The Etihad Stadium truly is the second home for Tottenham Hotspur as the Lilywhites again prove to be the bogey team for Pep Guardiola with a 4-0 win on Saturday.
Entering the match with some doubts — as both starting center-backs were ruled out with injuries and the topsy-turvy campaign thus far left questions about what has happened — Spurs silenced everyone yet again.
Twenty seconds into the game, Yves Bissouma picked up an errant yellow card as he studded Phil Foden on a break. Feeling an uh oh as this could be the beginning of a train wreck type of contest, Spurs handled themselves in the early City window.
Seeing chances squandered by Erling Haaland with a bad first touch on his first opportunity and a marvelous save from Guglielmo Vicario on his second chance, the momentum flipped for Spurs as they got their feet under them.
The game’s first goal came on a spray ball from Radu Dragusin down the right touchline for Dejan Kulusevski to track down and bully Joško Gvardiol off the ball. Getting possession and making two dribbles on his left foot outside the City box, Kulusevski saw the streaking James Maddison down the middle of the City center backs and lifted an over the top ball for a first time volley off the left foot and into the back of the net for the birthday boy to celebrate his goal.
Maddison bagged his second goal seven minutes later on an errant pass from Gvardiol in his half for Maddison to run up on and start a quick counter from 20-yards out. Setting a one two with Son Heung-min, Maddison wrapped around Son on his run and received the ball for a quick chip over Ederson for a brace on the day.
Up 2-0 against City, Spurs endured one last wave of City attacks in the first half as Vicario came up repeatedly, even putting his body on the line with a challenge against Savinho around the keepers’ box.
In the second half, Spurs put the dagger in the chests of the reeling champions on another brilliant counterattack.
Kulusevksi won the ball deep in his team’s half and dribbled his way around a few City defenders to find an open Son. Son’s one-time flick to Kulusevski released the winger for another run down the left side of an open City defense with Dominic Solanke on the far end of the channel, ready for the delivery. Seeing a heavy, weighted pass curled around the box that stopped Solace from coming onto it and putting a shot on goal, Solanke fed the ball to a streaking Pedro Porro, who leathered the ball to the top half of the City goal for a 3-0 lead.
Knowing the scoreline wasn’t enough with City’s talent, the Spurs defense led by Vicario came up repeatedly to keep Haaland and co. off the scorer’s sheet.
Spurs added one final goal for good measure as the fresh legs of Timo Werner and Brenna Johnson combined for the fourth and final goal of the night.
Overall, the team played well, with solid displays in all three phases. This was by far the best display from Vicario in net this year as the Italian racked up five saves.
Ange Postecoglou put together a brilliant blueprint to defeat the champions. This night gave fans relief, hope, and utopia as the side is back in the Top 6.
