5  Pablo ZABALETA  (c)
30  Nicolas OTAMENDI     
11  Alecksander KOLAROV     
22  Gael CLICHY  (24  John STONES  84)

42  Yaya TOURE

  7  Raheem STERLING  (33  Gabriel JESUS  82)
21  David SILVA  (18  Fabian DELPH  90)
17  Kevin de BRUYNE 
19  Leroy MANE 

10  Sergio AGUERO

Unused subs: 
13  Willy CABELLERO
  4  Vincent KOMPANY
  6  FERNANDO
  9  NOLITO
 

27  Kevin WIMMER       (  7  Heung-Min SON  46  )
  4  Toby ALDERWEIRELD  (29  Harry WINKS  65)
15  Eric DIER     

19  Mousa DEMBELE  (17  Moussa SISSOKO  78)
12  Victor WANYAMA     

  2  Kyle WALKER 
20  DELE Alli       
23  Christian ERIKSEN
  3  Danny ROSE 

10  Harry KANE

Unused subs: 
13  Michel VORM
38  Cameron CARTER-VICKERS
16  Kieran TRIPPIER
33  Ben DAVIES
 

Controversy as Pep Guardiola blows his top and gets no punishment and Spurs go down the other end to equalise sums up this game, in which City undoubtedly deserved to win, but unless you make your advantage count, you run the risk of losing what you had and Spurs proved worthy adversaries in gaining a point from a  2-2 draw when all seemed lost.

City had started with Sane on the left and Toure sitting in midfield, as Spurs fielded the usual starting line-up, with the only change Wimmer in for Vertonghen. The two teams have had differing form coming into the game, but a crisp Manchester evening staged what was to become a pulsating game.

Early on Rose had a chance to create an opportunity when Zabaleta slipped, but his cross went off a defender to the far side, although the first shot was City's. Otamendi smashing a shot high into the crowd from 30 yards. Danny did well at the other end shepherding Sterling wide when it looked like he had a run on goal, then blocking the eventual cross.

City had an opening when Zabaleta was played in 12 yards out by de Bruyne, but a fantastic tackle not only prevented the chance, but also nicked it off the City defender for a goal kick. Aguero then flashed a shot over after Wimmer was robbed by Zabaleta trying to play the ball out, fouling the player in the process and picking up a yellow card for it. Dier followed him into the book for pulling back Aguero off the ball before Otamendi volleyed the ball across goal from the free-kick, but it was cleared away. |City were playing well, but were also benefitting from the decisions from Marriner.

Tottenham were dropping deep and that allowed City to build pressure on the Tottenham defence. There was a bit of relief from that but not for Walker, who was studded down his shin into his foot by Sane. In the 21st minute, the back four backed off Silva, who hit a low shot to Lloris' left and he dived low to push the ball wide for a corner. From that City played it to the edge of the box, where Zabaleta hit a volley, but he sliced across it to see the ball narrowly miss the far post.

The home team were closing down Spurs quickly, making playing the ball out more difficult, but it was Tottenham's inability to keep the ball which caused them to be on the back foot. When Spurs did string some passes together, Kane's ball through to Dele caught the midfielder offside. Clichy took Walker out and there was no more in it than Dier's booking, but Marriner waved play on and when Dier got caught on the ball on the edge of our box, Aguero picked it off and de Bruyne put a shot across goal and wide.

Possession and passing helped Spurs get back into the game. However, they failed to test Bravo and City were threatening without making Hugo do to much more work. Aguero put a header into a place that Lloris could reach and Sane should have scored when a cross found him unmarked in the box, but he headed wide.   Hugo then punched out a shot, but the decisions continued to go the way of City and Silva got away with a worse foul than those that bookings had been handed out for.  Despite that, City were keen on pressing, but not pressing home their advantage. A few minutes before half-time, Marriner finally drew a yellow card out for a sky blue shirt as Kane mugged up Kolorov and the defender pulled him down cynically as he raced away from him just inside the City half.

Pochettino needed to get a message through to the players, as there was a need to make City work harder to find space and make our own movement better to allow playing the ball out from Lloris easier. Wimmer was sacrificed to allow Son to come on to give Tottenham that movement, but de Bruyne played a long through ball and as Hugo came out to try and head the ball out, he didn't get enough on it on the edge of the box and it let Sane a free tap in to put City ahead three minutes into the second half.

Dele got booked for pushing Otamendi over when the City man was trying to prevent a quick free-kick being taken. Marriner did then show Otamendi yellow for the original offence, but Sane was all over Dier from the free-kick and players were being pulled own all over the pitch, one of which led to City breaking away and a low ball in from Sterling was spilled by Lloris right in front of goal and de Bruyne touched it over the line.

Ten minutes into the half and two down, could Spurs come back one more time ? Not the way they had played the first 55 minutes, but there was still time if they could get their game going. Especially when the ball found its way to Walker on the right, with a pacy cross finding Dele getting in ahead of Zabaleta to head home from close range. Game on !

Perhaps the play might not have been such that they deserved to peg one back, but City had only lead through two mistakes, so it comes down to taking your chances.

Son almost broke the offside trap of City, with a fantastic ball playing him through by Alderweireld, but he was offside and then Rose clashed with Sterling breaking into the box and the home crowd howled for a penalty, but it was a fantastic tackle that won the ball. Shortly after Aguero fouled Toby and he had to leave the field, with Victor Wanyama dropping back and Harry Winks coming on to fill that position. Wanyama had just begun winning the ball and laying it off in midfield, so, Spurs were hit with a double whammy. The enforced change allowed City to work the ball more easily through the middle of the pitch, giving them space to start to play again.

However, there was a nervousness in the City support and the recent losses were obviously at the front of their minds. They should have put the game to bed when Walker pushed Sterling in the back when he was straight through, the shot ending up in Lloris' hands.  Had it been given, it would have been a penalty and a red card for Walks.  There might not have been any coming back from that.  The fury that Pep Guardiola directed at the fourth official would not have been calmed when Eriksen slipped a pass into Kane, who touched it on to Son, who swept a low shot into the corner of the net to make it 2-2. It was a well taken chance and the move started from the 'penalty' incident.

Sissoko came on to replace Dembele after the goal and Rose nearly got in behind but Zabaleta tackled him at the expense of a corner, which brought another on the other side. It came to nothing, but Tottenham were suddenly finding space to make passes in midfield and maybe it was City tiring. Fresh legs were introduced that saw Gabriel Jesus make his debut, but a first touch almost created a first with a low ball across goal with no-one there to tuck it in, then when the ball came back in from the other side he rose highest to head at goal, with the ball just flying over the angle of post and bar.

The youngster almost wrapped it up for City when he slid in de Bruyne's low cross from the right at the far post, but the linesman's flag denied him. Marriner booked Wanyama after he went through Aguero on halfway, as empty blue seats started to appear throughout the stadium.

Both managers were unhappy with refereeing decisions as the game came towards the end and with four minutes time being added, only a wonderful touch by Victor stopped Delph having a chance to finish de Bruyne's cross. That was the last chance of the game, but the point was a better one for Spurs than for City, maintaining the good run and the determination by the players not to give things up. City should have romped it in the end, but the two opportunities that came our way were stuck into the net. City's 17 shots saw only seven on target. That was poor and while their defence has been criticised, it was the forward line that let them down today.

Harry Kane had little service, but he was instrumental in Son's goal and kept battling away and while Dele didn't have his greatest game, he popped up at the right time to cast doubt into City minds. Eriksen could have been better, but stuck to his task and still kept stretching City, while Victor Wanyama was a giant in midfield and in defence. Dier adapted well to being moved around as Pochettino changed tactics and both full-backs took a battering as City used that as their way of stopping them getting forward. Dembele wasn't as attacking as he can be, but was strong in midfield, while Toby was Toby. Hopefully his injury won't keep him out long. Hugo will be gutted that his two mistakes cost goals, but he did make some saves before that to keep the game scoreless.

Pochettino made the changes that allowed Spurs to get in behind City and to stretch them. Son allowed an out ball, which Tottenham had been missing, with his infectious running and being in the right place helping to haul Spurs back into the game. They did get some help from Marriner, who could be the new Mike Dean !! However, one the other hand the referee did us few favours, allowing City to escape punishment on a number of occasions.

The celebrations at the end of the game might not have been as intense as if they had won, but, the come-back kids had done it again and for all City's dominance, they had once more failed to see a game out. For Spurs, the knowledge that they can get points from games which seem way beyond them will stand them in good stead in the future.
 

The Heathrow Spur

I certainly didn't want to hear his biased comments which were plainly disproved by action replays, without reprimand from his colleagues on the TV gantry.