Tottenham Hotspur are looking to record a third successive victory over Manchester City this weekend.
Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City face each other this weekend with both sides occupying the top two berths in the Premier League.
Despite their collapse towards the end of last season, which saw them inexplicably ship five goals at already relegated Newcastle, Spurs ended up finishing four points above City in third. Mauricio Pochettino had directly contributed to hammering home the nails in the Citizens’ limp title charge, taking six points from them over the course of the season.
In recent years, City have forced a habit out of smashing Spurs to bits only to lose to them the following campaign.
Take a look at five of the more memorable clashes between Man City and Spurs.
26th September 2015 – Spurs 4-1 City
Following Chelsea’s out-of-sorts start to the season, which included a 3-0 defeat at the Etihad, City looked firm favourites to wrestle back the title from the Londoners. They had won their opening five league games of the season, and although had suffered a setback against West Ham, were expected to get back to winning ways at White Hart Lane. Mauricio Pochettino had other ideas.
Kevin de Bruyne may have fired the visitors ahead after 25 minutes, but Eric Dier equalised on the stroke of half-time with a smooth 25-yard effort. Toby Alderweireld put the hosts in front on 50 minutes, nodding home Erik Lamela’s free-kick.
Harry Kane then bagged his first goal of the season just after the hour mark when he bundled home the ball when Christian Eriksen’s effort rebounded off the bar, before Lamela compounded the visitors’ misery with a smartly-taken fourth.
24th November 2013 – City 6-0 Spurs
If ever there was a result which screamed out to Gareth Bale that he had made the right move when he transferred to Real Madrid, it was the 6-0 drubbing at the Etihad three months after his exit.
Spurs had begun life under Andre-Villas Boas poorly, with the club’s transfer policy looking more horrific by the game. The likes of Roberto Soldado, Vlad Chiriches and even Lamela had not settled, and Spurs had already lost to Arsenal, West Ham and Newcastle by November.
After 14 seconds, they were 1-0 down at the Etihad, the speedy Jesus Navas capitalising on a loose clearance from Hugo Lloris to clip home. Sandro turned into his own net half an hour later, before Sergio Aguero joined in on the action with smart finishes either side of half-time.
Alvaro Negredo smashed home an 18-yard effort on 55 minutes, before Spurs’ biggest defeat in 13 years was confirmed was Navas raced clear to bag his second in the closing stages.
22nd January 2012 – City 3-2 Spurs
After a 14-match unbeaten start to the league season, which included a 5-1 win at White Hart Lane, City had suddenly appeared vulnerable over the winter months, suffering setbacks at both Chelsea and Sunderland. Spurs, on the other hand, had grown in confidence since their August humbling and had the opportunity to go top of the league were they to win at the Etihad.
Goals from Samir Nasri and Joleon Lescott looked to have allayed fears in the home crowd, but Spurs delivered a stirring response through strikes from Jermain Defoe and Bale. The visitors pressed for a winner and Defoe came within an inch of steering home Bale’s centred cross, with the goal gaping.
Spurs were made to pay for their profligacy as City were awarded a penalty deep into injury-time which Mario Balotelli, who had earlier stamped on Scott Parker, coolly dispatched.
5th May 2010 – Man City 0-1 Spurs
It was dubbed as the £30 million game, as Spurs travelled to Man City knowing that three points would be enough to land the killer blow and clinch Champions League qualification at the expense of the lavishly-wealthy Mancunians.
It was the penultimate game of the 2009-10 league season, and just a point separated Spurs in fourth and City in fifth. Both sides pressed for the winner from the off but it was Peter Crouch who netted the knock-out punch, bundling home with only eight minutes remaining to send the away support into raptures.
The mood was disconsolate around the Etihad, save only for the travelling fans, and Harry Redknapp was duly soaked by his excitable players in the post-match interview as reward for his efforts.
4th February 2004 – Spurs 3-4 City
An FA Cup classic, lowly Manchester City pulled of one of the most impressive comebacks in the competition’s history by staging a three-goal turnaround with 10 men at White Hart Lane.
In a pulsating fourth round tie, the hosts pummelled their Mancunian opponents with three first-half goals from Ledley King, Robbie Keane and Christian Ziege. The Spurs players could have been forgiven for looking ahead to a fifth-round tie at Old Trafford when Joey Barton received his marching orders on the stroke of half-time.
However, Sylvain Distin pulled one back just half the restart, before Paul Bosvelt’s deflected strike renewed hope. Shaun Wright-Phillips cracked home an equaliser with 10 minutes remaining before Jon Macken drew jubilant scenes in the away end with a last-gasp headed winner.
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