Christian Eriksen scored a late winner as Tottenham Hotspur returned to second position in the Premier League table with a 2-1 win at Manchester City on Sunday afternoon.
A controversial Harry Kane penalty sent Spurs ahead early in the second period, but the home side levelled in the 74th minute when Nigerian teenager Kelechi Iheanacho converted from close range. That was far from the end of the drama, however, as Eriksen won it for Spurs in the 83rd minute.
The result has seen Spurs move above Arsenal, who beat leaders Leicester City earlier this afternoon, into second, while Man City remain fourth, just six points above Manchester United in the race for the Champions League.
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The big news in the Man City team was the return of skipper Vincent Kompany, who has struggled to shake off a calf problem over the last three months. David Silva and Raheem Sterling, meanwhile, also returned to the team.
As for Spurs, head coach Mauricio Pochettino made four changes, with Dele Alli, Son Heung-Min, Kyle Walker and Danny Rose returning to the team as the Argentine shuffled his pack at the Etihad.
It was the visitors that made the brighter start in terms of ball possession, but Man City had the first half-chance of the match inside 10 minutes. It came for Sergio Aguero, but the striker, who loves playing against Spurs, fired over the crossbar from inside the box.
Spurs did have the ball in the back of the net in the 14th minute when Son Hueng-min netted from a tight angle, but the attacker was offside when he collected the initial pass from Kyle Walker.
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Both teams had spells of possession in the minutes that followed, but chances were at a premium. Raheem Sterling struck a powerful volley at the far post in the 24th minute after the hosts had recycled a free kick, but Danny Rose was on hand to make an excellent block, before Joe Hart kept out an Eriksen strike down the other end.
Eric Dier tried his luck from distance 10 minutes before the break as both teams continued to struggle in the final third, but the England international's effort was never troubling Hart.
Spurs ended the first half having had 65% of the possession, but both teams registered just one shot on target apiece during what was a comfortable opening 45 minutes for both goalkeepers.
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Man City had the first chance of the second period in the 49th minute, but Aguero could only fire over Hugo Lloris's crossbar after a strike from Yaya Toure had deflected into his path.
Spurs were handed a very controversial penalty in the 52nd minute when referee Mark Clattenburg judged that Sterling had handled a cross from Rose, but replays showed that it struck the winger's side. Kane had hardly been involved before that, but the Englishman stepped up to beat Hart from the spot.
Toure came close to levelling the scores in the 57th minute when he struck a free kick from distance, but the Ivorian saw his effort smash the crossbar.
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As expected, Man City launched a series of attacks in the minutes that followed, but Spurs, who boast the best defence in the league, continued to thwart the danger as the final 15 approached at the Etihad.
The hosts found an equaliser in the 74th minute, however, when Gael Clichy set off down the left before finding Iheanacho, who expertly finished into the top corner to level the game at 1-1.
Man City came close to a second just four minutes later when Toure struck one from distance, but Lloris made the stop.
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Spurs were back ahead in the 83rd minute, however, when substitute Erik Lamela set up Eriksen, who controlled with his first touch and slotted past Hart with his second from inside the box.
Man City desperately pushed for an equaliser in the four minutes of stoppage time that were added and came close through Silva, who missed the crossbar from close range, but Spurs held on to record three famous points and make it five straight wins in the Premier League.
Matt Law
