Tottenham Hotspur achieved an impressive win in their second Premier League match under new manager Thomas Frank, defeating Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium.
Last November, Spurs had already stunned City with a 4-0 victory and returned to secure another three points with a strong defensive performance.
The match began slowly, with Omar Marmoush nearly scoring after seizing on a loose header from Pedro Porro, but his shot went just wide of the far post.
Guglielmo Vicario, the Spurs goalkeeper, also had to make a powerful save from a long-range effort.
Marmoush was active early on and forced another excellent save from Vicario after receiving a pass from Erling Haaland.
Spurs took the lead with their first real chance, scoring on a quick counterattack when Richarlison’s low cross was finished by Brennan Johnson. Initially ruled offside, the goal was confirmed after a review by the video assistant referee.
With seven minutes of stoppage time added in the first half due to an injury to City left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri, Spurs extended their lead when Joao Palhinha scored after capitalizing on a misplaced pass from James Trafford in his own penalty area.
This moment capped a challenging few minutes for the City goalkeeper, who could have faced a red card for a collision with Mohammed Kudus.
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Tottenham faced a tough week after their unsuccessful attempt to sign winger Eberechi Eze, who opted to join rivals Arsenal instead.
The traveling fans expressed their discontent towards chairman Daniel Levy from the start, chanting “we want Levy out” while also showing their support for the team with “we love you Tottenham” at full-time.
However, the players responded with an outstanding performance at City’s ground, achieving their third win in their last five visits.
Frank’s side had convincingly defeated Burnley in their opening match and capitalized on City’s missed opportunities, taking advantage of chances that came their way.
City’s high defensive line was exploited when John Stones barely kept Richarlison onside, allowing him to assist Johnson for the opening goal.
Spurs pressed effectively, forcing Trafford into a mistake that led to Palhinha scoring his first goal since joining on loan from Bayern Munich.
They could have added to their lead in the second half, but Dominic Solanke’s low drive was saved.
