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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This was for the legendary Andrew O Donnell RIP.
Come on the Little Village.
Andrew O Donnell would be beaming
This was for the legendary Andrew O Donnell RIP.
Come on the Little Village.
This was for the legendary Andrew O Donnell RIP.
Come on the Little Village.
This was for the legendary Andrew O Donnell RIP.
Come on the Little Village.
Ryan Deegan scored the first goal for Davis
God I hate that Thomas Davis club so much, run by fools, coaches are fools,I’ll never forget them bringing shamrock rovers to court cause the sdcc was giving us a stadium, like they already get enough from government for the terrible little club house they have,
@Happy entertainment: bit rich someone from SRFC talking about other clubs being run by fools. How is the grass growing in Glenmalure?
@PJL M: oh our Glenmalure suite in our nice big tallaght stadium is going great how is the little club house?we make more money in a week than you guys in a year so rovers must not be that badly run,
@Happy entertainment: yeah, it will never be your real home in Milltown, maybe some fools running your club made a mess of things…
@PJL M: it is our real home, and yeah many years ago the it was run by ppl who sold the fans out,sure I suppose they should have burnt it down for insurance purposes instead like some places do hint hint new club house that is still a kip,anyway you just enjoy it while it lasts numbers down in Thomas Davis , supporters down and believe me I know very well how Thomas Davis is run was involved in it for years until they tried to rob what was not for them,
@Happy entertainment: typical rovers
@John O Reilly: what’s typical?in fact you would say what Thomas Davis did was typical gaa, take what they don’t own
@Happy entertainment:”what they don’t own” have you heard anything in the news about the FAI & the people running it?
@my name: sorry who runs the fai?Do rovers run the fai?no they don’t you clown?but Thomas Davis were funded by the Gaa trying to take tallaght stadium
@Happy entertainment: it’s still extremely rich if you trying to take the moral high ground when your entire governing body is as corrupt as the Godfather series. Oh and you’re a clown
They could pass a ball to each other
Interesting that McDermottroe a former junior club player in Roscommon was the top scorer for Castleknock