FROM TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM - Erling Haaland returned from injury to score the only goal of Manchester City's narrow victory away to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday evening.
After two games starved of their talismanic striker, City needed less than 15 minutes to be reminded of Haaland's most valuable quality: being in the right place at the right time. Spurs had not only been warned about this threat over the previous two-and-a-half years, but as early as the seventh minute when Haaland had a weak, right-footed prod gathered by Guglielmo Vicario.
The towering Norwegian was far more clinical five minutes later. Four white shirts were scattered between Haaland and Jeremy Doku but the deflected cross still found its way to City's frontman who picked out the bottom corner from point-blank range.
Haaland continued to get on the end of gilt-edged chances, but - perhaps still dogged by the rustiness brought on by an awkward knee injury - fluffed his lines on multiple occasions.
Tottenham took on the mantle of missed chances for the second half. Emboldened by the nerves clawing at a City side which was waning, Spurs had the champions penned into their own defensive third for large swathes of the last 45 minutes.
Ultimately, Spurs lacked the clinical edge which Haaland - who had a late goal ruled out for handball - demonstrated, fittingly finishing the game with one final blunder from Pape Sarr deep into stoppage time.
Tottenham player ratings (4-2-3-1)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: Guglielmo Vicario | 7.6/10 |
RB: Pedro Porro | 7.8/10 |
CB: Archie Gray | 6.2/10 |
CB: Kevin Danso | 6.5/10 |
LB: Destiny Udogie | 7.0/10 |
CM: Lucas Bergvall | 6.8/10 |
CM: Rodrigo Bentancur | 7.4/10 |
AM: James Maddison | 7.5/10 |
RW: Brennan Johnson | 6.6/10 |
ST: Mathys Tel | 6.0/10 |
LW: Wilson Odobert | 6.5/10 |
SUB: Dejan Kulusevski (66' for Tel) | 6.1/10 |
SUB: Djed Spence (67' for Udogie) | 6.1/10 |
SUB: Son Heung-min (67' for Odobert) | 6.4/10 |
SUB: Pape Sarr (67' for Bentancur) | 6.5/10 |
SUB: Timo Werner (82' for Maddison) | N/A |
Subs not used: Antonin Kinsky (GK), Sergio Reguilon, Yves Bissouma, Dane Scarlett.
Man City player ratings (4-2-3-1)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: Ederson | 8.8/10 |
RB: Matheus Nunes | 7.0/10 |
CB: Abdukodir Khusanov | 7.4/10 |
CB: Ruben Dias | 6.8/10 |
LB: Josko Gvardiol | 7.5/10 |
CM: Nico Gonzalez | 6.7/10 |
CM: Mateo Kovacic | 7.3/10 |
AM: Omar Marmoush | 7.1/10 |
RW: Savinho | 6.5/10 |
ST: Erling Haaland | 7.5/10 |
LW: Jeremy Doku | 7.3/10 |
SUB: Bernardo Silva (74' for Gonzalez) | 6.3/10 |
SUB: Phil Foden (74' for Marmoush) | 6.5/10 |
SUB: James McAtee (90' for Savinho) | N/A |
SUB: Jack Grealish (90' for Doku) | N/A |
SUB: Ilkay Gundogan (90' for Kovacic) | N/A |
Subs not used: Stefan Ortega (GK), Nathan Ake, Rico Lewis, Kevin De Bruyne.
Player of the match - Ederson (Man City)
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