Manchester City slipped again in the Premier League title race on Sunday night, throwing away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur in north London.
City needed a win to keep pace with leaders Arsenal and looked on course after a strong first half. Rayan Cherki opened the scoring after a midfield error, and Antoine Semenyo doubled the lead just before the break, leaving Spurs booed off at half-time.
Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank admitted his side struggled early on.
“We were well below par in the first half,” he said.
The game changed after the interval following a tactical switch by Frank. Spurs pressed higher and found a way back in the 53rd minute when Dominic Solanke forced the ball home from close range after a Conor Gallagher cross.
Tottenham’s equaliser was even more dramatic. Gallagher again supplied the delivery, and Solanke produced an acrobatic scorpion kick to lift the ball over goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
“Dom was excellent,” Frank said. “He’s still building fitness, but he’s very important for us.”
City pushed for a winner but could not regain control as Spurs finished the game strongly. Pep Guardiola reflected on the shift in momentum after full-time.
“We played a really good game in general,” he told BBC Sport. “After 70 minutes they attacked more directly and had momentum. It’s a setback, but there are still many games to go.”
The draw leaves Manchester City six points behind Arsenal and extends a run of poor league results. Tottenham, meanwhile, will take confidence from a spirited second-half comeback that denied City vital points in the title race.