Manchester City’s winning streak in the Premier League has finally ended as Tottenham Hotspur beat the visitors by a two-goal margin.
It was Aleksandar Kolarov, who accidently bundled the ball into his own net from a Danny Rose cross, to give the hosts the lead in the 9th minute and Dele Alli doubled his side’s lead in the 37th minute.
Spurs could have added to the goals had Erik Lamela converted the penalty that was awarded to his side. However, his miss did not prove to be costly as Spurs held on and ended the game with the all three points against the high-flying Manchester City.
We bring to you 5 talking points from the game between Tottenham and Manchester City.
#5 Underdogs Spurs too hot to handle for Manchester City
After an indifferent start to the season, which saw them garner two draws and one victory from their opening three games against Everton, Crystal Palace and Liverpool, Spurs have upped the ante in the last four league games, putting in imperious performances.
Their performance against Manchester City was yet again an indication of how far they have come under Mauricio Pochettino.
They pressed hard and offered no time or space on the ball to their much-admired opposition. City had won each of their league games this season until they arrived at the White Hart Lane, where they looked out of sorts and were completely dominated by Pochettino’s men.
While Pochettino has been hailed as a manager who loves to field an attacking unit that can press with intensity for the whole duration of the game, a solid defence has been the key to success under his regime.
The side conceded the least number of goals in the league last season and continues to display tight defensive performances, having conceded just 3 goals so far.
The spine of the side has been well complemented by the quality on the wings and the strong presence in midfield.
#4 Manchester City’s defensive worries growing by the day
Pep Guardiola must be a worried man after witnessing two poor defensive performances by his team in a week. The unexpected three goals conceded in the Champions League against Celtic, was followed by yet another poor performance against Spurs, which serves as an indication of what might prove to the Achilles’ heel for the Manchester side.
The tendency to push his full-backs high up in attacking positions has resulted in space being offered for the opposition’s attacking wingers to operate in, and Guardiola might be forced to rethink his strategy.
Their inability to show defensive discipline has impacted the creative freedom offered to the side’s midfielders and attackers, as they have had to drop deep to help their colleagues.
In fact, City have been so poor defensively, that they have managed just one clean sheet in their 7 league games. The presence of a goal keeper who is still taking time to settle into a new team and league, adds to the defensive problem that exists at the Etihad.
Given the quality of the players in the back-line, it could be attributed as more of a mental problem, which Guardiola and his backroom team will be hoping to resolve at the earliest, to continue their title run.
#3 Tottenham have strong squad depth
When Harry Kane was ruled out owing to an ankle injury, Spurs fans and pundits were worried. Where would Tottenham Hotspur find their goals with their main man injured?
However, the doubts of the fans have now proven to be ill-founded, with the likes of Lamela, Son Heung-Min and Dele Alli carrying the side on their shoulder in the absence of their star striker.
The South Korean, Son, who endured a tough first season in the English football, mainly owing to injury, has been the side’s leading attacker-in-chief, scoring three goals and providing two assists in his side’s last three games against Middlesbrough, CSKA Moscow and Manchester City.
He played a crucial role in attack against City, constantly linking up with Alli and Eriksen to keep the Manchester City team engaged.
While there is no doubt that when Kane returns from his injury, he would take the starting spot, the former Bayer Leverkusen is already making a strong case for himself with his performances.
#2 Manchester City lack solid presence in the middle of the park
Tottenham new boy Victor Wanyama dished out his best performance in a Tottenham shirt against Manchester City. He was all over the park, making tackles, interceptions and not affording the visitors any space to operate in.
His abilities as a destroyer in midfield came to the fore against City as he kept the likes of Silva, Fernandinho and Fernando quiet for the duration of the game. He made a total of 12 tackles, won 2 aerial duels and made 1 interception, and was successful in restricting his midfield counterparts, while also providing the presence to free his attackers of any defensive duties.
In stark contrast, what City lacked in the game was the presence of a destroyer who could protect his centre-backs from the wave of attacks that came their way. Fernando has struggled with the pace and physicality of English football and Guardiola could be forced to look to bring in a tenacious destroyer in the mould of Wanyama, who could take the game to the opposition.
Tottenham have had the tightest of defences so far in the league, and while the abilities and understanding of the duo of Vertonghen and Alderweireld have been hailed, the balance that Wanyama brings to the side cannot be underestimated.
#1 Tottenham add to their credentials as title challengers
Many pundits and fans thought that Spurs had let their best chance to win a Premier League title pass last season, as they slipped in their pursuit of Leicester and ended the season behind their fierce cross-town rivals Arsenal.
However, that has not been the case, as Spurs have shown superb form this season, putting in entertaining performances, but also been eking out results. Tottenham are the only team unbeaten in the league this season.
With their next league games against West Brom, Bournemouth, Liverpool, Leicester and Arsenal, their abilities as a unit could be severely tested.
They currently sit just 1 point away from the top spot and, should they continue to perform the way they have done in the recent weeks, there is no doubting their credentials as genuine title contenders.
While it is still early days, Spurs have shown that they can still battle with the big boys, but the lead that Spurs have garnered could be put to test with the tough run of fixtures to come.
