Tottenham stunned Manchester City with a dominant 4-0 win at the Etihad on Saturday, marking City's first home defeat from open play since the 2022 World Cup. James Maddison scored twice in seven minutes in the first half, before Pedro Porro added a third against his former club and Brennan Johnson completed the rout.
The result leaves Manchester City five points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who had a game in hand against Southampton on Sunday. For Tottenham, the victory eased pressure on manager Ange Postecoglou, lifting them into the top six of the table.
City manager Pep Guardiola, who signed a contract extension until 2027 earlier in the week, is facing the toughest run of his managerial career. Despite his new deal, hopes of a quick turnaround were dashed as City continued to struggle. The absence of midfielder Rodri, who suffered knee ligament damage in September and is expected to miss the rest of the season, has been a key factor in their decline.
City started the match well, with Guglielmo Vicario denying Erling Haaland early on, but Tottenham struck with their first serious attack in the 13th minute. Dejan Kulusevskis cross found Maddison, who calmly finished with a first-time shot. Maddison, who had recently been dropped from the starting lineup, was eager to make an impact and did so with a second goal five minutes later, courtesy of a clever pass from Son Heung-min. Maddison chipped the ball over City goalkeeper Ederson to double Spurs' lead.
Tottenhams inconsistent form this season had seen them slip to 10th place after a 2-1 defeat to Ipswich before the international break. However, the win over City follows their earlier 3-0 victory at Old Trafford against Manchester United, marking a rare but impressive achievement for Postecoglou's side.
Before halftime, City were denied a third goal when Ederson made a fine save to prevent Dominic Solanke from adding to the score. Despite the strong start, City were unable to recover, leaving Tottenham with a memorable and convincing win.
