Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 0, Manchester City 1.
TottenhamTottenham Hotspur0Man CityManchester City1
- Aguero scores 22nd league goal of season
- City three points clear of third-placed Arsenal
- Pellegrini's first away league win since 11 February
- Tottenham seven points outside top four
Sergio Aguero effectively secured Manchester City a Champions League place while seriously denting Tottenham's top-four hopes.
Aguero swept in his 22nd Premier League goal this season to lift his chances of finishing the campaign as top scorer.
Tottenham missed several chances, with Harry Kane unable to add to his goal tally and City keeper Joe Hart superb.
Second-placed City's win puts them nine points and 24 goals clear of Liverpool, in fifth, with three games left.
And while the result provided a little respite for City manager Manuel Pellegrini, it remains to be seen whether it will help save his job after a disappointing season.
Defeat for Tottenham, in sixth, leaves them seven points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester United with nine points left to play for.
Yet Mauricio Pochettino's side could well have won the game had they been more ruthless in front of goal.
City, who had lost their previous four away league games, looked uncomfortable when defending at set-pieces, while their offside trap threatened to get them into trouble more than once.
| Aguero earns his Spurs |
|---|
| Sergio Aguero has hit 10 goals in seven games against Tottenham - more than he has scored against any other club. |
The visitors had to survive a number of scares - the first coming when an unmarked Eric Dier headed wide from a corner, and the last when Hart pushed away Erik Lamela's stoppage-time volley.
But this was not Tottenham's day, nor Kane's.
The England international was unable to punish Pellegrini's side, rolling an early shot wide after being played clear, before being frustrated by Hart in the second half.
Kane began the day one goal behind Aguero in the race to finish as the Premier League's leading scorer - and the Argentina international, who had a strong first-half penalty appeal rejected, extended his lead just seconds after City had almost conceded from a corner.
David Silva sprinted away on to a Hart throw, and Aguero timed his run perfectly to meet the through pass and sweep a beautiful shot high into the net.
City's defence failed again just before half-time as Kane's diagonal ball from the left found Ryan Mason unattended, but the finish was hesitant and Hart spread himself to block.
Pellegrini's side may have been vulnerable in defence, but Aguero's tireless efforts ensured they were a consistent attacking threat.
The striker almost scored a wonderful second-half goal from a one-two with Fernandinho, but he screwed wide after rounding keeper Hugo Lloris.
Aleksandar Kolarov and substitute Wilfried Bony could have added further goals before a late flurry of Tottenham pressure, but Pellegrini came out on top.
Line-ups
Tottenham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Lloris
- 15Dier
- 21Fazio
- 5Vertonghen
- 3Rose
- 42BentalebBooked at 42mins
- 38MasonBooked at 45minsSubstituted forPaulinhoat 70'minutes
- 11Lamela
- 23EriksenSubstituted forSoldadoat 59'minutes
- 22ChadliSubstituted forAdebayorat 84'minutes
- 18KaneBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 6Chiriches
- 8Paulinho
- 9Soldado
- 10Adebayor
- 12Yedlin
- 13Vorm
- 25Stambouli
Man City
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Hart
- 5ZabaletaBooked at 68mins
- 26Demichelis
- 20Mangala
- 11KolarovBooked at 74mins
- 6Reges
- 25Fernandinho
- 7MilnerBooked at 41mins
- 18LampardSubstituted forNasriat 73'minutesSubstituted forBonyat 76'minutes
- 21SilvaBooked at 82mins
- 16AgüeroSubstituted forBoyataat 89'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Sagna
- 8Nasri
- 10Dzeko
- 13Caballero
- 14Bony
- 22Clichy
- 38Boyata
- Referee:
- Andre Marriner
- Attendance:
- 35,784
Match Stats
Home TeamTottenhamAway TeamMan City
- Possession
- Home55%
- Away45%
- Shots
- Home21
- Away15
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away4
- Corners
- Home8
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home6
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 0, Manchester City 1.
Post update
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by MartÃn Demichelis.
Booking
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Joe Hart.
Post update
Attempt saved. Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Danny Rose with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Manchester City. Dedryck Boyata replaces Sergio Agüero.
Post update
Attempt missed. Wilfried Bony (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by James Milner.
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Emmanuel Adebayor replaces Nacer Chadli.
Post update
Attempt saved. Paulinho (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Erik Lamela.
Post update
Attempt missed. Paulinho (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Erik Lamela with a cross following a set piece situation.
Booking
David Silva (Manchester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Paulinho (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by David Silva (Manchester City).
Post update
Nabil Bentaleb (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by David Silva (Manchester City).
Post update
Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Fernandinho (Manchester City).
Post update
Attempt saved. Aleksandar Kolarov (Manchester City) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by David Silva.
Post update
Foul by Roberto Soldado (Tottenham Hotspur).
