Tottenham primed for shot at title
Arsenal’s last-gasp win over Leicester earlier in the day had opened the door for the pursuers to hunt down the Foxes and it was Tottenham, rather than City, who seized that opportunity and in the process went back above the Gunners into second place in the table on goal difference.
City, who have now lost consecutive home league games for the first time since December 2008 after also being beaten by Leicester a week ago, are six points behind the leaders, compared to Tottenham’s two.
And having failed to beat any of the top six this season, Manuel Pellegrini’s side look far less likely to come good in the closing weeks of the season than Spurs, who could win the championship for the first time since 1961.
Thanks to a late goal from Christian Eriksen on his 24th birthday, Tottenham have now won five successive league games and the momentum is with them. Their derby against Arsenal at the start of March could be some game.
“It was a very important victory,” said manager Mauricio Pochettino. “It is important to start to feel that you come to a stadium like Manchester City against a big, big team and you can win. It is very important for the future.
“I think our players deserve full credit for the performance. Like always you need to try and improve every day and we are now in a good position, but is too early to talk about titles.
“The supporters are right to dream. They have shown big support from the beginning of the season and I say ‘thank you’ to them. It is important for our supporters to believe.”
City had captain Vincent Kompany back in their side following his recovery from his latest injury problems and with him in their back four they had not previously lost a league game this season.
They also had history on their side, having beaten Tottenham in their last five home league clashes.Tottenham have now done the double over Pellegrini’s fading side, having won 4-1 at White Hart Lane. Pellegrini, whose hopes of signing off as manager with a third title success are declining by the week, claimed two goals that day should have been disallowed for offside and he was equally incensed with the decision that saw Tottenham take the lead at the Etihad Stadium. Danny Rose’s cross hit Raheem Sterling on the back of the arm but the City winger was not looking at the ball and it was debatable whether he was actually in the penalty area as he jumped before referee Mark Clattenburg pointed to the spot eight minutes into the second half.
Clattenburg had also been the referee in the first game and Pellegrini felt he should not have been in the same position again.
“For me I don’t think it is a good decision to have the same referee,” said the City boss.
“It was a penalty that referee Mark Clattenburg wanted to sign for and he gave the sign. It was the wrong decision. It hit the back of Raheem Sterling then his elbow. Sterling was not even watching the ball. We responded well but we needed to get the three points.
“We are going to continue fighting until the end. We still have 36 points to play for and are only six points behind the leaders. We will not give up and continue working and improving.” Pellegrini admits that his stellar squad is feeling the strain in chasing four trophies with seven senior players currently out injured.
They are certainly missing Kevin de Bruyne and the attacking threat he brings. Once Harry Kane had put Tottenham ahead from the penalty spot with his 15th goal in 17 league games, City needed teenage substitute Kelechi Iheanacho to draw them level.
Sergio Aguero had missed a couple of decent chances, notably an opportunity from the corner of the six-yard box just before Tottenham went ahead, but Iheanacho finished superbly as he drilled home his ninth goal of the season from a Gael Clichy cross eight minutes after coming off the bench. City briefly looked as though they could go for the kill as Yaya Toure, who earlier hit the bar with a free-kick, forced Hugo Lloris to save a fierce drive. But Tottenham boast the best defence in the league and with eight minutes to go substitute Erik Lamela released Eriksen to slip the ball past Hart for his seventh goal of the season and convince Tottenham’s supporters, at least, that their long wait for the title could be nearing an end.
Hart 6; Zabaleta 7, Kompany 6, Otamendi 6, Clichy 7 (Kolarov 75); Fernando 6 (Iheanacho 66, 7), Fernandinho 6; Silva 6, Toure 7, Sterling 7; Aguero 6.
Caballero, Demichelis, Celina, A Garcia, M Garcia.
Lloris 7; Walker 8, Alderweireld 8, Wimmer 8, Rose 9; Dier 7, Dembele 7; Son 7 (Carroll 72), Eriksen 8, Alli 7 (Lamela 81); Kane 7 (Chadli 89).
Vorm, Mason, Trippier, Davies.
Mark Clattenburg 5
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