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#2 Winks and Sissoko had the better of City’s midfield
Tottenham’s manager got the tactical part correct as he played with two holding midfielders in a home match which is not always the case for the attacking Spurs team. But he planned to stifle the City midfield for space and it paid off.
Spurs defence was in great form but appreciation must go to the dirty work done by both Sissoko and Winks in the midfield. They won the second balls, they did not play a high line and thus negating the impact of Sterling and Mahrez. City were badly missing Bernardo Silva as he was ruled out with a thigh injury. Without him they had no one to carry the ball from midfield to the forward line.
Riyad Mahrez was largely ineffective throughout the match and that left Sterling and Aguero to carry all the attacking responsibility on their shoulders. Pochettino would love to have the same midfield in the away tie as well.
