City end bad week with a masterclass at Wembley
by Steve Clare, Wembley Stadium
It has not been a good April for the previously dominant Manchester City. The Citizens were knocked out of the Champions League quarter-finals by Liverpool in midweek, with a 3-2 defeat to local rivals Manchester United at the Etihad last weekend sandwiched in between.
That league derby loss deprived them of the chance to clinch the EPL title against their rivals but that would hurt less than their capitulation to Liverpool in the second leg of the Champions League match at home.
Today was a redemption day at Wembley as the purple shirted side produced a superb performance to down 4th placed Spurs. From the moment Sane hit the post in the game’s first attack, it looked to be a different City side to that that surrendered their CL hopes.
Jesus opened the scoring from a Vincent Kompany long ball in the twenty-second minute and Ilkay Gundogan doubled the lead from the penalty spot three minutes later all before the half hour mark. It looked like a City romp but this modern Spurs side have more fight in them.
Christian Eriksen took advantage of a fortunate deflection to nudge in the comeback goal before the interval to set up a pulsating second half. Sterling added the third after pouncing on a Lloris save which the Frenchman should have palmed away from goal.
City saw out the remainder of the game to leave their away contingent jubilant, They can clinch the title at home to Swansea next week.
Tottenham weren’t bad but simply rolled over by a good team with a point to prove. They have the FA Cup semi with the lesser Manchester side at the same stadium next weekend to help deliver the trophy their season deserves.
Reality check for Spurs in first leg of Manchester double but fairytale still alive in second
Manchester City: Ederson, Kyle Walker, Vincent Kompany (Capt), Raheem Sterling, Ilkay Gundogan, Aymeric Laporte, Kevin De Bruyne (Yaya Toure 89’), Fabian Delph, Leroy Sane (Nicolas Otamendi 64’), David Silva, Gabriel Jesus (Bernardo Silva 76’) Subs not used: Claudio Bravo (GK), Oleksandr Zinchenko, Phil Foden, Brahim Diaz
Booked: Kevin De Bruyne (foul), Gabriel Jesus (dissent), Vincent Kompany (foul), Fabian Delph (foul)
Goals: Gabriel Jesus 22’, Ilkay Gundogan (penalty) 25’, Raheem Sterling 71’
Referee: Jonathan Moss
Assistants: Simon Bennett and Andy Halliday
Fourth official: Stuart Attwell
Attendance: 80,811
