Tottenham eye turning point as Ange Postecoglou vindicated on landmark day | OneFootball

Spurs run riot at the Etihad Stadium as Premier League returns with a bang

James Maddison scored twice on his 28th birthday, as Tottenham thrashed Manchester City 4-0 in an outstanding display at the Etihad.

Here are three talking points from the match…

Man City in crisis, while Spurs eye turning point

Tottenham have beaten Manchester City before but this result felt very different.

For one thing, five defeats in a row is a first for City since 2006 and a new, unwanted record for Pep Guardiola, who is now facing his biggest test as a coach.

This was the first of City’s losing sequence to come at home, ending their 52-game unbeaten run at the Etihad, and there are serious questions about whether Guardiola’s side can drag themselves back into the title race. Liverpool will move eight points clear if they beat bottom club Southampton on Sunday.

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They cannot function without the Spaniard, who paraded the Ballon d’Or to the ground before kick-off but was again a huge miss in midfield.

For Spurs, this felt like a landmark result, comfortably their best win to date under Postecoglou (far more significant than their other big victory in Manchester this season, which came against Erik ten Hag’s struggling United).

James Maddison bagged a brace against Man City

Action Images via Reuters

Their previous League wins over Guardiola – under four different managers – have all been with backs-to-the-wall, counter-punching displays, usually inspired by Kane or Heung-min Son and requiring a degree of good fortune.

In this game, Spurs were devastating on the break and Son was influential, but the visitors beat City at their own game.

Postecoglou’s side looked to get on the ball and bravely played out from the back, despite being without their first-choice centre-backs, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

They were better than City in every area, displaying a clinical edge in the final third and overrunning the champions in the middle of the park over and over again.

By the time Spurs retreated to the edge of their box, they were 3-0 up, totally in control of the game and happy to hit City on the counter-attack.

The result will ease the pressure on Postecoglou and raise questions about whether Spurs could be among the clubs to take advantage of what may be a fallow year for City.

This result coming after the 2-1 home defeat to Ipswich, though, felt entirely on brand for Postecoglou’s up-down side, and it will count for nothing if they do not beat Fulham next weekend and establish some consistency going forward.

Ange Postecoglou’s changes pay off

Tottenham’s performance was a triumph for Postecoglou’s approach, particularly as the head coach’s big selection decisions paid off spectacularly.

Maddison returned to the XI after playing just 14 minutes of the previous two League games, with Dejan Kulusevski moving back to the right wing.

Kulusevski has been Spurs’ best player this season in a central role, so it was a risk from Postecoglou to switch the Swede, particularly to accommodate the out-of-form Maddison.

Ange Postecoglou’s changes paid off for Spurs

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The England midfielder, though, played like he had a point to prove in a clinical and mature evening.

He made brilliant runs into the box for both goals and finished smartly, particularly the second which was dinked over the onrushing Ederson from Son’s pass.

Kulusevski, meanwhile, was phenomenal again, crossing for Maddison to break the deadlock and proving influential in the build-up to Porro’s strike.

City simply could not contain the hard-running Swede, who drew a sharp save from Ederson at 3-0, and played like he had an extra lung.

Postecoglou’s changes were another shot in the eye to his critics, who claim he is too inflexible, and the result will go a long way to building belief in his high-risk football.

Ben Davies and Radu Dragusin impress

For the second year running, Spurs got a result at the Etihad without van de Ven and Romero.

It was easy to fear for Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies up against Erling Haaland, but the pair were excellent – with and without the ball.

Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies impressed for Spurs

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Dragusin, who is yet to really convince as a Postecoglou player, made the opening goal with a raking pass for Kulusevski and was a rock defensively.

The Romanian seems to raise his game for City, and this was his third impressive display against the champions.

Davies was equally good, standing up to Haaland despite a height disadvantage, and playing out well, ensuring Spurs dominated their left flank.

Their performances should give Spurs confidence that they can cope without Romero and van de Ven, who is not expected to return until the middle of next month.