The 2003-04 season was a poor one as far as City fans were concerned. It had been a long, hard battle against relegation which had included a 13 match winless run.

But by the time Everton had arrived at Eastlands, the blues were safe and two points behind the visitors in 17^th place. Robbie Fowler had been left on the bench and replaced by Paolo Wanchope and the Costa Rican repaid his manager’s faith after 16 minutes.

Nicolas Anelka’s free kick was deflected into Wanchope’s path and he made no mistake from just 6 yards out. City were dominant and Shaun Wright-Phillips almost got a second but for the heroics of Nigel Martyn in the Everton goal.

But City weren’t to be denied and when Claudio Reyna was allowed space on the left, it was only going to end one way. His cross was missed by Anelka but Wanchope was on hand to seep the ball home for his fourth goal in three games.

Ten minutes later and it was game over and again it was Wanchope who was involved. His ball forward released Anelka and the French striker beat Martyn from 18 yards out and send City into the break three goals to the good.

Half Time: City 3-0 Everton

Kevin Campbell came on for the ineffective James McFadden for Everton at half time and it took him 15 minutes to get on the scoresheet. Wayne Rooney’s corner was met by the head of Campbell to reduce the deficit.

But City continued their dominance of the game and Martyn had to be at his best to twice deny Wanchope his hat-trick with a superb display of goalkeeping.

Joey Barton, who had previously been booked, was replaced by Antoine Sibierski with five minutes remaining and the Frenchman took three minutes to score and in a grandstand finish, Wright-Phillips scored the fifth and ended a miserable season with a fine won that took the blues above the visitors and finished in 16^th place.

Final Score: City 5-1 Everton

Teams:

Man City: James, Jihai, Distin, Dunne, Tarnat, Wright-Phillips, Barton (Sibierski 85), Bosvelt, Reyna (Jordan 82), Anelka, Wanchope (Macken 79).
Subs Not Used: Arason, Fowler.

Everton: Martyn, Watson (Chadwick 71), Stubbs, Weir, Hibbert, Carsley, McFadden (Campbell 45), Yobo, Osman, Rooney, Radzinski (Linderoth 86).
Subs Not Used: Wright, Clarke.

They had played each other three times already in the 1987/88 season and Plymouth must have been sick of the sight of Maine Road when they were drawn together for the fifth round tie and the opportunity to progress to the quarter finals.

The blues had already won 2-1 at Maine Road on the opening day of the season and thrashed them 6-2 when the Pilgrims arrived in November, just days after City had hammered ten past Huddersfield, while in the league at Home Park, Coty had led 2-0 at the break but Plymouth had fought back to win the game 3-2.

The visitors had brought a good following to Maine Road as Plymouth attempted to stop the blues reaching their second quarter final of the season, following their League Cup quarter Final exit at Everton a few weeks earlier.

But the visiting fans heads dropped when Ian Scott gave the blues the lead after dominating possession in the first half. City had created a few chances but Scott’s header in front of the Platt Lane end gave City a lead they kept until half time

In the second half, City threatened to run riot with Plymouth hardly in the game and it seemed like Mel Machin’s men wanted to inflict a heavy defeat on the team that had beaten them in the early part of the year.

Paul Simpson, as he had been for most of the season,  was a constant threat down the left hand side and he almost doubled City’s lead when his run and left foot shot cannoned off the upright and away to safety.

But Simpson was not to be denied. Making a similar run, the winger again darted into the box and, in exactly the same position, thumped his shot beyond the Plymouth keeper and made it 2-0.

But within minutes, the Pilgrims were back in the game. City failed to clear a corner and suddenly the score was 2-1. With the visiting supporter’s encouragement, Plymouth pressed for an equaliser which would mean a replay at Home Park. In the dying minutes, Plymouth won a corner and sent everyone forward apart from the keeper.

City cleared the ball to a waiting Simpson, who ran almost the entire length of the field but hit his shot against the keeper. The rebound though fell kindly to City sub Paul Moulden, who gratefully buried the rebound and secured City’s quarter final appearance against Liverpool.

Final Score: City 3-1 Plymouth

Our classic match takes us back to October 2003 and Bolton’s visit to Eastlands. The blues had moved to their new stadium in August but had only recorded one win until Wanderers arrived and took a pounding.

After a good start to the season, City just couldn’t seem to perform at home and when Kevin Nolan opened the scoring after 25 minutes, it looked like being another drab day at Eastlands. But no-one quite realised what drama was to follow.

Bolton had started brightly and took the lead after Stelios Giannakopolous’ shot was blocked but Nolan was on hand to poke the ball home. The lead only lasted two minutes as Shaun Wright-Phillips chipped Jussi Jaaskelainen to level the scores.

SWP was booked for taking his shirt of to celebrate, much to the annoyance of blues supporters. Ivan Campo then missed a great chance to put Bolton 2-1 up and it looked like it was going to be a tight affair as half time approached with the scores deadlocked. How wrong could one be?

Half Time: City 1-1 Bolton

Within the first few minutes, the City were ahead. Sylvain Distin scoring in the 48^th minute but eight minutes later brought the start of six minutes of madness.

First, SWP grabbed his second of the game to send City 3-1 up and two minutes later, Nicolas Anelka grabbed his first of the game before Campo scored little more than a consolation goal for Bolton on 60 minutes.

Two minutes later, SWP was sent off for a second bookable offence but Bolton couldn’t take advantage of the extra man. Anelka grabbed his second on 72 minutes before American Claudio Reyna completed the scoring on 84 minutes.

It was a thumping victory for the blues but it was to prove their last until February 2004.

Full Time: City 6-2 Bolton

Man City: Seaman, Jihai, Sommeil, Distin, Tarnat, Wright-Phillips, Barton (Dunne 75), Reyna, McManaman (Sibierski 57), Anelka, Fowler (Tiatto 68).
Subs Not Used: Stuhr-Ellegaard, Wanchope.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, N’Gotty, Thome (Little 79), Charlton, Gardner, Nolan, Okocha, Campo, Frandsen (Jardel 54), Giannakopoulos, Davies.
Subs Not Used: Poole, Barness, Pedersen.

Attendance: 47,101