Manchester City 0-4 Tottenham: Spurs end City's long unbeaten run at home
Manchester City’s impressive club-record unbeaten streak of 52 matches at the Etihad Stadium was abruptly halted by a disheartening 4-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
The team has now suffered back-to-back losses against Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion, marking a career-worst streak of four consecutive defeats for Pep Guardiola.
City began the match with a positive outlook against Spurs, who were also eager to recover from a disappointing 2-1 defeat to newly promoted Ipswich Town.
Guglielmo Vicario was quick to react, preventing Erling Haaland from scoring with a foot save, which allowed Tottenham to take the lead shortly thereafter. Birthday celebrant James Maddison skillfully directed Dejan Kulusevski’s exquisite pass into the net with a well-placed volley.
Having fallen behind in five of their six home league matches this season, City found themselves in familiar territory. However, the visitors’ second goal just seven minutes later raised significant concerns.
Ederson had previously made a fingertip save to deny Son Heung-min from curling a shot into the top corner, but he was powerless to stop Maddison from scoring his second after a clever one-two with the Spurs captain.
The hosts came close to scoring on several occasions during the first half, yet Tottenham’s makeshift center-back duo of Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies effectively contained City’s attacks.
Remarkably, the situation worsened for City shortly after the second half began, as the league's top scorers added a third goal, leaving the hosts with a daunting challenge ahead.
Former player Pedro Porro, who had not been given a chance at the Etihad, demonstrated his value to Spurs by finishing Dominic Solanke’s cut-back with precision.
In search of a catalyst to ignite a resurgence, the home team came close to scoring as Haaland's curling shot struck the crossbar, while Josko Gvardiol's low attempt was thwarted by Porro.
The absence of Ballon d'Or recipient Rodri was palpably felt, allowing Spurs to exploit opportunities during transitions. After Kulusevski nearly netted a fourth goal on a counterattack, Guardiola opted to introduce Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish in a final attempt to alter the outcome.
The hosts launched a late offensive, with Vicario once again denying Haaland, but ultimately, Spurs secured a fourth goal during stoppage time.
Substitutes Timo Werner and Brennan Johnson collaborated effectively to clinch a significant victory, propelling Tottenham to sixth place in the standings.
This marks an unprecedented fifth consecutive defeat for the reigning Premier League champions, whose unbeaten home record, stretching back to November 2022 (28 wins, 6 draws), has now come to an end.
Next, Guardiola's squad faces a potentially pivotal match at Anfield, trailing league leaders Liverpool by five points, having played one additional game.
SportsLigue