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Manchester City took on Tottenham at Wembley or rather a pitch that looked a lot like Wembley after a group of huge NFL players used it as their boxing ring. Nonetheless, the reigning Champions faced Tottenham for the last match of Matchday 10 with a brilliant chance to go to the top of the table, level on points with Liverpool and only goal difference separating them.
The match was set in the aftermath of the events that took place at Leicester City with a minute of silence before kick-off. But with Guardiola only making two changes after his side beat Burnley 5-0 last weekend, while Mauricio Pochettino amid rumors of a move to Real Madrid made three changes to the side that drew to PSV over the week things were going to get interesting.
In the end, it was a simply 1-0 victory after a mistake from Kieran Trippier allowed Raheem Sterling to get in behind the defensive line, and play Riyad Mahrez goalside. In the end, it was Pep Guardiola and his side that showed their resilience as Champions as they hung on for most of the game, but while the scoreline should have been a lot bigger in their favor, it looks like the former Barcelona boss has some work to do ahead of their next clash.
Here are three reasons why Manchester City beat Tottenham:
#3 Raheem Sterling can be an absolute menace
He divides opinion, not just among the media but also among fans and critics alike, especially given the sheer fact that he is only 23 years old. The Englishman joined the Citizens from Liverpool just over four years ago and since then has had more than his fair share of ups and downs for Manchester City. However, last season, he was simply unstoppable at times and alongside Leroy Sane and Sergio Aguero, the 23-year-old went on to score 23 goals and produce a further 17 assists in all competitions.
This season, he has continued his form, struggling against Liverpool and failing to score or assist only against Wolves and the Reds. Other than that, Sterling has managed a stunning return of either a goal or an assist in any of his last 9 Premier League appearances. However, against Tottenham, he showed exactly why Real Madrid are paying close attention to his contract situation, with him causing more than a few problems for Kieran Trippier.
The former Liverpool star forced the full-back to make a horrendous error before coolly playing in Riyad Mahrez to open the scoring for the away side. He may not have had his shooting boots on, with a few blocks to stop him from doubling the lead, but Sterling still caused problems both in the first half and the second.
#2 Moments of brilliance
It wasn’t a game of utter brilliance with Manchester City playing Mauricio Pochettino, who set a very defensive side against Pep Guardiola. The home side dropped both Christian Eriksen and Son Heung-min and brought in Moussa Sissoko and Moussa Dembele to stunt any attacking move into the final third. However, that didn’t work, with Manchester City scoring in the 6th minute after a stunning error from Kieran Trippier that allowed Raheem Sterling in behind the defensive line.
After that, however, it was a tight affair and while the Citizens dominated proceedings, chances were at a premium, but with the likes of David Silva and Bernardo Silva in their side, they were always going to create. Their one touch and intricate passing had Tottenham reeling at times, looking for the ball as Manchester City toyed right in front of Hugo Lloris’ goal.
What did let them down and not add to their immense goal tally, was their lack of finishing with Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and even David Silva missing more than their fair share of chances. Going forward, this could prove to be a big problem especially in the later stages of the Champions League but as long as they create chances, they can afford to miss a few.
#1 Defense wins you titles
It’s a clichéd saying that is used in almost any sports movie, but there is a reason that it’s become a clichéd saying. Some may say that the best offense is the best defense but for Pep Guardiola and Manchester City, they’ve made it their priority not to concede any goals if they can help it and with John Stones and Aymeric Laporte combining well, it’s all happening for the Etihad Stadium side.
Three goals, that’s all they’ve conceded in their first 10 Premier League games, with only Huddersfield, Wolves and Newcastle United getting on the scoresheet against the reigning Champions. However, what makes things even more impressive is the fact that they haven’t conceded for seven hours in the Premier League, which is six games on the bounce since the 1st of September and they've only lost 2 in their last 56 games..
Going forward, this is going to be a massive asset especially against the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and even Liverpool, although they don’t play Jurgen Klopp and his side until 2019. But with Manchester City somewhat struggling in the Champions League, Pep Guardiola would certainly want his side to do the same in Europe’s biggest competition.
