Spurs player ratings from Tottenham’s fantastic win versus Manchester City
By Aaron Coe
Spurs Defensive Ratings
The area most often criticized for Spurs was determined from the start. Whether it was Romero’s early crunching late tackle on Erling Haaland or Dier’s thigh block, a determined unit would not let the team down until they did. Romero’s second yellow put Tottenham in a bind to finish the match, a man down, but the big mistake never came.
Ben Davies – 7.5
The Welsh defender had an intense evening doing something Spurs have often failed to do: keep Riyad Mahrez in check. Davies also did well picking up Julian Alvarez on the left, never giving the City attacker the space he needed to create a big chance.
Eric Dier – 8
It was a gritty effort from Eric Dier leading the line defensively. Dier tackled the ball much further up the pitch than we have seen in previous games, ala Romero. The most significant moment of the match was Dier blocking an Alvarez attempt from the top of the box off a corner kick. Celebrated by the team like a goal, it was a big moment in maintaining the clean sheet.
Cristian Romero – 6
Cristian Romero did what Romero does, made crunching tackles, and ran forward at every chance. Unfortunately for Spurs, an early, far-too-late challenge on Haaland got the Argentine a first-half yellow card, then Grealish earned that second late. Fortunately, it was late in the game when the second came, and Spurs could see out the match, but Romero will now miss a game, and that early card was simply unnecessary.
Hugo Lloris – 7
Credited with three saves, Hugo Lloris had some solid stops but never had to make that miraculous save. Spurs held City to 14 attempts, and only four were on target, with Dier blocking the fourth. Like everyone else, Lloris battled from start to finish, coming up with a punch late that helped run down the clock and end an opportunity.