Manchester City thump Tottenham to continue Premier League onslaught
Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan celebrates scoring their third goal of the game during the Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium. Picture: Rui Vieira
Ilkay Gundogan and Manchester City continued their incredible onslaught on the Premier League as they strolled to a 16th consecutive victory against Joe Mourinho’s out-of-sorts Spurs.
In a season in which nine different clubs have led the Premier League table, a penalty from Rodri - won by Gundogan - and two from the German himself handed Mourinho his heaviest league defeat as Spurs boss.
It was City’s revenge over Spurs, the last team to beat City 23 games and 84 days ago, but, more importantly, leaves the rest of the season as a procession towards their coronation.
But Gundogan, perhaps surprisingly, is also now emerging as the best player in English football; the division’s leading scorer in 2021 taking his tally to 11 goals in his last 12 games.
Tottenham’s defensive discipline lasted for 22 minutes until Gundogan made yet another lung-busting run between full-back and central defender to receive a Gabriel Jesus pass and was bundled to the ground by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Referee Paul Tierney had no doubts, and his VAR did not take long to confirm his decision, although Mourinho believed it more debatable, viewing a screen and waving his finger at the fourth official and Gundogan himself.
With City having missed three of their seven league penalties this season, midfielder Rodri took his first one for the club and just about beat Hugo Lloris who could only help a weak strike into the net.
If Lloris was badly exposed on that occasion, worse was to come when he was beaten by Gundogan for City’s second five minutes into the second half.
It came from a patient City build-up and short pass from Phil Foden which Gundogan, having shed his markers, darted to receive before forcing the ball through Lloris’s hand and boot.
The third was an even greater embarrassment for Mourinho’s defence and came directly from a superb long pass from keeper Ederson, on the edge of his area.
Davinson Sanchez badly misjudged the ball’s flight, was beaten for pace by Gundogan then left on his backside as the City man twisted and turned and stroked in the third.
Ederson 7: Cancelo 7, Stones 7, Laporte 6, Zinchenko 6; Silva 7, Rodri 7, Gundogan 9 (Torres 68 6); Foden 7, Jesus 7 (Mahrez 79, 6), Sterling 7.
Lloris 4: Tanganga 5, Sanchez 5, Dier 6, Davies 4; Ndombele 6 (Alli 64, 6), Hojbjerg 5; Lamela 5 (Bale 72, 6), Moura 5 (Sissoko 45, 5), Son 6; Kane 6.
Paul Tierney 6
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