Tottenham suffered their fourth defeat in the last five Premier League games as Manchester City took all three points at the Etihad on Saturday.
Despite going close from a Harry Kane free-kick that hit the post when the game was goalless, City took control and led at half-time through a Rodrigo penalty before Ilkay Gundogan netted twice after the break on a difficult evening in the northwest.
It was City’s 16th successive win in all competitions and they now haven’t conceded a goal in seven straight home games.
Tottenham were unlucky not to take the lead when Kane stepped up to take a 14th-minute free-kick from 20 yards out, curling right-footed over the wall but his effort crashed against the post and City eventually cleared.
Instead, it was the hosts who broke the deadlock from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute, after Gundogan had been clipped by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg close to the byline.
Referee Paul Tierney pointed to the spot, VAR confirmed his decision and Rodrigo took the penalty, firing to Hugo Lloris’ right and although the goalkeeper got a good hand to it, the ball crept into the bottom corner.
Although they dominated possession, that was City’s only shot on target in the first half, but they added to the scoreline five minutes into the second half when Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling combined, with the latter finding Gundogan inside the area and his left foot shot from 10 yards went past Lloris, who again got a hand to the ball but couldn’t keep it out.
It wasn’t until just before the hour mark that Tottenham had their first shot on target, Tanguy Ndombele’s deflected effort looping up into Ederson’s hands, with the goalkeeper then playing a key role in City’s third in the 66th minute.
Spotting the run from deep of Gundogan, Ederson hit a 60-yard ball through the middle into his path, the midfielder holding off the challenge of Davinson Sanchez before sliding beyond Lloris.
Substitute Gareth Bale almost netted a late goal after showing superb footwork to weave his way past Bernardo Silva, Aymeric Laporte and John Stones on the edge of the area, but Ederson made a fine save to deny the Welsh forward and that was our last chance of the contest.
However, Jose Mourinho pointed to fatigue and the concession of a “modern penalty” as contributing factors in Tottenham’s loss to Manchester City.
Speaking to Spurs TV after the game, Jose said: “Going in a football direction, I believe that in the first half, we were good, we started the game very positively, we didn’t fear them, didn’t have problems, didn’t have any defensive problems, even playing in an offensive way like we tried to do. Once more, unlucky, the Harry Kane ball, I don’t know how it’s not a goal, and unlucky with another penalty of modern days. But I liked the team in the first half, very positive.
“In the second half, when you concede a goal after five minutes, it’s very hard, because then it’s the fatigue plus the emotional side. The guys fought until the end, and I feel the result is too heavy, too heavy. It gives me another feeling… of if we get into that (Carabao Cup) final in the same physical condition as them, let’s go.”
However, Mourinho was asked for his interpretation of a “modern penalty”.
He said: “A modern penalty is one even if you touch with a nail inside the box it can be a penalty.
“For some you touch with a nail and it is a penalty and you go to the VAR and you cannot deny there was a touch.”
Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted his side’s slim chances of retaining their English Premier League (EPL) title are over after they were beaten 1-3 at Leicester City on Saturday.
Three goals in seven minutes from James Maddison, Jamie Vardy and Harvey Barnes overturned Mo Salah’s opener as Liverpool suffered their third straight defeat.
The result put Leicester up to second, four points behind Manchester City, who host Tottenham later Saturday, while Liverpool are fourth, 10 points off the pace and short on confidence.
“I can’t believe (the question), but yes,” Klopp said when asked if the title chase was over.
“I don’t think we can close that gap this year.
“We are not worrying or whatever about the title, we are not silly. We have on Tuesday a tough game (away to RB Leipzig in the Champions League) and then on Saturday again, a derby.
”So, these are the things we are thinking about. We want to have still a good season in the end, we have to win.”
Liverpool gave Ozan Kabak a debut at center-back and they were much improved for the first hour, with a number of chances to score.
And when Salah placed a superb shot into the far corner on 67 minutes after nifty footwork from Roberto Firmino, it looked like they would win it.
But after Thiago gave away a free-kick on the edge of the area —- eventually confirmed by video review (VAR) —- Maddison fired the free-kick into the net.
The goal was given by VAR after it was initially ruled out for offside against Daniel Amartey.
For the second match in succession, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson then made a massive mistake in a mix-up with Kabak, allowing Vardy to run in on an empty goal.
Barnes finished things off with a clinical third goal, leaving Liverpool with a third straight Premier League defeat.
Liverpool full-back Andy Robertson said the result was “a huge blow”.
“We played with a lot of confidence for large parts of the game —— played the ball really well,” he said.
“Then I don’t know what happened in the last 10 to 15 minutes. It can’t happen in a game like this. We really need to look at that. Every game is massive for us now. We need to put an end to it.”
Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers was delighted with the win over his former club.
“It was a very good win. The players deserved it.
“We didn’t sink when we went a goal behind, we stayed calm and the players were brilliant in that period —- a real collective team performance.
“You can see the improvement in the team’s mindset. Our reaction was superb,” he said. – Agency report.
