Recent history shows that Manchester City do not enjoy playing Tottenham Hotspur, and Sunday proved it again. Pep Guardiola’s side were comfortably in front, but a controversial goal and an absolute wonder strike from Dominic Solanke made City drop points against Spurs yet again.
Manchester City’s strange and stubborn struggle against Tottenham Hotspur continued on Sunday, as Pep Guardiola’s side once again failed to take maximum points against Spurs, settling for a 2-2 draw in North London.
It was another frustrating afternoon for City in the title race: they led comfortably, looked in control for long spells, and still dropped points after a controversial moment and an outrageous world-class finish from Dominic Solanke.
Spurs came into the match under pressure and with a key absence at the back, as Micky van de Ven was unavailable through injury. Even so, with Xavi Simons in the starting XI, the home side were determined to disrupt City rather than simply defend deep. The idea was clear: stay compact, compete hard in midfield, and try to create problems for City whenever transitions appeared.
For a while, that plan barely took shape. City started with authority and were ahead early after a costly mistake from Yves Bissouma. The Spurs midfielder lost the ball in a dangerous area and City immediately punished it. Rayan Cherki drove forward and finished with confidence, drilling a crisp shot into the far corner to beat Guglielmo Vicario and give the visitors a deserved lead.
Spurs struggled to respond before the break. Chances were limited, attacks often broke down before the final pass, and City’s defensive structure stayed calm and organised. Just before half-time, the visitors struck again and it looked, at 0-2, as if the contest was slipping away from Tottenham. After a wild clearance upfield by Radu Dragusin left Spurs stretched and exposed, the ball moved through Bernardo Silva and dropped perfectly for Antoine Semenyo. The former Bournemouth forward showed why City moved for him, finishing clinically and continuing his excellent start since arriving, with 4 goals in his first 5 matches across all competitions.
Solanke changes the game
The second half brought a completely different match. Around ten minutes after the restart, Spurs found a route back and it immediately sparked debate. Dominic Solanke appeared to make contact with Marc Guéhi before the ball in the build-up, but after VAR checked the incident, the goal stood. It was credited to Guéhi and suddenly the atmosphere flipped: Spurs had belief, the crowd lifted, and City’s previously comfortable lead felt fragile.
Tottenham pressed with more intensity after that. They began winning more second balls, playing with greater urgency, and forcing Man City into a more cautious rhythm. The equaliser arrived with 20 minutes left and there was no controversy this time, only pure brilliance. Solanke produced a sensational scorpion kick to make it 2-2, a true wonder goal that stunned everyone inside the stadium and instantly became the defining image of the match.
City tried to respond. Guardiola introduced Tijjani Reijnders, with the Dutchman coming on a minute before the equaliser, and City pushed for a late winner with fresh legs in midfield and more direct attacking intent. Despite 9 minutes of stoppage time, the decisive goal would not come. The 2-2 draw meant Arsenal were the main beneficiaries of the weekend, having won comfortably away at Leeds United and watching both Aston Villa and City drop points.
