Premier League top scorer Sergio Aguero fired home the only goal of the game as Manchester City edged out Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane in Sunday's second top-flight affair.
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Spurs had far more attempts than City in the first half and got off to a flying start, but both Eric Dier and Harry Kane failed to find the target with clear-cut opportunities in the opening five minutes.
City, who had the Premier League title taken off them by Chelsea in the earlier kickoff, didn't threaten until the 12th minute, but when they did it was explosive as Aguero unleashed a wicked first-time volley that whizzed wide.
Spurs were then fortunate not to give away a penalty and have Jan Vertonghen sent off as the Belgian clipped Aguero's heels as the Argentinian was trying to get on the end of a long ball that had gone past stricken goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
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Aguero dusted himself down and soon broke the deadlock with a pinpoint near-post finish - his 22nd league goal of the season - after running on to David Silva's defence-splitting through-ball.
The first half was open throughout and both sides had several chances as the interval neared, with Federico Fazio and Ryan Mason guilty of profligacy for Spurs, while Fernandinho twice fired wide at the other end.
After the frantic nature of the opening 45, the second half began fairly slowly and the first real opening didn't arrive until the hour mark when Kane got the better of Martin Demichelis but couldn't outwit England teammate Joe Hart when trying to find a clear path to goal.
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City went up the other end and should have doubled their lead as Aguero weaved his way in from the right wing, exchanged passes with Fernandinho but failed to wrap his foot around the ball after poking it past Lloris.
Aleksandar Kolarov tested Lloris twice with a pair of well-struck efforts, but it was Spurs who finished on the front foot as they searched for an equaliser.
Substitute Paulinho fired straight at Hart from a central position on the edge of the area shortly after his looping header had dipped just wide.
City move three points clear of Arsenal in second place, but the Gunners do have two games in hand on them. Spurs, meanwhile, stay sixth and miss out on the chance to move within four points of Manchester United in the top four.
Pascal Lemesre
