Pep gets a slap in the face from Tottenham

Thomas Frank took over from Ange Postecoglou this May and the Spurs are flying. Whoever thought that a 3-0 home game win over newcomers Burnley was easy due to the strength of the opponent, waited for a real test – Manchester City at the Etihad. Since the start of April, Manchester City have picked up more points than any other Premier League side (26), They also have the most clean sheets (7) and have faced the fewest shots per game of any side in the division since April (7.6). But then came Frank’s Spurs and without any real problems defeated the home team 2-0 and if could have been easily more, if it wasn’t for VAR.

In all competitions, Pep Guardiola has lost nine games against Tottenham in his managerial career, which is just one more than Liverpool and today he equalized that negative record. It’s just the second round and it’s already three points less in a race against Liverpool and Arsenal. His team today was very young (average age 24 years) and it’s clear that the Citizens are rebuilding, but the absence of chances created is worrying. The Spurs hardly managed to keep a clean sheet last season under Postecoglou, but now they already have two, and this one, against City away is far more impressive. Manchester made only one really good chance thorough the game while Tottenham created their chances and even took over in possession in the second half, when the home team was suppose to press in order to equalize.

It was all quiet and without chances until the 28th minute when Manchester City produced the best chance of the game. Haaland went through the Spurs midfield and found Marmoush through the middle. The latter went for the strike, but Vicario was out to make himself big and bat the ball away. It was a huge save and from that moment, the center of the game shifted to the City’s penalty area, and for a reason. Spurs ran a great counter attack in the 35th minute and Richarlison found Johnson on the opposite end who scored the goal which was initially ruled as offside. But VAR took over and it was given to the visitors who were suddenly in the lead. And then VAR ruined its good decision on the goal but now giving a penalty to Tottenhem minutes later. Keeper Trafford collided with Kudus and had a lucky escape. It was either a foul or a handball, but VAR (or the referee on the field) didn’t even blink….But the second goal for Spurs did come eventually, in the second minute of injury time. It was again Trafford with a mistake, this time when he tried to play from the back. He passed the ball to his defender, who was intercepted by Sarr in the penalty area. Richarlison picked up the ball, tried to shoot, but the ball came to Palhinha, whose shot ended up in the net for the shock at the Etihad stadium.

VAR had another bad decision in the second half, when they failed to call the referee to look at the situation from the 53rd minute and possibly give penalty to Manchester City. This was also a potential chance for the hosts when Vicario made the same mistake as Trafford in the first half, but was not punished for it. The Marmoush opportunity in the first half remained their best one during the whole 90 minutes, even thou Guardiola made all five substitutions. Not nearly enough against Tottenham.

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 2

Friday

West Ham - Chelsea 1-5 (1-3)

/Paqueta 6 - Pedro 15, Neto 23, Fernandez 34, Caicedo 54, Chalobah 58/

Saturday

Man.City - Tottenham 0-2 (0-2)

/Johnson 35, Palhinha 45+2/

17.00: (1.85) Bournemouth (3.85) Wolverhampton (4.40)

17.00: (3.35) Brentford (3.50) Aston Villa (2.25)

17.00: (2.35) Burnley (3.30) Sunderland (3.40)

19.30: (1.30) Arsenal (6.00) Leeds (11.0)

Sunday

16.00: (2.40) Crystal Palace (3.40) Nott.Forest (3.20)

16.00: (3.35) Everton (3.40) Brighton (2.30)

18.30: (3.60) Fulham (3.50) Man.Utd. (2.15)

***odds are subject to change***