I've researched and written about this a lot (in most of my MCFC histories). What's often overlooked is the fact that this was our first League game after the unjust (in my opinion) bans which meant that 17 of our first team players were banned. Therefore the players were also having to cope with this being basically a new team too.
The game and the circumstances around it were much more dramatic with players coming back on after collapsing and lying pitch side etc. Full story in Manchester The City Years.