From 0–2 to 2–2, there was only one step, and City crossed that line. By conceding a draw, Manchester City may have waved goodbye to the title and exposed some glaring weaknesses.
Manchester City’s first half was a model of control. With 64% possession and constant technical dominance, City made Tottenham wobble like no team had ever managed to unsettle the Spurs before. Technically and territorially dominant, Manchester City forced Tottenham to play long balls repeatedly, effectively giving up any hope of sustained possession. And thanks to the ease and fluidity of Cherki and Semenyo, City imposed their rhythm. The second goal perfectly illustrated the Cityzens’ total dominance, with a high recovery by Rodri followed by a quick transition.
Yet in the second half, the same flaws seen in recent City slip-ups resurfaced. The defensive axis made up of Khusanov and Guehi clearly needs time to build chemistry, and the disastrous consequences of the absence of the Dias–Gvardiol duo were evident. The flanks were also neglected, and that is precisely where Tottenham’s two goals came from.
City now find themselves six points back again, raising serious doubts about their ability to keep pace with Arsenal.