MAN CITY 4 TOTTENHAM
their Christmases have come at once for disbelieving City fans.
For who can now stop them winning the title in record-breaking time, with a points and goals total that will be through the roof?
It might be getting boring for the watching neutrals who want a competitive top of the table battle – but don’t expect anyone at City to care.
Nobody else might be celebrating with them but this is turning into a remarkable season and no one can deny City are producing football of dream-like quality.
The hope of the rest of the Premier League’s top six, what little is left, was that if Manchester United couldn’t throw a spanner in City’s super-slick machine, maybe Spurs could. After all, City were winless in their previous four Premier League games against Pochettino’s men. And in Kane, Alli and Eriksen, Spurs had players who could hurt any team. But that particular flame was extinguished after just 14 minutes as City took a lead served up on a plate by shoddy defending. As Leroy Sane prepared to take a corner Ilkay Gundogan – starting a Premier League game for only the second time since his serious knee injury a year ago – lurked at the edge of the box with no guard. And when the kick came over, the German midfielder ghosted unmarked into the heart of the Tottenham box to meet the delivery with a t humping downward unchallenged header.
Having loosened the hinges City really should have kicked the Spurs back gate down completely as their superior, rapid power-plays constantly carved the visitors open.
They could have been out of sight even before Tottenham summoned their first threat on goal, a curling Kane shot which beat Ederson but the outside of the post as well.
Kane’s only other contribution was a shocking tackle on England teammate Sterling, which deserved a red.
A night to forget for Pochettino and his stars, but for City it won’t be long before their party is in full swing.