# 1980–81 Manchester City F.C. season

The 1980–81 season was Manchester City's 79th season of competitive football and 61st season in the top division of English football. In addition to the First Division, the club competed in the FA Cup and Football League Cup. The club reached the FA Cup Final, their first in 12 years and their eighth in total. Despite a spectacular volley by Steve MacKenzie, his goal was overshadowed by Ricky Villa's magnificent solo goal, which won Spurs the trophy. The club would not reach another FA Cup Final for another 30 years.

## First Division
### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 10 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 70 | 68 | +2 | 43 | Qualification for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round |
| 11 | Stoke City | 42 | 12 | 18 | 12 | 51 | 60 | −9 | 42 | |
| 12 | Manchester City | 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 56 | 59 | −3 | 39 | |
| 13 | Birmingham City | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 50 | 61 | −11 | 38 | |
| 14 | Middlesbrough | 42 | 16 | 5 | 21 | 53 | 61 | −8 | 37 | |
* ↑ Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round as the 1980–81 FA Cup winners.

### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 42 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 56 | 59 | −3 | 39 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 35 | 25 | +10 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 21 | 34 | −13 |
Source:

### Results

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Venue | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 16 August 1980 | Southampton | A | The Dell | 0 – 2 | | 23,320 |
| 20 August 1980 | Sunderland | H | Maine Road | 0 - 4 | | 33,271 |
| 23 August 1980 | Aston Villa | H | Maine Road | 2 – 2 | Tueart (pen), Ranson | 30,017 |
| 30 August 1980 | Middlesbrough | A | Ayresome Park | 2 – 2 | Reeves, MacKenzie | 15,761 |
| 6 September 1980 | Arsenal | H | Maine Road | 1 - 1 | Tueart | 32.233 |
| 13 September 1980 | Nottingham Forest | A | City Ground | 2 – 3 | Bennett, Henry | 23,184 |
| 20 September 1980 | Stoke City | H | Maine Road | 1 - 2 | Tueart | 29,507 |
| 27 September 1980 | Manchester United | A | Old Trafford | 2 – 2 | Reeves, Palmer | 55,926 |
| 4 October 1980 | Liverpool | H | Maine Road | 0 – 3 | | 41,022 |
| 8 October 1980 | Leeds United | A | Elland Road | 0 – 1 | | 19,134 |
| 11 October 1980 | West Bromwich Albion | A | The Hawthorns | 1 – 3 | Daley | 19,515 |
| 18 October 1980 | Birmingham City | H | Maine Road | 0 – 1 | | 30,041 |
| 22 October 1980 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | Maine Road | 3 – 1 | Reeves, Daley, MacKenzie | 28,788 |
| 25 October 1980 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | Goldstone Ground | 2 – 1 | Tueart (2) | 18,368 |
| 1 November 1980 | Norwich City | H | Maine Road | 1 - 0 | Power | 33,056 |
| 8 November 1980 | Leicester City | A | Filbert Street | 1 – 1 | Tueart | 19,104 |
| 12 November 1980 | Sunderland | A | Roker Park | 0 – 2 | | 23,387 |
| 15 November 1980 | Southampton | H | Maine Road | 3 – 0 | Gow, Bennett, Reeves | 32,661 |
| 22 November 1980 | Coventry City | H | Maine Road | 3 – 0 | Reeves, Power, Bennett | 30,047 |
| 29 November 1980 | Crystal Palace | A | Selhurst Park | 3 – 2 | Reeves, Gow (2) | 16,578 |
| 6 December 1980 | Ipswich Town | H | Maine Road | 1 – 1 | Gow | 35,215 |
| 13 December 1980 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | White Hart Lane | 1 – 2 | Boyer | 23,883 |
| 20 December 1980 | Leeds United | H | Maine Road | 1 – 0 | Reeves | 31,866 |
| 26 December 1980 | Everton | A | Goodison Park | 2 – 0 | Gow, Power | 36,194 |
| 27 December 1980 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | Maine Road | 4 – 0 | Hutchinson (2), McDonald, Reeves | 37,817 |
| 10 January 1981 | Coventry City | A | Highfield Road | 1 - 1 | MacKenzie | 18,348 |
| 17 January 1981 | Middlesbrough | H | Maine Road | 3 – 2 | McDonald, Reeves, Hutchinson | 30,774 |
| 31 January 1981 | Aston Villa | A | Villa Park | 0 – 1 | | 33,682 |
| 7 February 1981 | Nottingham Forest | H | Maine Road | 1 – 1 | Power | 40,534 |
| 21 February 1981 | Manchester United | H | Maine Road | 1 – 0 | MacKenzie | 50,114 |
| 24 February 1981 | Arsenal | A | Highbury | 0 – 2 | | 24,790 |
| 14 March 1981 | West Bromwich Albion | H | Maine Road | 2 – 1 | McDonald, Tueart | 36,581 |
| 18 March 1981 | Stoke City | A | Victoria Ground | 1 – 2 | McDonald | 15,842 |
| 21 March 1981 | Birmingham City | A | St Andrews | 0 – 2 | | 16,160 |
| 28 March 1981 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | Maine Road | 1 – 1 | MacKenzie | 30,122 |
| 31 March 1981 | Leicester City | H | Maine Road | 3 – 3 | Reeves (2), Palmer | 26,141 |
| 4 April 1981 | Norwich City | A | Carrow Road | 0 – 2 | | 17,957 |
| 18 April 1981 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | Molineux Stadium | 3 – 1 | Power | 34,923 |
| 20 April 1981 | Everton | H | Maine Road | 3 – 1 | Reeves, Reeves, MacKenzie | 34,434 |
| 25 April 1981 | Ipswich Town | A | Portman Road | 0 – 1 | | 22,684 |
| 2 May 1981 | Crystal Palace | H | Maine Road | 1 – 1 | Bennett | 30,017 |
| 19 May 1981 | Liverpool | A | Anfield | 0 – 1 | | 24,462 |

## League Cup
### Results

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Venue | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 27 August 1980 | 2nd Round 1st Leg | Stoke City | A | Victoria Ground | 1 – 1 | Henry | 13,176 |
| 3 September 1980 | 2nd Round 2nd Leg | Stoke City | H | Maine Road | 3 - 0 | Henry, Bennett (2) | 21,356 |
| 23 September 1980 | 3rd Round | Luton Town | A | Kenilworth Road | 2 – 1 | Bennett, Henry | 10,030 |
| 29 October 1980 | 4th Round | Notts County | H | Maine Road | 5 – 1 | Bennett, Tueart (4) | 26,383 |
| 3 December 1980 | Quarter Final | West Bromwich Albion | H | Maine Road | 2 - 1 | Bennett, Henry | 35,611 |
| 14 January 1981 | Semi Final 1st leg | Liverpool | H | Maine Road | 0 – 1 | | 48,045 |
| 10 February 1981 | Semi Final 2nd leg | Liverpool | A | Anfield | 1 – 1 | Reeves | 46,711 |