CITY SPURRED TO VICTORY
Pellegrini’s men find their spirit to boost boss’s job security
AS he looks to keep a tight hold on his job in the closing days of what has been a difficult season, afternoons like this will help Manuel Pellegrini.
This was not a perfect Manchester City performance, far from it. In fact, England goalkeeper Joe Hart was probably the day’s best player — the save he made from Erik Lamela in added time enough to ensure City won the game.
It was the spirit of the performance that was impressive and necessary, if not always the style.
Missing key players and under some pressure after recent struggles, knowing that Chelsea had taken their Barclays Premier League title from them in the moments before kick-off, it would have been possible for some of Pellegrini’s players to lose focus. Not excusable, but possible.
As it was, City produced a display of some gumption.
Tottenham were impressive at times and produced enough opportunities to take something from the game. City, though, scored through Sergio Aguero in the 28th minute and subsequently would not yield.
Players like David Silva and James Milner were noticeable in terms of effort. Silva provided the pass for Aguero’s goal but also ran hard for the cause, that cause being respectability and second place.
At the end, meanwhile, Brazilian midfielders Fernando and Fernandinho clenched their fists. It had been that kind of day.
A decent game, then, one that said much for the competitiveness of the Premier League. Arguably City’s most difficult game of the run-in, they now have an opportunity to finish this season in a manner that did not seem possible after that numbing defeat by neighbours United j ust three weeks ago.
‘Congratulations to Chelsea,’ said Hart afterwards. ‘It was well deserved, winning the league. They have been able to lead from the front. We have done that before. But they know we will be back next season. They will get stronger and we will get stronger.’
Certainly, City will need to improve. They have been found wanting this season and for some, a penalty will be paid. Samir Nasri, for example, lasted just three second-half minutes here as a substitute before succumbing to a groin injury. It will be a surprise if we see the Frenchman in a sky blue shirt again.
City began slowly, Eric Dier and Harry Kane both threatening to score in the opening 10 minutes, but improved to score a terrific goal on the counter-attack just before the half-hour.
Gathering the ball from a corner, Hart was alert enough to spot Silva breaking untracked from his own half and from that moment Spurs were in trouble.
Why they had left themselves so sparsely covered at the back is anybody’s guess but Silva’s through-pass to Aguero made sure they were punished and the South American’s high shot to the left of Hugo Lloris was as unstoppable as they come.
A goal up, City did their best to put the game away. Twice Fernandinho was afforded opportunities in space on the edge of the penalty area, once from a square pass by Silva that spoke of supreme awareness, but on neither occasion could he direct an effort on target.
A second goal then and City might have sauntered away with the contest. As it was, Tottenham’s spirit and ambition were enough to trouble the visitors. Hart saved from a Kane volley as half-time neared and then from Ryan Mason after Kane had played him in astutely.
Into the second half and there were moments of opportunity at both ends. Aguero couldn’t find the net after Fernandinho’s chip played him in while Pablo Zabaleta should have been awarded a penalty after a challenge from Danny Rose almost cut him off at the knee.
Tottenham finished the stronger, though, as substitute Paulinho brought a plunging save from Hart, Kane failed to profit from a mistake by Martin Demichelis and then Lamela’s volley into the ground and up from a Rose cross was feathered over by the goalkeeper’s finger tips in injury time.
‘We created a lot of chances and were unlucky not to score,’ said Pochettino. ‘ It’s difficult to explain. I’m disappointed.’
As for Pellegrini, his post-match comments were a little sour and that was a shame. They didn’t fit the spirit of the game. ‘Tottenham play attractive football and so do we, that’s why we saw an attractive game,’ said the City manager. ‘ That’ s good for all the supporters.
‘Chelsea did what we did last season, winning the Premier League and the Capital One Cup. We did it by scoring more goals and also by playing in a different style.
‘It’s important for the Premier League and the fans to play attractive football. That’s why I have said what I just said.’