Manchester City’s incredible winning run was extended to 16 successive premier league games as the free scoring side taught Tottenham a lesson in football in their Premier League clash on Sunday night.
Few observers had seen the clash as the match that would finally end the Citizens impressive streak, but that wasn’t to be be as City produced a masterclass at the Etihad to brush aside a sorry Tottenham with an emphatic 4:1 win.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side had come into the clash, already 18 points off pace and were hoping to be the first side to defeat a City side whose imperious form have seen them drop only two points since the start of the season. The North Londoners came up incredibly short as on a cold night in Manchester, they were utterly outplayed by City who have now moved 14 points clear at the top of table in the process.
Spurs were spared more misery as Brazilian striker–Gabriel Jesus– proved incapable of converting a penalty in the second half. However goals from Iikay Gundogan, starting ahead of rested David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and two late strikes from in form England forward, Raheem Sterling ensured the Citizens enjoyed a rollercoaster night on their patch.
The defeat, will indeed be a bitter pill for Spurs whose season seems to unraveling following a run of bad form seemingly a consequence of the absence of key players. The North London outfit having defeated Brighton with a 2:0 scoreline in midweek went into the City clash missing as much as five defensive players and it appeared to weigh heavily on them as City were given a free run at Hugo Lloris’s goal.
Meanwhile it will be foolhardy to count against City continuing their streak as following the Spurs game they’ll face a kind run of games that will see them come up against Bournemouth and Newcastle over the festive period.
A week after winning at Old Trafford, the superlatives are beginning to run out for Pep Guardiola’s team.It now seems not a question of if they will win the title — the club’s third in six years — but when they will do it and whether they will suffer a defeat between now and May.
In other Premier League results, defending Champions–Chelsea–won their second consecutive league game following their defeat to West Ham a week ago. The Blues edged out an out-of- form saints through a Marcos Alonso first half free kick but were unlucky not to have scored more goals in the Stamford Bridge showdown. Antonio Conte’s team playing without a true striker untill Morata’s second half entrance, had a goal discounted for off side and were denied on several occasions by Southampton’s goal keeper–Forster–who was catching everything thrown at him. With the victory, Chelsea remain third–level on point with Manchester United who play on sunday.
At the Emirates, a Mesut Ozil goal proved to be the difference as Arsenal defeated Newcastle to move back into fifth position a point ahead of high-flying Burnley who played out a goalless draw away to Brighton.