Manchester City 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur : Five Talking Points

Tottenham Hotspur deepened Manchester City’s league woes after a stunning 2-1 win at the Etihad to do the double over the Skyblues for the first time since 2011/12 season.Just hours after Arsenal's win over table toppers Leicester City by an identical scoreline, the game gained more significance as the teams were handed a chance to trim the gap at the top. The Lillywhites emerged as the unexpected beneficiaries as they reduced the distance to just 2 points in second place.Following a dour opening half, in-form striker Harry Kane put the visitors ahead from 12 yards early after the restart, only for Kelechi Iheanacho to draw level midway. And just when it seemed the sides would share the spoils, Christian Eriksen popped up with the winner 7 minutes from time.The win consolidates Spurs’ position in second, whilst City are left rooted in fourth. Here are some of the lessons learnt from the high-profile clash.

#1 A tale of two halves

Harry Kane sparked the game into life

Billed as one of the season-defining games, Manchester City against Tottenham Hotspur, the league’s fourth versus the second, was expected to be an end-to-end stuff with teams going full Hammer and Tongs. But contrastingly, it got off to a cagey start.

The opening 45 minutes lacked any sort of goal-mouth action as the sides were running short of flair in the final third and tread dangerously on the borders of mediocrity. The match headed into the break goalless, but returned with a different saucepan of salmon.

If the first stanza was dour and dull, then the second was equally compelling and congenial. As both sides attacked at full pelt, the game burst into life and the first piece of drama arrived when the visitors won a dubious penalty.

Once Kane buried the ball into the back of the net, it would only get more and more riveting with each passing minute.

#2 Kompany\'s return a timely boost for City

Kompany needs time to get back to his best

Manchester City may not have won the game despite having their talismanic skipper back from the clutches of injury, but the burly Belgian understandably needs time to get into his element.

In his first game in nearly 2 months, Vincent Kompany did not put up an assured performance and appeared frail in his showings. Spurs threw the kitchen sink at the City skipper and there was nothing he could do in riposte. Kompany was even lethargic in marking Eriksen in the build-up to the winner.

One cannot blame Kompany for the kind of lacklustre show he displayed today, but his return definitely comes as a timely boost for the ailing Citizens, ahead of the Champions League, League Cup final and some crucial league fixtures.

#3 Aguero comes up a cropper

Sergio Aguero went missing for most of the game

For all the hoopla in the build-up to the clash, Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero failed to guide his side to a win. The strapping Argentine has been in a red-hot form, scoring 6 times in the last 4 games and 14 overall, but pulled a blank when his team needed him the most.

Carrying City’s scoring burden on his shoulders again, Aguero was touted to win it for his team. But instead, he cut a subdued figure in the final third. The 27-year old appeared to be in no man’s land, and played ducks and drakes with the chances presented to him.

It was uncharacteristic off-day for the City centre-forward, who came up a cropper when he should’ve been the match-winner instead.

#4 Why does Toure even start ?

Yaya Toure’s display was lacklustre

Yaya Toure is well past his prime. If there any doubts, then his outing today should be enough to add some substance to the fact. The Ivorian is no longer the influential figure for his side that he once used to be, and continues to pull one stinker after another.

Today, his movements in the No.10 role were laboursome and that impacted City’s surge negatively. He constantly looked off the pace and escaped two bookable offences on Mousa Dembele and Christian Wimmer.

It is said of Toure that he may decamp the blue half of Manchester once Pep Guardiola takes the reigns, and should that happen, the club cannot get happier.

#5 Title hopes as good as over for City

City’s title chances look bleak

The defeat leaves Manchester City in a deep lurch as although the gap between them and Leicester City hasn’t widened given their own defeat to Arsenal earlier in the day, the fact that their rivals are stealing a march over them is a matter of concern for Manuel Pelligrini and co.

Both the North Londoners, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, are now 4 points ahead of them in the race and they are yet to play Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal before pulling the curtains down on the season.

After 5 draws and 7 defeats in 26 rounds, Manchester City trail The Foxes by 6 points, and their title tilt appears as good as stifled.