Ilkay Gundogan’s goal-scoring format continued as Manchester City comfortably beat Tottenham Hotspur to record a 16th consecutive win in all competitions.
The German hit a brace in the second half for the second game in a row after Rodrigo fired on Pep Guardiola’s side in front of him from the penalty spot in the 23rd.rd minute.
Gundogan won the spot-kick, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s clumsy challenge allowing the Spanish midfielder to introduce the first penalty of his club career, which Hugo Lloris got his hand on but not he was able to hold out.
The Spurs keeper should have been better off when Gundogan scored City’s second four minutes after half-time, but allowed the midfielder’s thumb to squirm under his body after a good played a mix with Raheem Sterling.
Pep Guardiola’s side were in control of possession throughout, but it was from a rare long ball that Gundogan allowed his second and third at City just after the hour mark.
Ederson was the unlikely supplier, launching a raking pass over Davinson Sanchez’s head and the Colombian was sent off before being left on the seat of his trousers while City’s No.8 drilled into the bottom corner for his 11th goal in his last 12 Premier League games.
Guardiola’s side deserved all three points, but Spurs had the times.
At 0-0, Harry Kane beat the woodwork with a 20-yard free kick and Ederson saved well from Gareth Bale when the substitute danced past three defenders and was released from 18-yards late in the game.
challenge accepted
Spurs’ 2-0 win in November was the last time City got a taste of the matter and as a result Guardiola had no objections.
He said his players would have to perform better if we kept our winning run and accepted the challenge in a game that could have earned a good win.
Goalmouth’s action was at an all-time high in the first half, but it was City on the front leg throughout and but for a final ditch block from Sanchez Gundogan he probably gave us a 2-0 lead at breaking before Gabriel Jesus saw a fragment of the attempt of the top of the cross.
The German’s goals took the game away from the visitors in the second half in which Guardiola’s dominance was evident and Sterling may have added gloss to the goal line after a run, just for Lloris to holding out a leg to escape the singer’s low effort.
Another game, another goal from Gundogan and another win. City is flying right now.
Defending win
This was the club ‘s seventh consecutive league record in all competitions for City, the same run that was originally achieved between December 1946 and March 1947.
All four goals have earned him fame this season, but Guardiola says we are defending as a team and he was particularly prominent in this performance.
Spurs were clinical to win our previous meeting, but City did not allow them to be in the return game at the Etihad.
Our control of property stopped the strong attack threat posed by Kane and Heung-Min Son and when half chances arose themselves, all five backs turned down any threat.
That was the case when the Stones stopped a quick break when Eric Lamela tried to let Son in behind him and City’s No.5 did the same to thwart Tanguy Ndombele’s attempt to eliminate after running into.
Ederson was rarely troubled and when he was called to action by Ndombele ‘Stones put his foot out to take the distance off the strike and saved Brazil comfortably, although he saved his best effort to Bale’s wild driving refusal late in the game.
Man of the Match – Ilkay Gundogan
Who else but an in-form Premier League player?
There’s a lot more to the 30-year game than goals, but it’s hard to talk about anything else right now as it’s his form in front of goal that has been so important in climbing. successful City who won.
STATZONE
This was City’s ninth award since the start of 2021, which sees us equate to the English top flight record for consecutive games won since the start of a calendar year.
Bolton (1906) and Manchester United (2009) are the other two teams that have accomplished the action.
WHAT’S TAKING
City are seven points clear of second-placed Leicester City, but our lead at the top of the table could be reduced to five points if United beat West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.
We have a game in hand on the top four teams.
As it is now
|
1 |
|
City of Manchester Man City |
23 |
16 |
5 |
2 |
46 |
14 |
32 |
53 |
WWWWW |
|
|
2 |
|
City of Leicester Leicester |
24 |
14 |
4 |
6 |
42 |
26 |
16 |
46 |
WDLWD |
|
|
3 |
|
Manchester United Man United |
23 |
13 |
6 |
4 |
49 |
30 |
19 |
45 |
WLDWD |
What now
City travel to Goodison Park to play Everton in the Premier League on Wednesday 17 February. Kicks off at 20:15 (UK).
TEAMS
CITY: Ederson, Cancelo, Clachan, Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, Gundogan (Torres 69 ‘), Bernardo, Foden, Sterling (C), Iosa.
CITYZENS: CITY V SPURS – Get an Ilkay Gundogan shirt
News about Man City v Spurs Man City equals another English high-flying record! With a 3-0 win at City at home to Tottenham, he has won nine in a row since 2021, equaling the English top flight record for games won at the start of the year. Read more. Rodrigo: I didn’t heed Ederson’s penalty advice! Rodrigo City set in on our way to a huge 3-0 win over Spurs – our 16th consecutive win in all competitions – by recording the first ever penalty of his professional career, then he admitted that he forgot Ederson’s advice before turning his spot-kick! Read more. Gallery: Gundogan appears as City sees Spurs Our incredible run of form followed after a 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium thanks to a penalty from Rodrigo and a brace from Ilkay Gundogan. See more.