User:Stevo1000/Tottenham 3-4 Manchester City

Tottenham Hotspur 3–4 Manchester City was a fourth round FA Cup replay which was played on the evening of Wednesday 4 February 2004. It is fondly remembered as one of the great FA Cup comebacks, with Manchester City 3–0 down at half-time and down to 10 men.

Tottenham took a convincing 3–0 lead into the break after goals from Ledley King, Robbie Keane and a Christian Ziege free kick. The situation was made worst for City just before the break when Joey Barton was sent off prior to half time for dissent and their star striker, Nicolas Anelka limped off with an injury in the 27th minute of the game.

But after the break, goals from Sylvain Distin, Paul Bosvelt, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Jon Macken in the 90th sealed a famous win, attributed to the 'magic of the FA cup'. Pundits and the media have debated whether the 10-man victory was the greatest cup comeback of all time.

Match report
Tottenham took the lead early in the game, a superb left-foot curling shot from just outside the Manchester City penalty area gave Spurs a one goal advantage only 2 minutes into the match. Tottenham good start took a knock when striker, Helder Postiga limped out with a injury and was replaced by veteran Gus Poyet in the 8th minute.

However in the 19th minute Robbie Keane latched onto right back, Stephen Carr's lobbed ball forward over the City defence which Keane controlled superbly and stroked the ball past City Icelandic reserve goalkeeper, Arni Arason to make in 2–0 to Spurs. Proceedings got worse for City as their main striker, Nicolas Anelka suffered a groin strain and was forced off after 27 minutes, being replaced by the eventual winning goalscorer Jon Macken.

Spurs then scored to make it 3–0 just before the break and appeared to have sealed the tie. A brilliant free kick from Christian Ziege a few yards outside the City penalty area seemingly knocked City out of the FA Cup. They were outplayed and appeared completely indifferent to the match as half-time approached.

As if that was not bad enough for Keegan, Barton - booked earlier for a foul on Michael Brown which led to resulting Ziege goal - apparently said something to referee Rob Styles as the half-time whistle sounded and the official produced a second yellow card for dissent, followed by red to leave City with 10 men for the second half.

After the break, a resurgent City scored with a headed goal from defender from Sylvain Distin from a cheeky chip from a Michael Tarnat set piece which the unmarked Distin headed past Spurs 'keeper Kasey Keller.

City appeared unrecognisable from the first half and continued their fightback, however a world class save from Arni Arason from another Christian Ziege free kick kept City from going back to 3 goals behind. But City relentlessly hunted for another goal to get back in the game and got so through a lucky volley by Dutch midfielder Paul Bosvelt. In the 62th minute when Bosvelt's volley took a wicked deflection off Anthony Gardner before creeping past a helpless Keller.

The game soon between a tense affair with City harrying for a elusive equaliser and did so with Wright-Phillips in the 79th minute breaking the offside trap and chipping a immaculate looping shot over a stranded Keller.

Extra time looked likely as the game descended into its final minutes, but City grabbed a late winner. And in the 90th minute, a cross from Michael Tarnat found the unmarked Jon Macken who headed a looping header over the Tottenham goalkeeper to complete a sensational comeback.

Quotes

 * At half time I walked off and said to Derek Fazackerley (Manchester City assistant manager): 'Where's the nearest job centre?' We were three goals down and had ten men, so I asked `Faz' if there was a job centre around the corner. - Kevin Keegan, Manchester City manager
 * I'm shellshocked, City deserve great credit because that was a massive, massive result - David Pleat, Tottenham manager
 * Astonishing - at half time City were out - Jonathan Pearce, BBC commentator