December 23, 2024

Hard-fighting Spurs draw 3-3 at Man City in classic Premier League showdown

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Dejan Kulusevski scored a 90th-minute equaliser to earn Tottenham a 3-3 draw against Manchester City in a thrilling game at the Etihad Stadium.

Substitute Jack Grealish’s 81st-minute goal looked to have secured the win for City, but Kulusevski earned his side a point their risk-taking approach merited.

The defending champions now find themselves in third place, three points behind leaders Arsenal and one behind Liverpool.

For the first time since 2009, City have failed to win three successive Premier League games despite leading in all of them.

Man City boss Pep Guardiola speaking to Sky Sports on what has stopped City from burying the game, he said: “That’s football sometimes. In any sport it is about statistics, and when a team has better statistics, 10 times out of 10 they win. In football this is not the case.

“Last week the same happened to Spurs. They were the better team against Aston Villa but they lost. So football can be like this sometimes. To score four at Stamford Bridge and draw, to be better against Liverpool and draw, and today we were also not able to win. We need to forget this and move on to the next one and continue.

On Erling Haaland showing frustration: “He is a fantastic player. His frustration is for the last action [Grealish decision] and not for scoring goals. What can I say as a manager to these players and our fans? A team who tried their best and a full stadium again who cheered us to the end.

“Maybe next time we will be better and improve. How many chances did Spurs create, also Liverpool, not many and we did not get the result we wanted today either. Wednesday we have another game and go for it.”

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou speaking to Sky Sports about his half-time team talk: “There would probably only be a few words I can say. Joking aside it was more trying to get the players to believe in themselves rather than anger at them. I’m always mindful that from where I am on the touchline it seems simple but out there against an unbelievable team it is difficult.

“It was a case of whatever happens I will take responsibility, particularly if it doesn’t go well. But just go out there and believe in yourselves.

“How you react to the tough periods factor in how you are measured in the course of the season. We stuck to our guns and our beliefs, we aren’t out of the tough period yet, we’re going to be thin going into January but how you react is important for what we are trying to build.”

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