters while we were falling around like clowns on a skid patch." Third-place City won many plaudits and went onto to win the league that season. The match was named as Match of the Day's "Match of the Season".

Pre-match
Manchester City went into the game in third place in the league whilst Tottenham were currently fifth placed in the league. The pitch was inspected twice before referee, D W Smith allowed the match to be played, despite the pitch seemingly frozen.