A great day for Pep Guardiola as his side secured a victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a place where they had never scored before. In a tightly contested match, Nathan Ake’s controversial 88th-minute goal proved to be the difference.
Guardiola’s side had never found the back of the net in their five previous visits to Tottenham, but that stat is finally a thing of the past. The winning goal came amidst protests from the Spurs players, who claimed a foul by Ruben Dias on goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. However, the referee and VAR deemed the goal to be legitimate, aligning with recent decisions favoring less protection for goalkeepers.
The match lacked entertainment for the most part, with both teams struggling to create clear chances. Missing key players such as Erling Haaland, Son Heung-Min, Kevin De Bruyne, and James Maddison, it was a night to forget in terms of excitement.
Despite the absence of a minute’s silence for Jurgen Klopp’s impending departure, the game eventually came to life in the final stages. City staged a late rally and bombarded the Tottenham goal for the last 20 minutes, finally breaking the deadlock. It was a far cry from their thrilling 3-3 encounter at the Etihad in their previous meeting.
The breakthrough came when De Bruyne’s corner found Ruben Dias, who battled with Vicario near the goal-line. Dias managed to get his head on the ball, and Ake was there to poke it home, sealing the victory for Manchester City.
It was a frustrating night for Spurs, who failed to register a single shot in the first half – a rare occurrence for them at home. The return of James Maddison provided a glimmer of hope, but it wasn’t enough to salvage a result.
With this win, Guardiola’s side continues their quest for a historic treble, maintaining their position as one of the top contenders in English football.
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