MANCHESTER CITY SUFFERED a familiar feeling of seeing a late winner against Tottenham ruled out by VAR as the visitors secured a 2-2 draw at the Etihad on Saturday despite being largely outclassed by the Premier League champions.
Spurs won a thrilling Champions League quarter-final tie between the sides on away goals last season when Raheem Sterling had an injury-time strike ruled out by VAR and City were denied once more when Gabriel Jesus saw a stoppage-time winner disallowed on review for a handball by Aymeric Laporte.
City twice led through Sterling and Sergio Aguero, but just like in last season’s European clash between the sides, the hosts were susceptible on the counter-attack and at set-pieces.
Erik Lamela’s long range effort briefly brought Spurs level in the first-half and substitute Lucas Moura equalised with his first touch 11 minutes into the second period as Mauricio Pochettino’s men scored with their only two shots on target.
A share of the points sees both sides fall two points behind Liverpool just two games into the new season, but on this evidence another shootout between City and Liverpool for the title looks likely.
Pep Guardiola made four changes to the side that started City’s title defence with a 5-0 thrashing of West Ham last weekend with the introduction of Nicolas Otamendi, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and Aguero only underlining the incredible strength in depth amassed by the English champions.
However, it was Sterling, who scored a hat-trick on the opening weekend of the season, who posed the biggest threat early on and opened the scoring with a fine header from a delightful cross by Kevin de Bruyne.
City had been utterly dominant for the first quarter of the match, but were hit with a sucker punch just three minutes after going in front.
Lamela was afforded acres of space inside the City half and took advantage of poor position by Ederson to curl home an equaliser from well outside the box.
The goal briefly gave Spurs the belief Pochettino had talked of before the game that they can push City and Liverpool for a three-way title race this season.
However, that quickly evaporated as the hosts took control again thanks to another sensational De Bruyne assist as this time Aguero converted the Belgian’s low cross.
De Bruyne’s three assists in a 4-3 City win that still was not enough to progress in the Champions League when these sides met in April was his highlight of an injury-ravaged campaign.
And he should have had a hat-trick of assists before half-time as Gundogan side-footed wide another inviting low cross into the box.
The one-way traffic continued after half-time as Hugo Lloris saved from Oleksandr Zinchenko and Bernardo Silva to keep Tottenham in the game.
Yet, there was another twist as Lucas ran straight on the pitch to flick home Lamela’s corner with his head.
Spurs did not manager another effort on goal as City laid seige to their goal in search of a winner.
Gabriel Jesus replaced Aguero, who was embroiled in an argument with Guardiola after leaving the field.
The Argentine striker and his manager had reconciled any differences as they hugged each other in celebration when Jesus coolly slotted into the bottom corner in the 94th minute to seemingly win the game.
But replays showed the ball broke to the Brazilian via the arm of Laporte and City’s ecstasy turned to agony again.
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Haven’t seen Jesus look that disappointed about a cross in a long time.
@mrbryanrussell: brilliant
@mrbryanrussell: comment of the week right there.. chalk it up..
@mrbryanrussell: hahahaha . Bravo
@mrbryanrussell: Now THAT is funny…;-)
@mrbryanrussell:
Nailed it !
@Philip Duffy: very disrespectful
I’m VARy happy
@Seàn Mc: wow ur so funny wish I could b you
@Luke Willis: troll
@Luke Willis: thanks Luke, appreciate it.
@Seàn Mc: the officials will try their best but they won’t win you the league
@Gareth: I don’t even support city
@Luke Willis: I didn’t say you did
I delighted for city… any time somebody walked near them they threw themselves on the ground. Ottamendi is an embarrassment. Funny ending though… good result for spurs
Up the Var Libpool top the league
@Ollie Watson: Will you be top next May though?
@Ollie Watson: I remember those words being spouted up to Christmas last season. Chickens and eggs!
@Alan Brazil: reply deleted :(
I’m not a fan of that new handball rule.
@Devilsavocado: neither is gabriel jesus
@Eoin Murphy: Stuck with it for the season now can hardly change it mid season after 2 teams getting stung by it.
@Devilsavocado: It’s ridiculous. To be fair. A good game of ball spoiled by all the talk being about this now. I love Liverpool but I like football more. And this rule isn’t good for it.
@Seaniecp: It was the correct decision.
@Alan Brazil: yeah of course according to the rules. I didn’t say it wasn’t. It’s the rule I’ve a problem with.
@Seaniecp: so what scrap Var all together and leave it at goal line technology?
@Alan Brazil: yes by the new rule it was the correct decision, but I think it was harsh on city, outside the box it’s play away, even if city didn’t score it was play away, just cant really see the benefits the new rule will bring to football as a spectator sport.
@Alan Brazil: are you slow ?. The handball rule has changed irelavent of VAR.
@Seaniecp: irrelevant* . I’m a lil slow too
@Devilsavocado: true, but at the same time if Var wasn’t there you’d all be moaning about the hand ball, hard to argue against it, it’s still the correct decision
@Seaniecp: I wouldn’t say I’m slow but you seem slow enough to except the new rules.
@Seaniecp: did Liverpool not benefit from it in CL final.
@Alan Brazil: do you mean ‘accept’ the new rules.
@Eamonn O Connell: and you know my opinion on that?. 1) it was a different scenario anyway whether right or wrong and 2) I’m a Liverpool fan defending a decision against city so I don’t get your point throwing it in my face about a decision Liverpool got ?
@Eamonn O Connell: people on this forum are fascinated with fan rivalry rather then actual good football debate.
@Seaniecp: yep, predictive text, you know how it is.
@Seaniecp: I’m not into fan rivalry at all ……..my point is that you can hardly complain about the rules being implemented one day and not the next. I wasn’t throwing anything in your face just pointing out that it goes for teams some days and not so on others Teams know the rules so they’re stuck with them now whether right or wrong
@Eamonn O Connell: ok i get that you get the rub of the green sometimes and not. But wrong decisions are wrong decisions regardless.
@Seaniecp: ya agreed but that’s the laws now. I suppose it takes the uncertainty away from the ref …..will he ? Won’t he ? But personally I prefer that way and decisions tended to even out over the season
@Alan Brazil: rich coming from the serial grammar corrector!
You’d feel sorry for the city fans wouldn’t you… Var Spurs motm again.
@Yorkie1892: VAR doesn’t make the rules.
I’d swear spurs had three shots altogether including kanes 70 yard attempt. Liverpool could benefit massively from this
@Eoin Murphy: the laws being applied correctly? I’d imagine a lot of clubs will
@Eoin Murphy: Manchester United
@Paul O’Sullivan:
Get one of your grandsons to show you how to use the internet.
@Sergio: i mean city dropping two points
@Stu Kent: How old do you think I am ffs?
City should have a look at the Dubs style of attacking, it doesn’t matter who scores just get the score, at least 4 good goal scoring opportunities missed today because a player wanted to score instead of playing a pass to a player in a better goal scoring position.
@Devilsavocado: you mean picking the ball up and hand passing it? That would be a foul!
@Yorkie1892: VAR will spot that… lol
City should have won. City’s defence definitely susceptible to fast forward play. Hence, their high free kick count.
@Mister Gooey: hence the reason why they foul other teams on counter attacks like all of guardiolas teams, especially barca
@Mister Gooey: they will be sorry they didn’t invest in a Centre half caught cold by Lucas Mora
@Martin Brennan: You could be right, John Giles said at the end of last season they should have broken the bank to get Maguire (and 80m isn’t even that big for them)
It might only be early in the season. But delighted with that.
Didn’t see the game but saw a few reports that said City should have had a penalty n the first half but VAR wasn’t used. This the case?
As a Spurs fan I think these VAR handball decisions are an absolute farce and ruining the game-stupid call in the CL Final and another one tonight. City were robbed with that free out. Anyone who thinks they’re good calls-don’t come crying on here when it happens your team, and it will happen
@Baz: Robbed because the assist to Jesus was by the arm of his teammate? Heard it all.
@Baz: also Spurs fan, farcical decision, city were robbed.
@Baz: Spurs wouldn’t have been in the champions league final only for VAR
We was poxed..if I was from London, maybe that’s what I would say..
Var is really going to kill the celebration of a last minute winner.
@yourman: Spurs fans went ballistic when the goal was disaalllowed. Adds to the atmosphere.
As a Liverpool fan I’m delighted, but there was ABSOLUTELY no way that goal should have been disallowed.
Genuine attempt to head the ball, ball hit his hand (definitely not deliberate)
Accidental handball has never been a free kick.
City were robbed. You might say they spursed the game!
VAR – is a joke – no penalty or review when spurs jumped on Rodrics back – Typical
One wonders who’s sponsoring bar
@Martin Brennan: That’s not VAR’s fault, surely it’s the ref’s poor decision. Getting rid of VAR would hardly have improved the situation!