Sunday 22 January 2017 10:31, UK
Tottenham came from two goals down to claim a 2-2 draw against Manchester City in an action-packed encounter at the Etihad Stadium.
Leroy Sane and Kevin de Bruyne were on target for City after errors from Hugo Lloris early in the second half, but Dele Alli halved the deficit with a header shortly afterwards.
City were then denied a penalty when Kyle Walker appeared to push Raheem Sterling, and Spurs capitalised just over a minute later when substitute Heung-Min Son netted the equaliser. Here are five talking points from the game…
Pep Guardiola will be wondering how on earth his side failed to win this game. Manchester City were totally dominant in the first half at the Etihad , and they seemed to be on their way to a much-needed victory after scoring twice in five minutes after the break.
Tottenham showed character to get back into the game, but City had 17 shots to the visitors' six, and Guardiola was understandably furious when his side were denied a penalty for Kyle Walker's push on Raheem Sterling. It was just 67 seconds later that Spurs scored their equaliser with only their second shot on target.
Guardiola can take heart from how his side responded to last weekend's 4-0 thrashing by Everton, but the overriding feeling is undoubtedly one of frustration. City had enough chances to be out of sight before half-time, but once again they are left to rue their missed chances.
Spurs suffered an injury scare when Toby Alderweireld was forced off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury in the closing stages. They have won 65 per cent of their games with him in the team compared to just 46 per cent without him this season, and another spell on the sidelines would be particularly worrying with Jan Vertonghen already facing a spell out with an ankle problem.
Mauricio Pochettino was optimistic that the issue did not look too serious in his post-match press conference, but Spurs face an anxious wait to find out more - especially with plenty of ground to make up on Chelsea and a busy February schedule ahead.
After a slow start to life at the Etihad Stadium, Leroy Sane seems to be hitting his stride. The German international suffered an unfortunately-timed injury after scoring against Arsenal last month, but he marked his return to the starting line-up with another goal and an impressive overall performance.
Sane was a menacing presence on City's left flank, and his work-rate was vital to the high-pressing tactics which kept Spurs pinned back for long periods. Premier League tracking data showed he made more high-intensity sprints (91) than any other City player has managed in a single game all season.
There was a moment in the dying minutes when he charged back into his own half to pull off a vital tackle on Son as Spurs threatened to grab a winner, and his goal was a reward for his persistence. Sane may have taken a while to get going in England, but he could be a key figure in the remaining weeks of the season.
Rarely has an eight-minute substitute appearance generated quite so much excitement. Gabriel Jesus was instantly in the thick of the action after replacing Raheem Sterling, firing a dangerous low cross across the six-yard box before heading inches over the bar moments later.
It was a thrilling introduction for the £27m Brazilian, and he thought he'd netted a debut winner when he finished from De Bruyne's cross only to see the linesman had raised the offside flag. Guardiola fell to his knees in frustration on the touchline, but on this evidence he won't have to wait long to see his new signing get off the mark.
The draw was a satisfying result for Tottenham but it was arguably a bigger boost to Chelsea. The Blues had already watched Liverpool and Manchester United drop points earlier on Saturday, and the result at the Etihad means Antonio Conte's men can extend their lead at the top of the table if they beat Hull City on Sunday.
Both Liverpool and Arsenal have chances to take points off Chelsea in the weeks ahead, but the chasing pack cannot afford to keep dropping points if they are to overhaul the league leaders.
