Manchester City 3-2 Tottenham Hotspur - Match Report
Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur met in a near-top of the table clash. However, a last minute mistake from Ledley King allowed Mario Balotelli to score the winner from the penalty spot. The first half was as tame as they come but when Samir Nasri and Joleon Lescott put the hosts two ahead and Jermaine Defoe and Gareth Bale pulled it back for Spurs, the lacklustre opening 45 minutes were banished from memory. Substitute Balotelli was ultimately the catalyst, as he won and scored the penalty in stoppage time to secure the three points. Manchester City welcomed Tottenham Hotspur to the Etihad Stadium for what promised to be a mouth watering affair. This game has, in recent years been a clash of Champions League hopefuls. All thats changed now though as both sides have realistic hopes of actually winning the league. Last time out it was 5-1 to City and Edin Dzeko got 4, not many could see that happening again though... City had actually lost their previous two home games being beaten by Manchester United and Liverpool in the FA Cup and League Cup respectively. The only silverware Roberto Mancinireally cares about is the Premiership and the Champions League though. With the latter dream over though it was Premier League all the way, but with a loss to Sunderland earlier in the month things arent looking quite as rosy as they once did for Nouvelle City. Other than a minor slip up against Wolves, Harry Redknapps Spurs are looking very impressive. beating most teams in style and winning over most of the harshest of critics in the process. That loss to Wolves wont go away though with many saying that it proves them to be short of mounting a serious title challenge. This is nonsense and Redknapp knows it he was looking to dispel these criticisms by beating the best the league has to offer, and wasnt above dabbling with mind games to do it, saying:
Im only interested in taking three points. If we get the chance we will try and rip their throats outIt may be January, but the gloves were well and truly off... A lot of creativity in the two starting line-ups (as youd expect) with Sergio Aguero and David Silva the focus of Citys, and Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart the playmakers for the visitors. Edin Dzeko found a start playing in front of Aguero, but suspension of Vincent Kompany meant a weakened central defensive partnership of Stefan Savic and Joleon Lescott. There are question marks over the Montenegrin, and he would certainly have his hands full in this game. Another loss for the hosts was Yaya Toure, whos off at the African Nations Cup. No one likes the African Nations Cup - surely every other nation should curtail its own competitions to fit in with the England? I personally believe that when Chelsea and Arsenal inevitably crash out of the Champions League it should be stopped. Not really though because I enjoy watching Barcelona. Could these two teams be the strongest in the League? I dont personally believe you could find a much better four man midfield than Aaron Lennon, Scott Parker, Luka Modric and Gareth Bale. Another boost for the visitors was the return of Ledley King (one of many returns...) Spurs hadnt lost a Premier League game with him in the side since August 2010. Not quite as impressive as it sounds considering the regularity of his absences. Emmanuel Adebayor couldnt face his parent club though, so Jermaine Defoe stepped in. What an awful replacement... The game promised much but started poorly with Luka Modric of all people misplacing several passes. Two teams trying their best to prove they have the better passing game doesnt make for good viewing apparently. Gael Clichy for some reason decided he didnt really like football anymore and in fact prefers basketball (a lá Benoit Assou-Ekotto) he jumped up to block Kyle Walkers throw in with his arms. Howard Webb produced a yellow card, very strange behaviour from Clichy. First real bit of footballing action Gareth Bale was set through by Assou-Ekotto, cut back past Micah Richards brilliantly and delivered a low cross into the box. Joleon Lescott got just enough on it to deny Jermaine Defoe, who thankfully seems to have rethought the decision to bleach his head as there was an air of El Hadji Diouf about it and theres only so many spitting incidents that football can take. Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero dont seem to have the best of chemistry (if anyone saw the Wigan game when Dzeko dispossessed Aguero after the Argentine had beaten the whole Wigan team twice and was about to slot it home). The Bosnian was at it again though blocking Agueros shot after hed been played in by David Silva who was himself played in by Samir Nasri. Aguero must be getting a bit fed up of looking up to see Dzekos gormless face after hes been denied a certain goal. Bit of friction between Walker and Clichy as the latter pushed the former over for no apparent reason. If it came to a punch-up I know who my money would be on. Sergio Aguero was able to run for ages, holding off challenges like he was playing FIFA 12 on semi-pro difficulty. Younes Kaboul was breathing down his neck though and indeed Aguero did well to stay on his feet in the area. He laid it off to Silva eventually though and the Spaniard shot just wide. Great play from Aguero, he ruined it a bit moments later by skying a shot where he really could have done better (well he couldnt do much worse). Edin Dzeko was set free by a lovely little through ball from Nasri. Brad Friedel came charging out though and threw himself at the feet of the striker. City were starting to control the game now though and should have scored when Micah Richards squared to Aguero whose effort was straight at the feet of Friedel good save from the veteran keeper though, is he ever going to retire? He just seems to get better with age.
Joleon Lescott brought down Gareth Bale with a rather cynical obstruction. No card from Webb though. Younes Kaboul, firmly in the mould of centre backs who believe because they can hit it hard they can therefore take free kicks, stepped up to take it, but blasted it well wide. The game had died down considerably and everyone was waiting impatiently for the half time whistle. Scott Parker tried to spice things up a bit by jumping in on Micah Richards and sending him flying doing a forward flip in the process. It wasnt malicious though, and the two engaged in exaggerated everything is okay between us gestures. Howard Webb eventually put the Etihad crowd out of their misery by blowing for the interval not a second of added time played. That shows how boring a game itd been no-one had even been injured! It wasnt living up to expectations though these games rarely do. Spurs in particular had done next to nothing to threaten. HALF TIME Penalty appeal from the hosts (though the vast majority of shouts were from the crowd). Micah Richards burst into the area and attempted to cross it in low. The ball did strike Assou-Ekottos arm as he slid in, but it was hardly intentional and Howard Webb was almost certainly right to dismiss it. Spurs then broke but a quite brilliant last ditch challenge from James Milner stopped van der Vaart. A rare miscue from Gareth Bale as he fell over rather than strike the ball anywhere near goal despite being in a dangerous position. The London club were finally starting to stamp a little authority on the game. Only a small amount though like a substitute teacher. It was the ex-Arsenal man Samir Nasri who took the lead out of nowhere. A perfect run from the Frenchman was found by an even perfect-er (no, its not a word) pass from David Silva. He then proceeded to perfectly blast it beyond Brad Friedel an all round perfect goal. Just as Tottenham were making inroads into getting back into the match. City extended their lead minutes later with a far less perfect goal as Edin Dzeko flicked on Samir Nasris corner, and Joleon Lescott bundled it over the line. I think it literally went in off his backside in the end Fernando Torres will be asking him for pointers. What was I saying about this being a boring game? A bit of route one from Spurs got them back into it as Stefan Savic was unable to deal with Kabouls hoof up field, and Jermaine Defoe latched onto it, shifted past Joe Hart and slid it into the empty net game on! Tottenham then equalised! What a strike from Gareth Bale! Aaron Lennon teased Richards before squaring it to the Welshman who bent it into the far corner with aplomb from just outside the area. Joe Hart had literally no chance. Im almost tempted to describe this one as a game of two halves! And what do you need to make an exciting game even more so? Why the introduction of Mario Balotelli of course! He could make a funeral electrifying. No time to buy any strangers drinks today though, he had goals to score. Tottenhams substitution wasnt quite so empathic Jake Livermore was introduced (no offence to him). Aaron Lennon tried to keep the fire burning by beating two or three defenders before getting a shot away at Joe Harts goal, but it was deflected and eventually smothered by the keeper. Defoe was next to try his luck, skinning Lescott but he miss-kicking and the defender recovered. Lescott was having a tremendous game. Balotellis first contribution was to kick Assou-Ekotto to the ground. He got a booking for his hot headed behaviour. Youve got to love him though. Scott Parker probably doesnt though as he stamped on his head inadvertently... Or at least thats what I think but then Im a Balotelli fan if you hadnt guessed. The life hadnt gone from this one yet though. A mistake from Savic (again) allowed Gareth Bale to break down the left; he seemed to have left it too late to square to Defoe who was unmarked in the middle. He eventually received it though, but couldnt quite direct it goalwards despite being around a metre away from an empty net. It looked a shocking miss, but the striker simply couldnt get enough on it. Thrilling stuff at the Etihad! And it STILL wasnt over yet as Ledley King couldnt deal with the strength of Mario Balotelli who was holding him off in the area. Penalty for City! No hesitation from Webb. The Italian stepped up himself, rolled it in and celebrated with a suitably cocky gesture. So three points for City as Webb ended the match. However, Spurs fans shouldnt be too disheartened a fantastic performance from both sides and in honesty neither deserved to lose. Referee: Howard Webb Manchester City (4-3-3): Hart, Richards, Savic, Lescott, Clichy, Barry, Milner, Silva, Aguero, Nasri, Dzeko (Balotelli, 67) Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-1-1): Friedel, Walker, King, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon (Pienaar, 88), Modric, Parker, Bale, van der Vaart (Livermore, 68), Defoe