Tottenham 0-2 Manchester City Highlights: Haaland brace takes City past Arsenal in Premier League title race

A brace by Erling Haaland and goalkeeping heroics by Stefan Ortega saw Manchester City convincingly beat Tottenham to return to the driving seat in the Premier League title race.

No hat-trick opportunity for Haaland tonight as Guardiola replaces the Norwegian with Julian Alvarez.

Erling Haaland steps up for the penalty and sends the referee the other side with a bullet of hit into the net. He gets his 27th goal of the league, and City cements its goal difference (+60) with the strike.

Doku barges into the box, receives Foden’s pass and as he drifts to his right, he is tripped by Porro and the referee points to the spot.

Foden tries to win the ball back from Maddison and ends up conceding a foul and gets into the book for the late challenge.

Tottenham catches City napping and Son latches on to the ball to run into the final third. However, his right footed shot is saved by Ortega’s right thigh in what was the most important save of the match, given the circumstances.

In: Oliver Skipp, Giovanni Lo Celso

Out: Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Pape Sarr

City tries to go for an attack but Porro intercepts the ball for Doku to get the ball out of play.

City looks to have gained firm control in the midfield at the moment, with Spurs chasing shadows. If the scoreline remains as it is at full-time, it will remain in the driving seat to clinch the title on the final matchday.

Kulusevski makes another run into the box and Ortega makes a timely interception to nip the attack in the bud. It has really been a contest of super-subs this.

Kulusevski gets the ball from the corner, and tries a left-footed curler from outside the box, which flies over the net with no trouble at all for Ortega.

The match has moved into the final quarter of regulation time and Tottenham has failed to keep its early press intact while City has paraded up the pitch to find the coveted breakthrough, which keeps it on top of the standings at the moment. 

From one substitute to the other, Doku gets into the thick of things with a cross, which, after a deflection off Porro, is pushed out of play by Vicario. The corner, too, end to nothing.

Kulusevski dribbles past the City defence, getting the ball off Akanji and Ortega makes a great save in a one-on-one situation to keep City’s lead intact.

Kovacic and Brennan Johnson get into a duel to get the ball and the Croat fouls Johnson to get City’s first booking of the match

In: Stefan Ortega, Out: Ederson Moraes

In: Jeremy Doku, Out: Kevin De Bruyne

City’s team doctor has a word with Guardiola and Ortega gets ready to come up in what looks like an imminent substitution for City in the goalkeeping position.

The match resumes after Ederson gets back on his feet, following assistance by the medical team and the long delay means there will be a lot of added time at the end of 90 minutes.

Tottenham tries to find an equaliser with a set-piece and Ederson throws his body in the line to make a great save and gets injured in the process, after a foul off Romero, who was trying to get a boot to Kulusevski’s cross. The Argentine gets into the book for the challenge.

Tottenham makes a change in the 55th minute, with Kulusevski replacing Bentancur and the latter is very unhappy. 

De Bruyne gets back on his feet but is limping at the moment. Guardiola, meanwhile, has sent Rico Lewis to warm up as De Bruyne gets back on the pitch after having a word with the manager.

Manchester City fans have started singing loud and clear. They have got the leading goal and will look to help the team continue its mometum. Meanwhile, Sarr fouls De Bruyne, who goes down wreathing in pain and the referee books Sarr immediately. 

Bernardo Silva passes the ball to De Bruyne, who draws the defenders towards himself and crosses to a release Haaland, who taps it in with his first shot in the match, in the penalty box.

Manchester City tries to build from the back, with small passes but Hojbjerg gets the ball and then Son tries to find an opening with a shot from distance. Dias makes a good block to deny further chance.

Sarr passes to Johnson on his right, who tries to set up Son in the centre, but his shot is saved by Ederson. Proper end-to-end stuff this at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Kevin De Bruyne gets the ball in the box and shoots on target. Vicario, again, makes a great one-handed save to deny a certain goal.

No change by either side as both teams walk out of the tunnel. City resumes the match after a tense talk in the team huddle just before second half kick off.

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A goal has eluded both sides as Manchester City continues to look for an edge before the final day showdown, with Arsenal watching on. Both have had chances but neither could really convert them.

Foden crosses from the left to set up Haaland, whose shot is blocked by Van de Wen and then City shoots again and Dragusin stands in the way to deny a certain goal. The linesman eventually raises the flag but Dragusin was not aware. 

Bernardo Silva attacks on the counter, carrying the ball into the box. But his left-footed curler hits a Spurs defender and lands safely into the gloves of Vicario.

Pedro Porro’s foul gives City a free-kick, a chance to score through set-pieces. De Bruyne takes the free-kick, which is caught well by Vicario.

Manchester City has dropped points just once in 2024 while playing away, against Liverpool in the 1-1 draw while Tottenham has not had a draw at home in the league this season - the only side to do so. As City fans watch, the contest looks to be ready for a tense second-half battle, with four minutes of regulation time left in this half.

Walker gets the ball along the right and sets up Gvardiol on the far post, who tries the spectacular on the volley, only to see the ball fly past the net.

Bentancur fouls Foden through a reckless challenge as City tries to attack on the counter and the referee books him in what is the first booking of the match.

Hojbjerg passes he ball to Brennan Johnson, who carries the ball along the right flank, cuts to his left and tries a cross, which is saved Ederson and the ball goes out of play for a corner. Son shoots on receiving it but fails to keep it on target and the ball goes out of play off De Bruyne’s shin. The referee, however, gives a goal kick.

Half an hour into the game and there has been nothing to separate the two sides. Bentancur and Foden have both come close to score and have been denied by good saved by Ederson and Vicario, respectively.

Tottenham looks to stretch the opposition defence, with passes across the field as City forces the ball out of play for a throw-in in its favour.

Spurs attack on the counter, with Son’s through ball received well by Bentancur. He tries to set up Johnson when Gvardiol comes to City’s rescue to deliver the clearance.

Dragusin gets the ball at the back and tries to look for gap along the flanks when Kovacic pushes him down for a Spurs free-kick close to their own box.

Foden and Walker combine again, with a through ball for the latter. Walker tries the cut-back pass for Foden only to see Romero spot it and clear it away.

City has understandably looked the more aggressive side so far but its star striker Haaland has failed to create much problems so far.

Romero’s header off the corner has the ball reach Son, who eventually loses the ball to City, Tottenham recovers the ball well but slows the attack with a back pass.

Tottenham goes for an attack on the other end. Son gets the ball into the box, connects with Sarr, Bentancur and then, Johnson’s final shot is saved by Gvardiol for a corner.

A failed clearance by Hojbjerg sees Foden get to the ball and shoots on target to force a one-handed save by Vicario as Calvert-Lewin could only watch. What a chance for City and what a save by the keeper!

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Foden switches play with a pass to his right to Walker. The Englishman sprints down the right flank, tries to get it back to Foden but Spurs clears for a corner.

Manchester City gets a free-kick in the defensive midfield area and takes it quickly to set up Walker, who makes a run behind the defence. But he fails to reach it in time, giving a throw-in to the hosts. 

Following Spurs’ clearance, Sarr tries to start an attack against the run of play but fails to get the ball to Son, who was running for cover.

Walker gets a long ball along the right flank, tries to set up Haaland but the ball, after a deflection falls to De Bruyne, whose shot flies off-target. The linesman eventually raises the flag for off-side.

Maddison switches play with Brennan Johnson setting up Bentancur, who shoots on target, forcing a reflex save by Ederson. The first real chance of the game and Spurs had almost scored.

City looks to start an attack, with Gvardiola getting the ball to Foden, who tries to breach Spurs’ defence and just then Hojbjerg stops him in his tracks, stealing the ball off him.

Manchester City absorbs the pressure really well, with Dias getting the ball to Ederson, who kicks it away for Haaland. However, the match stops as he fouls Romero. 

Tottenham gets the ball rolling as home fans look on whether their side can secure Champions League football next season while the away fans expect a victory to keep their title-defence dreams alive. 

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City both have their players in the tunnel, shaking hands and exchanging hugs. This match can primarily decide how the visitors approach the final game, with Arsenal watching on closely. 

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Pep Guardiola said “history is in front of us” as he prepares his Manchester City team for a potentially tricky match at Tottenham on Tuesday that could ultimately decide the destination of the Premier League title. 

City, chasing an unprecedented fourth straight top-flight English league crown, is one point behind leaders Arsenal but crucially have a game in hand.

If City beats Spurs, it will be able to seal the championship with a win at home to West Ham on the final day of the season on Sunday, when Arsenal hosts Everton.

Guardiola’s men are charging towards the finishing line, hitting 28 goals in their past seven Premier League matches and conceding just five times. 

But the City boss, who said he was relishing the high-pressure title run-in, denied that the race was already effectively over. 

City has never won a league match at Tottenham’s new stadium, which opened in 2019, and has not even scored a goal, though it won there in the FA Cup in January.