Manchester City 1 Tottenham Hotspur 0: match report

Manchester City 1 Tottenham Hotspur 0: match report

Read a full match report of the Premier League game between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at Eastlands on Tuesday May 10 2011.

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REPORT

MANCHESTER CITY

1 - 0

FT

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Tuesday, May 10 19:45

Premier League

City of Manchester Stadium

Crouch (OG) (30)

(HT 1-0)

ATT: 47,029

Reversal of fortune: Crouch (no 5) beats his own goalkeeper in the first half to give City the eventual victory and Champions League football next season Photo: REUTERS

By Henry Winter, Football Correspondent at Eastlands 9:52PM BST 10 May 2011

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On a night of high anxiety and high stakes, Manchester City eventually enjoyed the sweetest of moments when the final whistle confirmed their progress to the promised land of the Champions League. Never mind Oasis, this was Nirvana.

The deep roar that greeted full-time, shaking Eastlands to its very foundations, spoke of a thousand past frustrations, of a relief that a season’s striving in the Premier League has been rewarded. City have waited so long to be considered amongst the elite, their noses pressed up against the glass. Now the door to the VIP area has been opened.

In between punching the air and screaming their delight, City fans sang in praise of Roberto Mancini, who came from Italy with a mission to inspire City.

Mancini has endured much this season, including relentless headlines about his future to head-shaking from certain players. He even received a few frosty words from Carlos Tévez, who looked aggrieved to spend so long on the bench before his lively late cameo.

Afterwards, Mancini loosened his tie and wore the drained-but-happy demeanour of a man who has just had a huge load lifted from his shoulders.

The burden he has borne this season has been weighty: Mancini had to qualify City for the Champions League. The owners in Abu Dhabi demanded nothing less.

Mancini might even be able to offer them the bonus of finishing third, assuming they can overtake Arsenal. Whether City need to pre-qualify or not, Champions League involvement will make their ability to bring the leading players to Eastlands easier.

Having taken off his tie, Mancini must now take off the hand-brake, permitting more attacking impetus. Their eyes focused solely on the prize of the Champions League, City became incredibly cautious on taking the lead.

As Spurs laid siege for long periods of the second half, City were indebted to strong displays from their keeper Joe Hart, who made one truly exceptional save from Steven Pienaar, to centre-halves like Vincent Kompany and the right-back Micah Richards.

There is a defensive substance to Mancini’s team but not enough attacking style. Edin Dzeko laboured around. Only when Tévez arrived, following his hamstring injury, did City gain a cutting edge. Otherwise they defended in depth. But they held on, the ends justifying Mancini’s means.

As City’s star rises, Tottenham’s has dipped. A certain symmetry clung to the identity of the goalscorer who cost Spurs dear. Peter Crouch scored an own goal at the same end where, last year, he had sent Spurs into the Champions League, condemning City to a season of Thursday nights on Channel Five. Now even a spin along Europe’s B-roads will be beyond Spurs if they struggle against vibrant Liverpool on Sunday.

Spurs competed hard, particularly Luka Modric and Sandro, but their season has been in decline for some time and they have now won once in 13 games.

Harry Redknapp was upbeat afterwards, talking of his pride in the team’s European adventures this season, of the need for some tweaking to the squad in the summer and then having another attempt next season to qualify for the Champions League again.

He must hold on to Modric, who has been outstanding this season, while Michael Dawson has enhanced his reputation.

The criticism flowing Redknapp’s way from some Spurs fans defies belief; he lacks the huge financial resources of City yet still led his players on an unforgettable European odyssey, memories of which will warm many a cold night.

Spurs missed the injured Gareth Bale here, although it is questionable how much they missed Heurelho Gomes, their keeper who hurt his back in training.

His replacement, Carlo Cudicini, was called into action after 10 minutes. Joleon Lescott lifted the ball down the inside-left channel for Dzeko to flick on to David Silva. The Spaniard cut the ball back perfectly to Dzeko, who shot straight at Cudicini. Poor effort.

The game was slow to spring to life. There was a hesitancy staining the efforts of both teams, a trait that has been particularly evident in Spurs’ laboured performances over the past few weeks, so damaging their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League again.

Their fans have enjoyed the European tour this term, taking in such special destinations as Milan and Madrid, but over the past two months it has been City supporters thinking more realistically of elite arenas.

For a while it seemed that City were distracted by Wembley, by the thought of Saturday’s FA Cup final against Stoke City, whose manager Tony Pulis was looking on last night.

Until Crouch gave City the lead, the hosts were hardly convincing.

Eastlands was hardly full either, indicating that Wembley, and the substantial cost, was on many minds.

Spurs threatened occasionally. Sandro worked hard through the middle, shuttling back and forth. Aaron Lennon and Modric both had shots blocked.

Modric then almost scored after a bright run by Lennon, who eluded Pablo Zabaleta and Lescott. Lennon stroked the ball across perfectly to the unmarked Modric, whose shot flew just wide.

Within seconds, City were charging upfield, winning a corner, which James Milner took short to Adam Johnson, who immediately played it back. Milner’s cross was hard and low, bringing instant misery to Crouch as it bounced off the England striker and diverted past Cudicini.

As City retreated, Spurs began the second half showing more urgency in the final third. From one Lennon cross, Pienaar headed strongly goalwards but Hart brilliantly stretched out his left hand to paw the danger away.

City’s defence was under pressure, and Zabaleta was withdrawn, blood pouring from his nose after an aerial challenge with Crouch. As Aleksandar Kolarov jogged on, Stoke’s in-form Jermaine Pennant will have noted City’s problems at left-back.

Spurs saw plenty of the ball but were failing to penetrate City’s obdurate back-line. Frustration crept in, and Modric just managed to restrain himself from throwing the ball away in disgust after Mike Dean failed to give one decision their way. In the technical area, Redknapp and Kevin Bond went into meltdown.

The need for Tévez was confirmed when Dzeko missed horribly eight minutes from time. Well-placed in the box, with a yard of space, Dzeko fired wildly into the stands. Yet it was Silva taken off for Tévez, who smiled broadly, clearly enjoying the fans’ passionate reception.

Tévez soon found Patrick Vieira, whose shot was headed off the line by William Gallas.

Tévez would have scored deep into stoppage time but for Cudicini. Moments later came that final whistle, that moment of nirvana.
Telegraph.feedsportal.com