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For almost a minute there, it seemed that Manchester City had done it all over again. For a minute or two there it seemed like we were seeing the Manchester City of last season, pulling a goal out of their magic hat in the dying moments of the game and thus taking the three points they were owed.
And then, VAR happened. This is going to be a good season, controversy-wise.
For all their efforts and domination, City's inability to take the game by its throat is a good sign for the rest of the title aspirants. Twice City led - first through a Raheem Sterling header off a glorious Kevin de Bruyne ball, and then through a faux sitter from Sergio Aguero, again off a setup by the Belgian. But both times their lead was cut up against the run of play - once by a searching shot by Erik Lamela, and finally by a Lucas Moura header from a corner.
Of course, there were several individual battles that had a say in how the contest ultimately turned out. Here's a look at three of them:
#1 Kevin de Bruyne vs Christian Eriksen
Quite understandably, a lot of the match involved the midfielders of either side, with their primary attackers and chief defenders waiting in position and looking to capitalize on mistakes or to prevent any. In such a scenario, the most important battle was between their chief playmakers.
Kevin de Bruyne, almost 6 feet of pure Belgian delight, won this hands down. Not only did he end up providing the assists for both of the goals, but he also produced a masterclass in ball retention and distribution. He was the cause of an unimaginable 9 key passes, and took 9 corners for his side.
Christian Eriksen, on the other hand, had an off night, but that was mostly due to the fact that City never quite allowed Tottenham enough time on the ball for the Dane to do something with the ball. On the rare occasions that they did, the other attackers squandered chances far too easily, making it all moot.
How Spurs managed to draw this game, only they truly know.
#2 Rodrigo vs Tanguy Ndombele
If the first one was a contest between the quarterbacks, this battle was one anchor against the other, and the chance for both the newcomers to show their quality. In that respect, it turned out to be a far more evenly matched fight, with the Spurs player just edging past.
Taking over the role of David Silva is never an easy thing to do, and neither is slotting in at Fernandinho's role in the team. But playing in the middle of a midfield of three, it was an unholy combination of the two that Rodrigo ended up doing tonight.
All things considered, he did the job admirably and even enough to wow the fans every now and then. He completed 55 of 56 passes and made 4 tackles, while at the same time winning 3 aerials.
But Tanguy Ndombele stepped up when it mattered most, finding Erik Lamela with a delicious pass to set up the first goal for his team. His passing might not have been as impressive, completing 39 out of 45 passes, but everywhere else he shined - completing 4 successive dribbles and 5 tackles, not to mention the 2 interceptions to his name.
#3 Bernardo Silva vs Erik Lamela
One did all the work, without getting anything tangible out of it. The other looked out of it for the most part, but ended up with his name on the scorecard. Football can be a cruel game at times.
Long considered the engine of the Manchester City side, and rumoured to be the first name on the team sheet as Pep Guardiola picks his sides, this was another one of those typical Bernardo Silva performances. He put in a shift every minute he was on the pitch and never, even for a moment, stopped complaining.
As far as stats go, he ended up with three successful dribbles, once hitting the woodwork, and getting three shots blocked, a pass accuracy of 84%, and earning the pre-assist for both the goals.
Erik Lamela, on the other hand, was just... there. Of course, he scored the first goal to tie the match, a ball passed on to the left bottom corner as Ederson appeared to stray from his default position. But other than that, there was nothing about his performance that screamed starting XI, and we shouldn't be surprised if Lucas Moura starts next game.
Lamela was dispossessed of the ball four times through the match, completing only 15 of the 20 attempted passes. And he ended up scoring with his only shot of the match.
Sometimes, things just happen.
