Tottenham Hotspur did what was necessary to beat heavyweight title contenders Manchester City, putting in a total team effort from start to finish. As our ratings show, Spurs topped the Champions thanks to a committed effort and focused determination.
Cristian Stellini led Spurs with Antonio Conte still recovering from surgery, bringing the 20 players, including starting XI, we had predicted. It was the same team that had lost a fortnight ago to City, but that same team had a different purpose.
Tottenham Forward Ratings
Heung-min Son – 8
After assisting against Fulham and scoring against Preston North End, our number two talisman looked back against City. One of his favorite teams to play, it was not surprising that Sonny was bright. Attacking with the ball on the dribble down the middle of the park from early in the game, Son was a significant part of what made Spurs’ counterattack so dangerous on Sunday. Add in a complete shift on defense, and it was an excellent effort from Son.
Harry Kane – 8.5
Harry Kane was excellent on Sunday versus City, battling with Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji. Kane applied the proper pressure defensively and put himself in a position for several chances in the box. One of those chances was monumental in both the game and Spurs’ history. Kane’s first-half goal was his 200th in the Premier League – becoming only the third player to reach that total – and more significant for Tottenham was his 267th goal for the club, passing Jimmy Greaves for first-place on our all-time list.
Dejan Kulusevski – 7
The Swede was not necessarily at his attacking best against a surprisingly rugged City defense. Kulusevski was in a battle with Rico Lewis and Ake all day, and Deki linked up well with Royal on the right and helped Spurs keep City pushing back.
Rating Spurs Midfield
The Tottenham Hotspur midfield was the game’s story, with the four-man unit all putting in incredible shifts across the entire pitch, putting Spurs in the position to win.
Ivan Perisic – 7
The Croatian winger put in his typical Tottenham shift. Ivan Perisic did his part on defense and produced several crosses but missed his best chance of the game. Perisic played the right ball but too far in front of Kane during a second-half counterattack, and the opportunity was lost.
Rodrigo Bentancur – 8
Outside of a yellow card that was pillow soft, costing him some of his defensive aggression, Rodrigo Bentancur was brilliant in the midfield. Whether it was tackling the ball or pulling off some of the niftiest touches to create space you have ever seen, Bentancur was the perfect balance between defense and attack, making the midfield his.
Pierre Hojbjerg – 8.5
One of the reasons Bentancur was able to find some space in the midfield was the success of his partner, Pierre Hojbjerg. The Danish destroyer produced the most critical moment of the match, stepping up in the attacking third to intercept the ball, then drawing two defenders before pushing a pass across to Kane for the game’s only goal. Hojbjerg also produced a beautiful chip goal after the whistle when he was called offside. Regardless, it will give Ederson and other goalkeepers something to think about moving forward.
Emerson Royal – 8
With Matt Doherty gone and the new threat of Pedro Porro real, Emerson Royal produced perhaps his best, most complete game as a Tottenham player. Royal was all over the right flank, being as likely to defend on his end-line as he was to have the ball trying to do something on City’s. Royal and Grealish were in a real gambit all day. Despite all Grealish did, the Brazilian got the best of the battle.
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.
Substitutes and Coaching Rating
Cristian Stellini – 9
I’m not sure Stellini will permanently replace Conte, and maybe he went with the let’s win one for Antonio speech, but whatever the Italian said before the game and at half-time worked. Tottenham did not just defend and counterattack; Spurs defended with grit and determination, leading to quick and dangerous counterattacks. Tottenham had excellent shape and, more importantly, the type of effort needed to win a 1-0 game against the champions.
Ryan Sessegnon – 6
The first substitute for Tottenham, with just under a quarter of an hour to play, Sessegnon came on for Perisic on the left to sure up Spurs defense. Sessegnon saw a little of the ball and did what he was supposed to do late in the game: run with it toward the corner. Ryan even got Kyle Walker to pick up a late yellow card.
Yves Bissouma – N/A
In the last six minutes plus injury time, Yves Bissouma replaced Son, reflecting a more committed transition to a 5-4-1 formation to see out the game. Bissouma ran about but never touched the ball.
Davinson Sanchez – N/A
After Romero picked up his red card, the Colombian defender came on with a minute of the 90 left. Brought on to help reform the new 5-3-1 defensive shape with just ten men on the pitch, Sanchez never got a touch in the game.