# 2003–04 Manchester City F.C. season

Results summary :
| All competitions |||||
| | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win % |
| Home | 7 | 12 | 5 | 29.2% |
| Away | 9 | 6 | 12 | 33.3% |
| Both | 16 | 18 | 17 | 31.4% |
| Premier League |||||
| | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win % |
| Home | 5 | 9 | 5 | 26.3% |
| Away | 4 | 5 | 10 | 21.1% |
| Both | 9 | 14 | 15 | 23.7% |
The 2003–04 season was Manchester City Football Club's second consecutive season playing in the Premier League, the top division of English football, and its seventh season since the Premier League was first created with Manchester City as one of its original 22 founding member clubs. Overall, it was the team's 112th season playing in a division of English football, most of which have been spent in the top flight.

## Season review

After finishing ninth during the club's final season at 80-year-old Maine Road, Manchester City's debut season at the City of Manchester Stadium was a major disappointment. A ninth-place finish had not been good enough to earn City an opportunity to play in the UEFA Cup but the team was rewarded with that opportunity anyway due to being awarded a "Fair Play" slot in the UEFA Cup competition this season. City reached the second round proper of the competition thanks to aggregate victories against The New Saints and Lokeren, but exited the competition on the away goals rule after two draws against Polish club Groclin.
Having embarked on a new era for the club by signing a host of experienced players in the summer, such as Claudio Reyna and Steve McManaman, to combine with such burgeoning talents coming through from the MCFC youth academy as Stephen Ireland and Shaun Wright-Phillips, City started their season very brightly with three wins in five games, sending them near the top of the table. They were still in the top-half of the table after winning five, drawing three and losing three of their first 11 games, with three notably big wins: a 3–0 opening-game away win at Charlton Athletic, a 4–1 home victory over Aston Villa and a 6–2 thumping of Bolton Wanderers. However, a dreadful 3–0 home defeat against unlikely opponents Leicester City in November started a gradual downturn in form and City then ended up battling against relegation. At one point, City went on a run of winning only one game out of 18 league and cup matches played, sparking media rumours of unrest in the squad. Survival in the Premier League was not confirmed until City won their 36th game of the league season. That victory meant that City were six points ahead of the relegation places, but the club's survival was effectively confirmed due to it having a far superior goal difference to Leicester, Leeds and Wolves, who were relegated.
Perhaps the most memorable game played by Manchester City during this season was the FA Cup fourth-round replay fixture against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane which featured what many people consider to be one of the most extraordinary comebacks in the history of the competition. City fell three goals behind during the first half, had Nicolas Anelka substituted due to injury and Joey Barton was sent off during half-time for verbally abusing the referee. Despite having one man less than their opponents during the second half, City came all the way back to win 4–3 and reach the next round. Rookie Icelandic goalkeeper Árni Arason made a key double save and Jon Macken scored the winning goal. In the next round, a Manchester derby at Old Trafford, City lost 4–2 to exit the competition.

## Team kit

There was a change in the producer of the team kits for this season, with Reebok replacing the previous season's supplier, Le Coq Sportif. The shirt sponsorship was provided by the financial and legal services group First Advice who had also been the sponsors for the previous season.
| Home | Home (version 2) | Home (version 3) | Away |

## First-team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ENG | David James |
| 2 | DF | FRA | David Sommeil |
| 3 | DF | BEL | Daniel Van Buyten (on loan from Marseille) |
| 4 | DF | NED | Gerard Wiekens |
| 5 | DF | FRA | Sylvain Distin |
| 8 | FW | ENG | Robbie Fowler |
| 9 | FW | CRC | Paulo Wanchope |
| 10 | MF | FRA | Antoine Sibierski |
| 11 | FW | ENG | Jon Macken |
| 12 | GK | ENG | Nicky Weaver |
| 17 | DF | CHN | Sun Jihai |
| 18 | DF | GER | Michael Tarnat |
| 19 | MF | AUS | Danny Tiatto |
| 20 | MF | ENG | Steve McManaman |
| 22 | DF | IRL | Richard Dunne |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Joey Barton |
| 25 | GK | ISL | Árni Gautur Arason |
| 26 | MF | NED | Paul Bosvelt |
| 27 | DF | DEN | Mikkel Bischoff |
| 28 | MF | ENG | Trevor Sinclair |
| 29 | MF | ENG | Shaun Wright-Phillips |
| 30 | MF | FRA | Christian Negouai |
| 32 | GK | DEN | Kevin Stuhr-Ellegaard |
| 33 | GK | DEN | Kasper Schmeichel |
| 39 | FW | FRA | Nicolas Anelka |
| 41 | DF | ENG | Stephen Jordan |
| 42 | MF | IRL | Glenn Whelan |
| 43 | DF | IRL | Paddy McCarthy |
| 44 | MF | IRL | Willo Flood |
| 45 | FW | IRL | Stephen Elliott |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ENG | David Seaman (retired) |
| 7 | FW | ENG | Darren Huckerby (to Norwich City) |
| 14 | MF | ISR | Eyal Berkovic (to Portsmouth) |
| 15 | DF | NOR | Alfie Haaland (retired) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 16 | DF | SCO | Paul Ritchie (to Walsall) |
| 25 | DF | CMR | Lucien Mettomo (to Kaiserslautern) |
| 40 | MF | ENG | Chris Shuker (to Barnsley) |

## Historical league performance

Prior to this season, the history of Manchester City's performance in the English football league hierarchy since the creation of the Premier League in 1992 is summarised by the following timeline chart – which commences with the last season (1991–92) of the old Football League First Division (from which the Premier League was formed).

## Competitive games
### Premier League
#### Table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 14 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | 13 | 6 | 19 | 47 | 57 | −10 | 45 | |
| 15 | Blackburn Rovers | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 51 | 59 | −8 | 44 | |
| 16 | Manchester City | 38 | 9 | 14 | 15 | 55 | 54 | +1 | 41 | |
| 17 | Everton | 38 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 45 | 57 | −12 | 39 | |
| 18 | Leicester City (R) | 38 | 6 | 15 | 17 | 48 | 65 | −17 | 33 | Relegation to the Football League Championship |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 15 May 2004 (end of season). Source: Premier League results 2003–04

#### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H |
| Result | W | D | W | L | W | D | D | L | W | L | W | L | L | L | D | L | D | L | D | D | L | D | L | D | L | W | L | W | L | D | D | D | D | L | D | W | L | W |

#### Individual match reports
### UEFA Cup

Final aggregate score 1–1 with Groclin progressing on away goals rule

### FA Cup
## Statistics
### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Premier League | Premier League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | UEFA Cup | UEFA Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||||||
| 1 | GK | ENG | David Seaman | 26 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 1 | GK | ENG | David James | 18 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | GK | ENG | Nicky Weaver | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 25 | GK | ISL | Árni Gautur Arason | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | GK | DEN | Kevin Stuhr Ellegaard | 5 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||||||
| 2 | DF | FRA | David Sommeil | 25 | 2 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 3 | DF | BEL | Daniel Van Buyten | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | NED | Gerard Wiekens | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | FRA | Sylvain Distin | 50 | 3 | 38 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | CHN | Sun Jihai | 42 | 2 | 29+4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 18 | DF | GER | Michael Tarnat | 41 | 4 | 32 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | IRL | Richard Dunne | 40 | 0 | 28+1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | NED | Mikkel Bischoff | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 41 | DF | ENG | Stephen Jordan | 2 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||||||
| 6 | MF | USA | Claudio Reyna | 31 | 1 | 19+4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | AUS | Danny Tiatto | 9 | 0 | 1+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | ENG | Steve McManaman | 30 | 0 | 20+2 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Joey Barton | 39 | 1 | 24+4 | 1 | 3+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2+3 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | NED | Paul Bosvelt | 35 | 1 | 22+3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | ENG | Trevor Sinclair | 38 | 2 | 20+9 | 1 | 3+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 29 | MF | ENG | Shaun Wright-Phillips | 46 | 11 | 32+2 | 7 | 3+1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4+2 | 1 |
| 30 | MF | FRA | Christian Negouai | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 42 | MF | IRL | Glenn Whelan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 44 | MF | IRL | Willo Flood | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||||||
| 8 | FW | ENG | Robbie Fowler | 41 | 10 | 23+8 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 9 | FW | CRC | Paulo Wanchope | 26 | 6 | 12+10 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+3 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | FRA | Antoine Sibierski | 30 | 7 | 18+5 | 5 | 3+2 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 11 | FW | ENG | Jon Macken | 21 | 4 | 7+8 | 1 | 1+2 | 2 | 0+1 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 39 | FW | FRA | Nicolas Anelka | 43 | 24 | 31+1 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| 45 | FW | IRL | Stephen Elliott | 2 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players transferred out during the season ||||||||||||||
| 1 | GK | ENG | David Seaman | 26 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 7 | FW | ENG | Darren Huckerby | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 14 | MF | ISR | Eyal Berkovic | 7 | 0 | 1+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |

### Starting 11

| No. | Pos. | Name | MS | Notes |
| 1 | GK | David Seaman | 26 | |
| 17 | RB | Sun Jihai | 38 | |
| 22 | CB | Richard Dunne | 38 | |
| 5 | CB | Sylvain Distin | 50 | |
| 18 | LB | Michael Tarnat | 41 | |
| 28 | RM | Trevor Sinclair | 28 | |
| 24 | CM | Joey Barton | 31 | Steve McManaman had 26 starts |
| 26 | CM | Paul Bosvelt | 31 | |
| 29 | LM | Shaun Wright-Phillips | 41 | |
| 8 | CF | Robbie Fowler | 33 | |
| 39 | CF | Nicolas Anelka | 42 | |

## Goal scorers

Information current as of 15 May 2004 (end of season)