3️⃣ points as VAR denies Man City against Spurs again | OneFootball

Manchester City’s 15-match Premier League winning run came to an end when they were held to a 2-2 draw by Tottenham on Saturday.

Here are three points of interest from an eventful and controversial contest in Manchester …

The new handball rule is a joke

After what happened when these two sides met in the Champions League last season, a few City fans must have been cynically wondering how Gabriel Jesus’s late winner in this game could possibly be ruled out.

But after a consultation with VAR, referee Michael Oliver somehow managed it.

Long after the Etihad Stadium had erupted in celebration and Jesus had danced a jig in front of the North Stand, the goal was chalked off for a barely noticeable handball against Aymeric Laporte.

The ball definitely brushed Laporte’s hand (and may have touched Oliver Skipp’s too) and under the new handball rules, the correct decision was made.

But the rule is absolutely ridiculous. Laporte couldn’t possibly have avoided the ball brushing his arm and no advantage was gained by it whatsoever.

It’s nothing short of a ludicrous way to referee a football match, and a particularly bitter pill for City to swallow when you consider this …

Also, how on earth did City not get a penalty for Erik Lamela’s clear foul on Rodri after 12 minutes?

City should have won

But what Pep Guardiola will be most annoyed about is the fact his team should have had the three points wrapped up long before the stoppage time winner that never was.

The champions started the game brilliantly and could have been out sight before half-time.

They began the second half in similar fashion and carved out multiple clear-cut chances to make it 3-1 and effectively put the game to bed.

But then Lucas Moura made it 2-2 with his first touch and Spurs were able to shut up shop and grind out an undeserved point.

City finished the match with 30 shots to the visitors three – 10-2 on target – and how they didn’t win is a mystery.

Guardiola will perhaps also be irked by the fact Moura – all 172cm of him – was able to get the run on Kyle Walker to head home the second equaliser.

If City have a major weakness, conceding from corners whipped in at the near post is probably it.

Spurs are still half-baked

They may have come away with a draw but on this evidence, Mauricio Pochettino’s side won’t be mounting a serious challenge for the Premier League title this season.

The Lilywhites were second best in every department and would have been well beaten on another day.

However, it’s difficult to offer a proper assessment of Spurs’ credentials at this point given they are missing so many key players.

They started this game without Jan Vertonghen, Ben Davies, Ryan Sessegnon, Dele Alli, Giovani Lo Celso and Son Heung-min and we therefore shouldn’t read too much into their sub-par performance.

These two sides meet again in north London on 1 February 2020, and we should have a much better idea of how close Spurs are to the reigning champions by then.