By Tottenham Hotspur delivered a crushing 4-0 victory over Manchester City Saturday, ending the champions’ remarkable 52-game unbeaten home run and inflicting an unprecedented fifth straight defeat on Pep Guardiola’s struggling side.
James Maddison celebrated his birthday with a masterful double, opening the scoring with a cushioned volley from Dejan Kulusevski’s cross before adding a delicate chip following a clever exchange with Son Heung-min. The goals highlighted City’s vulnerability, marking the fifth time in six home league games they’ve fallen behind.
Former City player Pedro Porro deepened the hosts’ misery after halftime, converting Dominic Solanke’s assist with clinical precision, before late substitutes Timo Werner and Brennan Johnson combined for a fourth goal in stoppage time to complete the rout.
“We’ve witnessed something extraordinary today,” Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou said. “To come here and perform like this against the European champions shows our potential.”
City, clearly missing suspended Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, saw Erling Haaland denied multiple times by outstanding Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. The Norwegian striker hit the crossbar in a second-half assault that also saw Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish introduced as desperate measures.
The defeat marks City’s worst run under Guardiola and first home league loss since November 2022, leaving them trailing Premier League leaders Liverpool by five points having played an extra game. A critical trip to Anfield looms next for the champions.
“This is unfamiliar territory for us,” Guardiola admitted. “We need to find solutions quickly before the gap becomes too large.”
Tottenham’s victory, sparked by Kulusevski’s man-of-the-match performance, lifts them to sixth place as they bounced back emphatically from their surprise midweek loss to Ipswich Town. Their makeshift center-back pairing of Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies proved remarkably resilient against City’s usually potent attack.
