How to rally Tottenham after the Eberechi Eze drama: go to Manchester City and engineer a commanding 2-0 win that briefly puts your team top of the Premier League.
In doing so, Thomas Frank made a strong statement about his professionalism and hinted that his approach at Spurs will be more measured than Ange Postecoglou’s all-out attacking style. The way his team frustrated Pep Guardiola’s side all afternoon even led some to joke that Eze might reconsider his choice of club—again.
Spurs wasted several opportunities but were far more clinical than their hosts, with first-half goals from Brennan Johnson and João Palhinha securing all three points.
João Palhinha was congratulated after scoring his first goal for Spurs just before halftime, putting them 2-0 up.
City never found their rhythm. They looked disjointed, constantly disrupted by Spurs players breaking up their play.
Late on, Jérémy Doku broke through and found Phil Foden, but Micky van de Ven cleared the danger. Soon after, Bernardo Silva headed over from a tight angle.
Guardiola had spoken of “good vibes” as City aimed to erase memories of November’s 4-0 thrashing by Spurs, but an early mix-up between Rico Lewis and new goalkeeper James Trafford—preferred to Ederson—almost proved costly. Richarlison pounced on their hesitation, but City survived. Still, Trafford’s performance was one to keep an eye on.
Earlier, Pedro Porro made a mistake for Spurs, under-hitting a back-pass to Guglielmo Vicario. Oscar Marmoush seized the ball and shot, but Vicario saved.
Marmoush had another chance when Erling Haaland powered through the defence. After a lucky bounce, Haaland slipped the ball to Marmoush, whose shot was saved by Vicario.
Guardiola has often praised Frank’s tactical intelligence, and after 35 minutes, the Dane showed how well he has organized Spurs. On the right, Mohammed Kudus beat Rúben Dias and played in Richarlison, who squared for Johnson to score. The shot was close to Trafford but powerfully struck, so he may have some excuse if Guardiola criticizes him.
The flag went up for offside, but semi-automatic technology showed Richarlison was onside. The goal stood, and Spurs soon doubled their lead.
Trafford’s nervousness was evident again. He hesitated playing out from the back and eventually passed to Nico González near his own penalty area. González didn’t want the ball there, and it was intercepted by Pape Matar Sarr. The ball fell to Richarlison, whose shot was blocked, but João Palhinha followed up to score on his full debut.
City were in disarray. Guardiola’s decision to start Trafford over Ederson—who may leave for Galatasaray but remains a City player—seemed questionable.
City’s attacking struggles were summed up by two moments: first, Rayan Cherki hit a corner straight at the first defender, and then Haaland headed over from close range with the goal gaping.
City’s defence was disrupted when Rayan Aït-Nouri went off injured in the 23rd minute, but his replacement Nathan Aké is a proven winner, so that was no excuse for their poor first-half display.Our Privacy Policy: We use Google reCaptcha to secure our website, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
After the newsletter promotion, when Trafford received the ball under pressure from Spurs, he calmly sent a 50-yard pass to Marmoush. However, the winger slipped, and Guardiola turned away in frustration. His reaction highlighted how disjointed City’s play had become. Despite dominating possession (60-40), Spurs were on top, as City lacked the fluid, relentless passing that defined their best performances.
Pep Guardiola shows his frustration as his side slip to a worrying defeat. Photograph: Darren Staples/AFP/Getty Images
Rather than flowing teamwork, City relied on isolated chances. One opportunity arose when Vicario, the Spurs goalkeeper, made a risky short pass near his own goal to Van de Ven. Under pressure from Bobb, Van de Ven lost the ball. Bobb quickly found Haaland, who set up Cherki for a close-range shot, but Palhinha, Spurs’ standout player, made a crucial block.
Guardiola started the match without Foden, Rodri, Silva, Doku, and Ederson (all on the bench), and Manuel Akanji (omitted for tactical reasons). Even so, he fielded a strong lineup including Haaland, Cherki, Marmoush, Reijnders, and Bobb.
By the 54th minute, Cherki and Marmoush were substituted for Silva and Doku, yet City’s play remained sloppy. For instance, from a corner, the ball fell perfectly for Rico Lewis to strike from outside the box, but he blasted it high over the bar.
In the 74th minute, Foden and Rodri came on—the latter making his return from injury since City’s Club World Cup loss to Al-Hilal in early July. Immediately, Rodri rose to meet a corner but could only direct his header straight into Vicario’s hands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Tottenhams win over Manchester City designed to sound like questions from real fans
General Beginner Questions
Q Who won the match between Manchester City and Tottenham
A Tottenham Hotspur won the match
Q What was the final score
A Tottenham won 20
Q Who scored the goals for Tottenham
A Brennan Johnson and Joo Palhinha scored the goals
Q Where was the match played
A It was played at the Etihad Stadium which is Manchester Citys home ground
Q Why is this considered a shock or surprise result
A Its a shock because Manchester City are the reigning champions and have an incredible home record while Tottenham have historically struggled to get results at the Etihad
Tactical Advanced Questions
Q How did Tottenham manage to beat Manchester City at their home ground
A Tottenham executed a perfect counterattacking strategy They defended in a disciplined compact block and were incredibly efficient scoring with their few chances while City dominated possession
Q What was Joo Palhinhas role in this victory
A Palhinha was crucial as a defensive midfielder He broke up Citys attacks shielded the defense and his goal provided a decisive cushion showcasing his importance in both boxes
Q Did any key players from either team miss the match
A This would depend on the specific match date but Tottenham often faces City without their alltime top scorer Harry Kane who left the club previously Citys squad is typically very strong
Q What does this result mean for the Premier League title race
A A City loss especially at home gives hope to their rivals by dropping crucial points It makes the title race much more open and competitive
Q Is there a pattern of Tottenham performing well against Manchester City
A Yes surprisingly Despite Citys dominance Tottenham has a strong recent record against them especially at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium This win continues that trend of being a bogey team for City
Historical Context Records
Q What does shocked Manchester City at the Etihad once more refer to
A It refers to the fact that Tottenham has a history of
