Rampant Spurs condemn Man City to fifth straight defeat with record four-goal win

James Maddison celebrated his 28th birthday in style by netting a superb first-half double as a rampant Tottenham side smashed Manchester City’s record 52-match unbeaten home run with an astonishing 4-0 drubbing – City’s heaviest defeat at the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions – who last tasted defeat before the City fans in the Premier League against Brentford in a 2-1 Premier League loss two years and 35 matches ago – made a bright start to a dark evening, but were stunned when Maddison bounded onto a cross from Dejan Kulusevski to volley home the opener on 15 minutes.

It was Maddison who again punished some slack City passing to accept a sparkling Son Heung-min pass to lift the ball delightfully over Ederson for the second on 20 minutes.

And the visitors condemned Guardiola’s side to a fifth straight defeat in all competitions, the worst run of his long managerial career, when Dominic Solanke played provider for Pedro Porro to thump the third into the net on 52 minutes from a majestic counter-attacking move.

City were long since finished by then, but Brennan Johnson tapped home from fellow sub Timo Werner’s pass deep in added time to complete the rout and condemn City to a new record home defeat after shipping four goals without response for the first time since leaving Maine Road for the Etihad in 2003.

It is also the first time City have endured such a dismal run of losses since 2006 when Stuart Pearce was manager with Guardiola also suffering his heaviest home defeat as a manager.

In truth, Ange Postecoglou’s visitors were well worth the margin of victory as they move four points behind City in sixth after Spurs blew a 2-0 half-time lead at the Etihad last year in a match they somehow lost 4-2.

As it is, Liverpool can move eight points clear of City at the summit if they win at Southampton on Sunday.

Talking Point: Rodri reminds City what they are missing

One player does not make a team, but you can probably make a case for Rodri at Manchester City.

The outstanding Spain midfielder is recovering from a serious knee injury, but was given a huge ovation before kick-off as he showed off his 2024 Ballon d’Or award for being voted the world’s best player to the home fans.

With Spurs overrunning and overwhelming City in the midfield for most of a fateful night, it turns out Rodri merely reminded the suffering City support what they are missing.

It is too early to suggest this is a crisis, but it is certainly a crisis of confidence for Guardiola’s side that makes you wonder if they possess the mettle to last the course and distance this season without Rodri’s leadership skills at the heart of their play.

How they react to this slump in their UEFA Champions League meeting with Feyenoord at the Etihad on Tuesday night will be fascinating.

Player of the Match: James Maddison (Tottenham)

Difficult to believe Spurs lost 2-1 at home to Ipswich a fortnight ago when you see them in this mood. Erling Haaland could have scored a few for City early on, but Maddison showed the Norway forward how to do it with two clinical finishes of the highest order.

Unplayable for most of the night, and the home side were arguably fortunate to escape shipping only four as a slick Tottenham team cut them open at will.

“As you get older you don’t like to get reminded that is your birthday because it is a reminder that you are getting on a bit,” he told the BBC. “But this is definitely one that I’ll remember.

“It is very rare that you get results and days like this, especially at the champions..here at City, against a Pep Guardiola side. So you have to enjoy it.”

Player Ratings

Manchester City: Ederson 6, Walker 5, Stones 5, Akanji 5, Gvardiol 5, Gundogan 6, Lewis 5, Savinho 6, Foden 6, Bernardo 6, Haaland 5 Subs: Ake 6, Grealish 6, De Bruyne 6

Tottenham: Vicario 8, Dragusin 8, Son 8, Bissouma 8, Maddison 9, Udogie 7, Solanke 8, Kulusevski 8, Porro 8, Sarr 7, Davies 8 Subs: Werner 6, Johnson 6, Spence 6, Bergvall 6

Match Highlights

13′ GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 0-1 TOTTENHAM (MADDISON) And that is an excellent goal from the visiting side. Dejan Kulusevski with a stunning cross for Maddison who races into the box to slam home the volley. Cue the darts! What a superb finish.

20′ GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 0-2 TOTTENHAM (MADDISON) Well, this is a stunning start to the night for James Maddison, who is so, so clever. City give up possession cheaply and Son feeds his team-mate to lift the ball over Ederson. What a finish. 2-0 to Spurs. That is superb.

52′ GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 0-3 TOTTENHAM (PORRO) Well then. What a finish that is. Spurs in dreamland here as another swift break ends with Solanke setting up Porro to smash a blistering finish into the net. And that is 3-0. Excellent from Kulusevski and Son. This is surely game over.

60′ SPURS (AGAIN) CUT OPEN CITY ON THE BREAK Has been the story of the night. The champions are opened up with some ease once again as Spurs race into the box, but Ederson produces a fine block to deny Kulusevski a certain fourth.

68′ SPURS (AGAIN) CUT OPEN CITY ON THE BREAK Has been the story of the night. The champions are opened up with some ease once again as Spurs race into the box, but Ederson produces a fine block to deny Kulusevski a certain fourth.

90+2′ GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 0-4 TOTTENHAM (JOHNSON) And that puts the gloss on the night for City! Brennan Johnson tapping home the fourth for Spurs from the Timo Werner cross. So easy. So slick for Spurs.

Key Stat

It is City’s heaviest defeat since a 5-1 demolition by Arsenal at Maine Road in 2003.