Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Manchester City: 5 Talking points as Kane-less hosts beat the reigning champions in a tight season opener | Premier League 2021-22
Tottenham Hotspur got their 2021-22 Premier League campaign underway with a narrow but important win over Manchester City. Son Heung-min scored the only goal of the game after a goalless first half, in which neither side was able to record a shot on goal.
Manchester City started both halves on the front foot but were not able to get the final touch in the box. Pep Guardiola once again opted for a lineup that involved neither an established striker nor their star man from last campaign, Kevin De Bruyne. The move backfired in the end.
Tottenham looked solid after a slightly dull start to the game. They matched the visiting side blow-to-blow, though they were always lagging for possession. Nuno Espirito Santo left Harry Kane out of the squad, but that decision did not come back to haunt him as Son's strike proved to be the difference.
Both sides played with great energy in their first game of the season which ended in a memorable win for the home side. As Santo tasted victory in his first Premier League game as Spurs manager, here we take a look at the five talking points from the game.
#5 Manchester City's woes at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium continue with a fourth-straight loss
Pep Guardiola and his men suffered a demoralizing loss in the season opener against Tottenham Hotspur. While there were a couple of major reasons for the defeat, we can't help but think that bad luck might've also played a part here.
The former Barcelona manager has been unable to record a win in his travels to Spurs' stadium. With this loss, he has now had five unsuccessful trips against Spurs with Manchester City, more than any other club he has faced across all competitions.
While Manchester City dominated possession, it took Spurs just one quick counterattack to score the winning goal. The Cityzens also lacked concentration at times in defense and backed off, allowing Spurs to take shots. It ultimately backfired for the visiting side in this game.
#4 Super Son proves to be the difference-maker yet again
Son has proven his ability as a great finisher in the last couple of seasons at Tottenham. The 2020-21 campaign was the best season of his career, as he scored 17 goals in the Premier League.
Whenever Spurs are in action, especially in a game against a big opponent like Manchester City, Son is expected to deliver. Tonight, he did not disappoint and recorded more shots (five) than anyone else throughout the 90 minutes. The South Korean ultimately scored the winning goal from the edge of the box at the end of a swift counter-attacking move from the home team.
Son will once again be one of Spurs' key players this campaign and has gotten off to a great start.
Also See: Ranking the 10 best players in the UEFA Champions League this season (2020/21)