Pochettino’s battlers fired up by poor VAR call and roar back with late winner

A NIGHT of high drama when Tottenham refused to buckle – and Manchester City may live to regret a wasted opportunity.

Eventually, it belonged to Heung-Min Son whose late winner could derail City’s hopes of a historic Quadruple as once again the Spurs striker took centre stage after Harry Kane limped off.

Kane’s ankle injury looked bad, and will likely keep him out of next week’s return leg while City will know they may not get a better chance than Sergio Aguero’s first-half penalty.

It was another big moment for VAR with the controversial award of a penalty followed by a brilliant save from the spot by Hugo Lloris (right). Moments like those are the difference between glory and more Champions League failure for City. Maybe the memory of being blown away at Anfield in last season’s quarter-finals – Liverpool blitzing City with three goals in 31 minutes – weighed heavily in Pep Guardiola’s mind.

There was no doubt that the City boss played safe, and his line-up raised eyebrows as Bernardo Silva was out injured and Fabian Delph and Riyad Mahrez were surprise picks.

Guardiola could not have expected VAR – the gift which keeps on giving – to give them such an early present.

Just 10 minutes in, Raheem Sterling jinked his way down the left wing, cut inside and unleashed a shot which deflected off Danny Rose and went out for a corner. It seemed pretty straightforward. That was until Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers suddenly indicated that he was checking the replay, up went ‘penalty review’ on the big screen and the whole stadium could not quite understand what was going on.

No player appealed, neither manager, none of the fans and suddenly the VAR was looking at an infringement no one else had spotted.

Kuipers went over to a TV screen, he thought Rose’s arm was in an unnatural position and he pointed to the spot.

City’s fans in the stadium celebrated, Spurs supporters fumed. The debate will rage, with the UEFA rules stating that if the VAR team spot a “clear and obvious error” they can alert the referee.Aguero smashed the ball to Lloris’s left but the keeper made a brilliant diving save.

That is his second crucial penalty save in recent weeks, having kept out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s last-gasp spotkick in the North London derby. And people say he is on his way out.

It was a moment which lifted Tottenham and left City dejected. Spurs came back strongly with Kane, Rose and Dele Alli all going close.

City were clearly given a Pep talk at half-time, they came out with more energy and intent.

But Tottenham’s best-laid plans quickly derailed in the second half as Kane came off worse in a fierce collision with Delph, which led to the England striker hobbling off with another serious looking ankle injury.

Kane’s injury left Mauricio Pochettino seething, Spurs seemed to lose their heads and City became more dominant as they pressed forward.

But while Tottenham’s defence stood firm, it was Son again – such an able deputy when Kane was crocked earlier in the season – who stepped into the breach. Christian Eriksen’s flighted ball went over the City defence, Son chased it down, kept it in and then dragged it back from the by-line before smashing a low shot past Ederson to bring the new stadium to life.

The goal survived a nerve wracking VAR check but suddenly it looks advantage Tottenham.

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