Manchester City (Home) 21.11.2020

With the match much touted as the first big test of Tottenham’s season, Manchester City were given the ball to do what they wanted with, having 65% possession in the game, but Spurs were well organised by Jose Mourinho and more clinical with their two chances to take the points with a 2-0 win, as Pep Guardiola’s side huffed and puffed, but couldn’t trouble Hugo Lloris unduly.

With international duty and Covid-19 positive tests, both side had players missing, with some having been excused playing time in all the games, some were fresher than others.  So, Spurs were without Matt Doherty (Covid) and both Erik Lamela and Harry Winks (injury), leaving Gareth Bale on the bench and bringing in Steven Bergwijn, who had not been involved with Holland over the previous fortnight. 

Man City had the early possession in the game and the first shot on goal that came in the first minute from Torres, but from 20 yards out, it was straight at Hugo Lloris. However, a high foot by Mahrez on Hojbjerg handed Spurs a free kick 35 yards out on the left. Pierre took it short to Ndombele and he swayed away with the ball giving him the space to lift the ball over the high City back-line. Heung-Min Son was alive to the pass and found himself with a clear run on goal as Laporte (who had his normal nightmare game against us) stepped out, with Ederson coming out, only to have the ball slipped between his legs and Spurs had taken a fifth minute lead. It was the quick thinking of Tanguy and the sharpness of Son that made the goal and made City’s defending look shaky.

City looked to hit back quickly, with de Bruyne robbing Reguilon on the edge of the Spurs box,  but the Belgian shoved over the Spurs left back, who got away with that one. In their next attack, City worked Jesus in and he stumbled into the box, where Toby Alderweireld produced a fantastic block as it looked as though the City man would score from five yards out. However, the ball ran to de Bruyne, who powered his shot at goal, only for it to hit the prone Brazilian blocking his own man’s shot ! VAR looked at it for a penalty against Spurs for Toby’s tackle, but it was a clean block and it didn’t take too long to get play re-started.

Fifteen minutes in and it looked as though Spurs might have doubled the lead, working the ball from back to front and right to left, before Bergwijn played the ball across the box to Son on the right and his first time pass back across the box found Kane, who only had to bumble the ball in, with Ederson nowhere. Unfortunately, Harry had strayed offside, otherwise, it would have been one of the goals of the season, such was the passing and movement that carved City open. A great pass, one touch and a left foot sweep that took the ball under the keeper from the edge of the box.

Rodri planted a header from a free-kick straight at Lloris and Spur had to defend a series of corners, one of which clearly came off Torres last, but Mike Dean wouldn’t have known that would he ?  Spurs had a good break on 25 minutes, when they outnumbered City, but Bergwijn delayed his shot when Hojbjerg played him in with a ball across the area, with Rodri getting back to block him.  VAR had to check that with no penalty given and in the 27th minute, Rodri’s cross came off the head of Sissoko and the ball hit Jesus’s hand before he laid it back for Laporte to rifle home low to Lloris’ right. VAR referred the ref to look at it pitch-side, with Dean ruling it out, as it clearly hit the striker’s forearm. Rodri implored the referee that it hadn’t but the game restarted with Dean waving him away.

You couldn’t really say that City’s goal had been coming, as they had failed to create too many clear openings, but Spurs were sitting deep and were inviting City on to the penalty area, relying on counter-attacks to strike back at the visitors when they had the opportunity. While most of Tottenham’s possession came when City conceded free-kicks, but retaining possession wasn’t the greatest and too often the ball was given away too often or letting the ball run out of play. It wasn’t easy to clear the ball, as the defensive set-up involved the whole team, meaning there wasn’t necessarily an out ball when City did turn it over. Almost as soon as the ball was lost, Spurs dropped off behind the ball.

As the teams trooped off at half-time, Rodri and Jesus, led by de Bruyne were haranguing the referee about the disallowed goal for handball, but they weren’t going to get anywhere with their protestations.

When we were young, our teams used to play attack v defence in training and this is what this match was coming to resemble. It was Spurs who created the first opening of the second half, with Bergwijn finding Reguilon outside him although his pull back couldn’t pick out a white shirt. Aurier handed the ball to City 25 yards from goal and it was passed to de Bruyne, whose shot went a yard wide, when he should have done better.

Rodri was winding himself up and when the ball was at Hojbjerg’s feet after City had been awarded a free-kick, the Spaniard proceeded to push the Spurs man three times, almost pushing him over. And it was City who were pushing, with de Bruyne getting a break of the ball on their right wing, but lifting a cross over the bar and then the same player was twice denied by Eric Dier blocking his shots.

Spurs looked as though they might have created a scoring opportunity when Kane played the ball through for Son, but Ederson was out on him very quickly, outside of his box and that pushed Sonny very wide. 64 minutes in, Giovani Lo Celso replaced Ndombele as Spurs looked to add fresh legs.

As a loose ball inside only found Dier and his clearance went to Harry Kane on the edge of the centre-circle in his own half. A turn and a couple of touches saw Harry pick out Lo Celso on the left and he drew Ederson before sliding the ball left-footed through his legs to double the lead and produce an inspired substitution. Just 50 seconds after coming on, Gio had made it 2-0.

City subbed Silva and Mahrez, bringing on Foden and Sterling, while Tottenham made a change with Bergwijn off and Moura on. Jesus broke forward with 13 minutes left and struck a shot that was blocked. That was followed by Toby going down off the ball, with what looked like a groin injury and that might keep him out for a little while. As it was, Gareth Bale, who had been warming up, had to sit back down, as Joe Rodon was called on to replace the Belgian central defender.

Spurs were running the ball at the City defence, who despite having controlled the game and given Spurs the run-around, were leg-heavy and petulant fouls brought a couple of bookings. When they broke forward Kane got a yellow card for what looked a dubious free-kick awarded for a foul. It was played into the far post area by de Bruyne, with Dias getting on the end of it, but saw Hugo block the effort with a good reaction stop.

When City got the ball in dangerous positions, their use of it was poor. Cancelo tried to bend one into the top corner from 22 yards but bent it into the Paxton Road end. Balls into the box were mainly hopeful and loose control in the area allowed Spurs to regain possession. A free-kick after the regulation four added minutes was played in and the final whistle went before it got into the danger zone. So, with that went City’s last hope and Tottenham topped the table at the end of the day.

It was a consummate team performance and one that is the realisation of Mourinho’s work on the training ground.  With players reaching full fitness and a deep squad to choose from, Jose has taken Tottenham to the top of the league.  Whether the side will stay there come the end of May, it will be an interesting campaign if the consistency can be maintained.  Everyone put in a shift today, with the defence outstanding in protecting Hugo, with the midfielders and forwards all working hard to defend the lead that the clinical efficiency had given Spurs.  Not so much parking the bus, but reversing it carefully into the garage !

There were many positives to come out of the match, but let’s just hope none of them have anything to do with Covid-19 tests.

Burton Coggles

The win handed Tottenham their 1000th home point in the Premier League.