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Manchester City began the match with the strong presence of a title contender. It took the visitors just 11 minutes to open the scoring, capitalizing on a midfield error by Tottenham's Yves Bissouma. Haaland, despite being fouled, managed to release the ball to Rayan Cherki, who advanced. Exploiting center-back Radu Dragusin's hesitation, Cherki struck a low shot into the left corner, precise enough to beat goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

Tottenham players celebrate their 2-2 equalizer against Man City at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England, Premier League round 24 on the evening of 2/1. Photo: Reuters

After conceding, Tottenham seemed to lose all momentum. The atmosphere in the stands quieted considerably, echoing Gary Neville's sharp remark that the stadium was "too quiet." Manchester City controlled the game, possessing the ball over 70% at times, while Tottenham registered no shots on target in the first 30 minutes.

By minute 44, the visitors' dominance was solidified with a goal that doubled their lead. From Dragusin's misplaced pass, Rodri quickly threaded a pass to Bernardo Silva. The Portuguese midfielder stretched to deliver a cross for Antoine Semenyo, who, facing the goal, shot into the left corner. This marked Semenyo's 12th goal this Premier League season and Bernardo Silva's 50th assist in the league's history.

The first half concluded with a 2-0 score for Man City, leaving Tottenham seemingly destined for another disappointing home evening. Opta even assessed Tottenham's win probability at just 7% at the start of the second half.

However, everything changed immediately after the break. Coach Thomas Frank made a surprising move, substituting captain Cristian Romero for midfielder Pape Matar Sarr to bolster the midfield. Tottenham pushed higher, playing more aggressively in challenges, while Manchester City began to lose their composure.

Tottenham (in white) reduce the deficit to 1-2 against Man City. Photo: Reuters

In minute 53, Spurs reduced the deficit with a controversial goal. Dominic Solanke bypassed Uzbekistan center-back Abdukodir Khusanov inside the box. Marc Guehi rushed back to block but inadvertently diverted the ball into his own net. Pep Guardiola reacted furiously and received a yellow card, arguing that Solanke had kicked Guehi's foot from behind. On BBC Radio 5, commentator Clinton Morrison also expressed confusion over VAR's lack of intervention.

This was Guehi's fifth own goal in the Premier League since the 2022-2023 season, the most in the league. Solanke, gaining confidence, then shone in minute 70. Conor Gallagher delivered a cross from the right that was slightly behind Solanke, but he still managed a "scorpion kick." The ball arced over Donnarumma and nestled into the top left corner.

Xuan Binh