Mahrez goal helps City beat Spurs
LONDON: Manchester City returned to the Premier League summit on goal difference with a 1-0 victory over fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur courtesy of an early goal by Riyad Mahrez at a subdued Wembley Stadium on Monday.
It was not the free-rolling City of late and Tottenham will rue missing some good opportunities to salvage something from a rather disjointed affair on a patchwork pitch.
Mahrez caught Tottenham cold in the sixth minute after a defensive mistake but despite City’s dominance they were missing their usual clinical edge on a surface looking more suitable for gridiron football after an NFL fixture a day earlier.
David Silva and Mahrez both could have put the game beyond Tottenham but the hosts, who were on a four-match winning run in the league and could have gone above City into second with a victory, always posed a threat.
Dele Alli returned from a hamstring injury for Tottenham and his arrival as a substitute sparked some late pressure in which Erik Lamela spurned a glorious late chance to equalise.
After the tragic events of Saturday in which Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha died alongside four other people in a helicopter crash outside the King Power Stadium, it was fitting that Mahrez, a Leices-
ter hero during their 2016 title success, was the one who scored.
The game was only six minutes old when City keeper Ederson launched the ball forward, and Spurs right back Kieran Trippier made a mess of his clearing header and it was then turned too easily by Raheem Sterling who squared for Mahrez to fire into the net past Hugo Lloris.
“I am very, very sad. That is why when I scored I put my hands in the sky for him,” Mahrez said. “He did a lot for me and Leicester and it is difficult to speak about. It is very sad.”
City should have buried the hosts in the 55th minute when Bernardo Silva played in namesake David but the Spaniard inexplicably opted not to shoot with the goal gaping -- City coach Pep Guardiola angrily kicking the air.
Tottenham grew in belief as the half wore on and when Alli rolled the ball across the area for an unmarked Lamela, the Argentine looked odds on to equalise but lifted his head and sent his effort flying over the crossbar.