Tottenham Hotspur delivered a stunning performance at the Etihad Stadium, dismantling Premier League champions Manchester City 4-0 in one of the most shocking results of the season. James Madison, celebrating his 28th birthday, led the charge with two goals inside the first 20 minutes, while Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson added to the tally in a display that exposed City’s vulnerabilities.
The fifth consecutive defeat for Manchester City across all competitions marks an unprecedented moment in Pep Guardiola's career, as he has never experienced five straight losses before. Tottenham, under the leadership of Ange Postecoglou, has risen to sixth place in the league, trailing City by just four points.
James Madison has been the standout player in the game since the start. The attacking playmaker showcased an excellent performance in front of goal, punishing Manchester City whenever they attempted to counterattack.
Tottenham's first goal came in the 11th minute when Dejan Kulusevski delivered an accurate cross to Maddison, who was unmarked at the back post. The England international calmly scored past Ederson, giving Spurs the lead.
Barely nine minutes later, Madison struck again. Linking up beautifully with Son Heung-min in a quick one-two exchange, Madison found himself clear of City’s defense. With remarkable composure, he chipped the ball over Ederson, leaving the home crowd stunned.
City dominated possession but lacked penetration, unable to turn their control into meaningful chances. Their attempts to break down Tottenham’s resolute defense were met with frustration, as Spurs maintained their discipline and focus.
Manchester City's hopes of a comeback in the second half were quickly dashed. Just a few minutes after the start of the second half, Pedro Porro, a former City player, scored a goal against his former team. Tottenham launched another swift counterattack, and Porro completed the third goal, making it 3-0.
Erling Haaland was close to bringing City back into the game when he hit the top of the post in the second half. However, it seemed that City struggled to regain their usual form, with their attacks being greatly frustrated in the second half.
Brennan Johnson completed the fourth goal for City in the final minutes. The Welsh forward, who came on in the 63rd minute, took advantage of a superb pass from Timo Werner, finishing the game with a 4-0 scoreline. This goal marked the final blow for City, who had a tough night.
The defeat is becoming a stage for Guardiola that he has never experienced in his coaching career. Manchester City has now suffered five consecutive defeats across all competitions, including two losses to Tottenham. City's last victory was almost two months ago, and now it seems like a team facing a loss of confidence.
The defeat also showed that City couldn't stop teams from playing counterattacks. Although they are good at possession, City lacked players who could lead the game. The absence of Kevin De Bruyne due to injury created a significant gap in creativity.
A series of consecutive defeats has left a poor history. Manchester City has become the team holding the Premier League title, but they have faced defeats since Chelsea in 1956. These defeats have left City in second place in the league, and it is possible that they could be eight points behind the leaders, Liverpool, if the Reds beat Southampton on Sunday.
This is a new situation for the team that has been leading English football for the past ten years. The creative mind of Guardiola and the depth of the squad were key to City's success, but these poor results indicate that they are at risk of losing their title defense.
Although the problems of City have been widely discussed in the major newspapers, Tottenham deserves great praise. The team led by Ange Postecoglou has shown unity and performance that take advantage of City's weaknesses.
Maddison played a key role in Tottenham's victory, but the win was a collective effort from the whole team. Defenders Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven played a crucial role in containing City's attack, while Kulusevski and Werner provided the necessary pace and precision to execute Tottenham's counter-attacks.
Manchester City face a daunting task in their next Premier League fixture, traveling to Anfield to take on Liverpool in eight days. A sixth consecutive defeat could have devastating consequences for their season, leaving them with an uphill battle to retain their title. Guardiola must find a way to rebuild his team’s confidence and address the tactical issues that have plagued them during this poor run of form.
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