Tottenham vs Manchester City Report

Scorers: Haaland 12’

Manchester City secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium, moving back into the Premier League top four while avoiding a third defeat of the season against Ange Postecoglou’s side.

Erling Haaland’s first-half strike proved to be the difference in a game where City dominated early but had to withstand significant second-half pressure from Spurs.

City’s First-Half Dominance Goes Unrewarded

With Chelsea leapfrogging them into fourth following their 4-0 demolition of Southampton, City entered the game under pressure to respond. They did just that in the first 45 minutes, controlling proceedings and creating multiple clear-cut opportunities.

Haaland found the back of the net with a simple tap-in after excellent work from Jérémy Doku, yet the Norwegian striker could have had more.

He first forced Guglielmo Vicario into a smart save from close range before wasting an even better chance, scuffing a shot that the Italian goalkeeper dealt with comfortably.

Doku himself tested Vicario with a low drive from the edge of the area, but Spurs’ biggest reprieve came when Savinho, completely unmarked at the back post, blazed over from eight yards after being picked out by Doku.

Spurs, who had struggled to pose any attacking threat, finally produced a moment of concern for City just before HT. Kevin Danso’s header from a well-worked corner forced Ederson into a scrambling tip-over, but City went into the break with a deserved lead.

Spurs Rally After the Break but Fail to Convert Chances

The second half saw a complete reversal of momentum. Despite their deficit, Spurs emerged as the more aggressive side and looked the more likely to score.

They relied heavily on set pieces, with Ederson doing well to gather headers from Danso and Rodrigo Bentancur before Pedro Porro sent another glancing effort over the bar.

The visitors’ best chance of the game fell to Wilson Odobert, who failed to convert a golden opportunity when he stretched to meet Porro’s cross but directed the ball off target.

As Spurs pushed forward, Son Heung-min also forced Ederson into a save with a first-time strike, but City’s defensive resilience ensured their lead remained intact.

Late Drama but No Change to the Outcome

City thought they had sealed the game in stoppage time when a second goal hit the back of the net, but after a lengthy VAR check, it was ruled out for offside.

Despite this, the disallowed goal had no impact on the final result, as Pep Guardiola’s side held firm to claim three invaluable points.

Final Thoughts

• Manchester City: The result was vital in keeping their Champions League qualification hopes on track. Despite missing chances to kill the game off early, City’s first-half dominance was enough to secure the win, moving them one point ahead of Chelsea with 11 matches left to play.
• Tottenham Hotspur: Ange Postecoglou’s men showed promise in the second half and will take positives from their display. However, their lack of clinical finishing cost them, and the defeat leaves them in 13th place, needing consistency to climb back into the top half.

City’s win keeps them in control of their top-four destiny, while Spurs will look to regroup ahead of their next challenge in an unpredictable season.

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Spurs v Man City, 2024/25 | Premier League