Tottenham v Manchester City: Premier League – live

15 May 2024

The Guardian

Share on XTweet

Tottenham v Manchester City Premier League live

Minute-by-minute report: Two goals from Erling Haaland and a stunning cameo from substitute goalkeeper Stefan Ortega edged City to within one win of the title

Match report: Manchester City were far from their best but are now just one win away from denying Arsenal the title courtesy of two goals from Erling Haaland and a match-winning cameo from their substitute goalkeeper Stefan Ortega. David Hytner reports from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium:

Manchester City edge towards Premier League title after Haaland sinks Spurs

“It was so difficult a game,” he tells the BBC. “We knew it. They play with a lot of pride and intensity and it’s so difficult to play against them. Spurs will in the future be unbelievable if they stick with the manager. We gave the chance in our hands for the last game. The tennis players say ‘the serve to win Wimbledon’, the last game, is the most difficult one.

“It happened in our period against Aston Villa. And many many years ago it happened with Sergio Aguero [scoring] in 93 minutes 20 seconds against QPR. So there will be the typical game. Now calm, thinking [about Michail] Antonio, [Jarrod] Bowen, [James] Ward-Prowse.”

On the injuries suffered by his players. “Kevin [De Bruyne] had a kick to the ankle and couldn’t run properly. Ederson did not have concussion, he had a problem with his eye. He could not see properly so the doctor said I should change. He [Stefan Ortega] is a world-class keeper. He’s an exceptional, exceptional keeper.

“We know what we’re playing for. The tension is there, the rival is so good. It’s why it is difficult, we know that. Everyone come to the stadium and make noise. These games are more difficult but you have to do it. We’ll have one day off, two days to prepare, and then we will do our best.”

“You know City are always going to probe and have moments, it is just whether you can stay strong and see those moments out,” he tells Sky Sports, upon being asked what the view was at half-time when the game was still scoreless. “They have such quality though. We had big moments ourselves, in the first half we were really in the game. We gave them problems in the set-up and felt like we had an extra man in midfield. They took their chances in their moments and we didn’t, and we did have some. It’s fine margins at the top level.

“We are at the start of our journey with the gaffer,” he tells Sky. “It is hard to talk directly after losing but in the summer, reflecting after all is said and done, we will be a better, stronger outfit for what we have been through this year. The high of starting so well, then the dip and then up and down. I am sure we will be better for it next season. One game left and we will give it our all and see where that leaves us.”

“It was very difficult with the emotions riding on it but the lads did the job they needed to do,” he tells Sky Sports. “It is one step closer. You have to take every game as it comes. We had a job to do tonight but we know how things can swing.

“We prepare, we recover and West Ham is another final and hopefully we can go and make history for this great club. It is not job done by a million miles. Hopefully we can get the win. If I didn’t enjoy the pressure, I would be in the wrong job and the wrong team.

“Last night, I couldn’t sleep. They [Arsenal fans, presumably] tried to set fireworks off but we weren’t there, they missed us. I had to take myself and try to get my head down this afternoon. I can’t describe the feeling when we went 2-0 up. It was an unusual game but we are competitors. Spurs could have gone and got the Champions League. You could see they were putting everything on the line to win the game.”

More from Ange: “We lost the game so I am disappointed,” he says before being asked if took any pride from his side’s performance. “Not right now because we have lost. We will assess the season, still one more game to go, one more game against Sheffield United and we need to make sure we win. I think wherever you finish is a fair reflection of where you are at.”

Manchester City edge towards Premier League title after Haaland sinks Spurs

“It was a tight game and in the big moments we weren’t able to capitalise and they were,” the Spurs boss tells Sky Sports. “I thought we were in the game the whole time, even at 1-0 we had a great chance to go level. In the second half we were chasing the game so they got a little more space but I thought we were well in it up until that point [the penalty]. We had the opportunities and we had to punish them. We still have some work to do. We need to do some work to catch up.”

Some match highlights: Whatever about the action on the pitch, arguably the most entertaining goings-on took place on the touchline. Rodrigo Bentancur repeatedly kicking lumps out of an empty dug-out seat next to that occupied by a clearly firghtened Bryan Gil was hilarious, while the sight of Ederson booting seven bells out of a pitchside cooler-box with all his might after being taken off with a possible concussion was also fun.

He did seem to have calmed down by the final whistle, thankfully. It could be his final appearance of the season as he’s likely to be stood down for Sunday’s game and probably wouldn’t be picked for the FA Cup final, in which Ortega is expected to play.

A word from Rodri: “Today was incredible, the character,” says City’s midfielder in a post-match interview with Sky Sports. “We know it wasn’t the best game but we must talk about the substitutions. Stefan Ortega was simply incredible and we have the best goalkeeper in the world. We know it’s not done yet.”

A good night for Aston Villa: A reminder that this defeat for Spurs tonight guarantees Aston Villa Champions League football next season. Hats off to them.

A quick recap: City were anything but their best in a first half in which Vicario was called upon to make a sensational save from Phil Foden but finally broke the deadlock after the break, when Kevin De Bruyne squared the ball for an Erling Haaland tap-in.

When an unhappy Ederson was replaced after shipping a blow to the head in a collison with Cristian Romero, his replacement pulled off a series of excellent saves from Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min before Haaland wrapped up the three points with an emphatic strike from the penalty spot.

Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeeeeep! It’s all over at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and it looks as good as over in the title race two. City have gone top of the table, two points clear of Arsenal with one game of the season to go. A win against West Ham on Sunday afternoon will guarantee them their fourth consecutive Premier League title.

90+11 min: Ortega goes to take a free-kick just outside his own penalty but is interrupted by Kyle Walker, who wants to give him a hug. He’s been splendid since replacing Ederson, making four big, big saves. He boots the ball upfield and the final whistle is blown.

90+10 min: Mikey Moore plays the ball forward for Kulusevski to chase. He’s fouled by Bernardo Silva, who’d tracked his run. Yellow card.

90+8 min: City’s players are in cruise control and win a corner through Doku. They play it short and try unsuccessfully to keep the ball down by the flag.

90+5 min: Halfway through the 10 mooted minutes of added time and now Tottenham fans are chanting “Are you watching Arsenal?” To be honest, I’d say most Gooners switched off as soon as the second goal went in, unless they’d put their boots through the television screen a few minutes previously when Son missed that glorious opportunity to equalise.

90+4 min: With Manchester City just one home win against West Ham away from winning their fourth consecutive league title and breaking Arsenal hearts in the process, Tottenham’s fans finally find their voice and launch into a stirring rendition of “When the Spurs go marching in!”. Whisper it, but it’s almost as if they’re pleased to have gone 2-0 down …

90+3 min: Spurs substitution: Mikey Moore comes on for his Premier League debut at the age of 16. He replaces James Maddison.

City double their lead! Haaland makes no mistake, violently spanking the ball into the left side of the goal.

89 min: Porro fouls Doku and City players all over the pitch roar and punch the air in celebration.

89 min: Ortega has been terrific since coming on, making three excellent saves to preserve his team’s slender advantage. It’s the fourth time he’s come off the bench this season.

87 min: Son robs a dithering Akanji of possession just inside his own half and finds himself clean through on goal in a one-on-one with Ortega. The City goalkeeper rushes out to deny the Spurs skipper, whoo you’d have bet your house on scoring with that chance.

85 min: Tottenham substitutions: Oliver Skipp on for Hjobjerg and Gio Lo Celso on for Sarr.

82 min: City attack down the right flank and then go backwards again, their players pinging the ball around as their Spurs counterparts chase shadows. If they can’t kill off the game with a second goal, denying their hosts the ball will have to suffice.

80 min: Kulusevski gets the better of Dias at the byline near the right post but is unable to squeeze the ball past Ortega from a very tight angle after wriggling past the defender. The goalkeeper denies him for a second time.

78 min: Kulusevski curls a shot high and wide of the top corner after having the ball played his way on the edge of the box by James Maddison at a corner.

77 min: Haaland gives the ball away cheaply in midfield and Spurs advance up the right. They desperately need to win this game and will have plenty of time left to get the two goals they need, as we’ll have quite a few added minutes.

74 min: Ederson still looks devastated on the City bench. He’ll probably be stood down for their last game of the Premier League season if concussion protocols are followed and that will sting.

73 min: Dejan Kulusevski has just gone close to equalising for Spurs, his shot from a tight angle blocked by Ortega at the near post when it looked like it might go through the substitue keeper’s legs.

70 min: Ederson is replaced by Stefan Ortega and comes off the pitch extremely reluctantly, swinging his boot violently at a cooler box as he makes his way to the bench. After taking his seat, he sinks his head into his folded arms having first covered it with a towel. In other City substitution news, Jeremy Doku has replaced Kevin De Bruyne, who ambled off the pitch without making any kind of fuss.

67 min: Ederson is passed fit to play on for the time being but it looks like City are going to replace him shortly. For now, he is forced to deal with a chested bnackpass from Kyle Walker and does so showing no obvious ill effects from his blow to the head.

64 min: Ederson is conscious and sitting up but looks a little groggy. Meanwhile the VAR team in Stockley Park’s bunker of the squinting windows have recommended that Romero be booked for what they saw as a “reckless” challenge. I thought he was entitled to go for the ball but apparently not with quite so much vigour.

61 min: James Maddison wins a corner for Spurs and takes it himself. His delivery is only half-cleared by Ruben Dias and as the ball is sent back towards the City goal, Romero flings himself at it and collides heavily with Ederson at the far post. He may even have driven the goalkeeper into the post. City’s players are furious, Romero is immediately apologetic and the doctors are sent on. Fingers crossed for Ederson, who has shipped a heavy blow to the head from Romero’s hip.

60 min: There’s a lengthy break in play so Kevin De Bruyne can receive treatment for an injury. He was fouled by Porro and looked in a lot of pain. He soldiers on for now and is booed back on to the pitch by a pocket of Spurs fans.