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<\/p>\nTottenham ended their losing run <\/p>\n
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Ange Postecoglou has still not emulated Cristian Stellini and Nuno Espirito Santo but he may have made his point in rather different fashion. It was not exactly \u2018Angeball\u2019 in its purist form but it was compelling, chaotic entertainment as Tottenham halted their losing streak, picked up an improbable point and gave Arsenal a bigger cushion at the Premier League summit than they presumably expected.<\/p>\n
Spurs are no strangers to late drama at the Etihad Stadium, whether the disallowed Sergio Aguero goal that sent them on their way towards the 2019 Champions League final, or Harry Kane\u2019s 95th-minute winner in 2022. They completed a hat-trick of sorts, frustrating Manchester City again courtesy of Dejan Kulusevski. Not exactly known for his heading, the Swede soared above Nathan Ake \u2013 a defender brought on to see out a victory \u2013 and head in Brennan Johnson\u2019s cross. For the second time, Tottenham had come from behind. In their own way, they had scored four of the six goals, with Son Heung-min \u2013 not quite the prodigal son \u2013 proving more prolific than they had hoped by finding the net at each end.<\/p>\n
For City, however, this was the rout that wasn\u2019t, the game that promised a thrashing and delivered a draw. They were inches from putting Tottenham out of sight, twice hitting the woodwork, and squandered some fine chances, but a lack of ruthlessness meant they ended up dropping points at the Etihad for a second successive weekend.<\/p>\n
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Kulusevski beat Ake to head the equaliser <\/p>\n
Spurs have proved their scourge before \u2013 besides the unlikely duo of Nuno and the caretaker Stellini, Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte have all registered victories against Pep Guardiola\u2019s City \u2013 but perhaps not in such circumstances. Minus nine injured players, lacking an available specialist centre-back, there may have been a muddled magnificence in the way they both surged and stumbled to a draw.<\/p>\n
There was spirit in abundance from Postecoglou\u2019s motley crew, but also much to admire in the quality of each of their goals: they have long troubled City with quick counter-attacks and the incisiveness of Son. After Jeremy Doku lost the ball, the South Korean sped clear to score his eighth goal against Guardiola\u2019s City \u2013 only Mohamed Salah and Jamie Vardy have more \u2013 even if Ederson ought to have saved his shot.<\/p>\n
Then Giovani Lo Celso unveiled a lovely clean strike to score for the second consecutive week after his Argentina teammate Julian Alvarez\u2019s pass was intercepted. Finally Kulusevski struck and City had mislaid four points in nine days on home turf.<\/p>\n
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Son fired Tottenham into the lead early on <\/p>\n
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But Spurs changed their plan and rescued a draw <\/p>\n
There was ambition from Spurs at the end, but also on the teamsheet. Yet they were a curious blend of ambition and realism throughout. This was not the kamikaze high line Spurs\u2019 nine men had used against Chelsea. Tottenham were defending deeper, the idealist in Postecoglou adopting a more pragmatic approach he may have borrowed from some of his predecessors. Starved of possession, camped behind the ball at times, it wasn\u2019t supposed to be the way they play.<\/p>\n
Yet they had a threat on the break; Johnson and Son unsettled City throughout. They were the spearheads of a strange side, more through necessity than choice. With Eric Dier making it nine injured players, there was an idiosyncratic look with a defence populated entirely by full-backs, and then five wingers or attacking midfielders ahead of Yves Bissouma. If it suggested a lack of balance, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was brought on at the break to add ballast alongside Bissouma.<\/p>\n
At times Spurs threatened to ease City\u2019s passage to victory, giving the ball away in their own third time and again. There was an emblematic moment in the seconds after the interval when Guglielmo Vicario made a spectacular save from Bernardo Silva, but only to secure redemption for his own dreadful pass. Certainly they rode their luck when City twice rattled the frame of the goal, Doku\u2019s curler striking the bar, Alvarez\u2019s drive the far post.<\/p>\n
There was an oddity to a six-goal thriller without Erling Haaland scoring any, though he did register two assists. That, in turn, meant that besides adding to his lengthy list of goals against Guardiola\u2019s City, Son scored for them, cancelling out his own lead. When Haaland flicked on Alvarez free kick, the ball flew off the Tottenham captain\u2019s knee and past Vicario.<\/p>\n
City\u2019s second suggested a difference in class that could prove painful for Tottenham. There was slick, quick passing involving Haaland and Doku before Alvarez span to find the unmarked Phil Foden for a simple finish.<\/p>\n
Yet Spurs came back. Doku\u2019s departure, seemingly injured, brought Jack Grealish\u2019s introduction and he got a belated first goal of the season from Haaland\u2019s cutback. Surely this time City would hold on? Kulusevski had other ideas, scoring away to the champions for a third successive season. And Postecoglou, the manager who Guardiola had first praised when he plied his trade in Japan, had held him in the Premier League.<\/p>\n