Edin Dzeko's late winner gave
Manchester City a dramatic victory
over Tottenham that keeps them in
touch with leaders Manchester
United and just two points off the top
of the Premier League.
Spurs led through Steven Caulker's first-
half header before Sergio Aguero drew
City level.
Dzeko, so often City's hero this season,
came off the bench to snatch the three
points with two minutes to go.
The Bosnia striker detests the term
"super-sub", claiming it does not show
him enough respect, but he again
showed his worth as a late replacement
after coming on for Carlos Tevez.
Dzeko exchanged passes with David
Silva before slamming an unstoppable
shot past Brad Friedel - his sixth league
goal of the season and his fifth as a
substitute.
In total, his goals have helped City earn
nine vital points in their pursuit of their
neighbours United and Chelsea.
For long spells against Spurs, City's
unbeaten start to the season looked
under threat, not because of poor
defending, but because of an inability to
take the numerous chances that came
their way.
Dzeko apart, the champions are finding
it much harder to find the net than they
did when hitting 93 goals on the way to
winning last season's title. Because of
that, even sporadic failings at the back
are potentially far more costly.
That was the case here, as Spurs
soaked up some early pressure then
scored with their first serious effort on
goal. And, just as in midweek against
Ajax, it was a set-piece that was City's
undoing.
Caulker met Tom Huddlestone's
whipped free-kick and Joe Hart was
unable to keep his header out. The
England keeper will argue his defence
should have dealt with the delivery
better but will also be angry with
himself for allowing the ball to bounce
over his line.
City's initial response was
underwhelming. In fact, Spurs almost
quickly doubled their lead as Emmanuel
Adebayor, a nuisance throughout
against his former club, teed up Sandro
to skid a shot wide.
And, when the home side did come
forward, referee Michael Oliver rejected
two shouts for a penalty. The first was
for a handball by William Gallas that
would have been harsh; the second for
a foul by Huddlestone on Pablo
Zabaleta that looked far more clear cut.
Other than that, City struggled to make
headway, with Spurs digging in. That
justified Andre Villas-Boas's decision to
play with only Emmanuel Adebayor up
front, the Togo striker getting the nod
over Jermain Defoe, despite the
England man hitting a hat-trick on
Thursday.
The pattern continued after the break,
with City camped in the Tottenham half
but unable to find a way through the
visitors. Aguero stumbled as he ran
clear from Toure's lobbed pass, but
that was the closest they came to a
meaningful chance.
Then came Mancini's first change after
56 minutes, with Maicon on for Matija
Nastasic, and a change of system that
allowed the Brazilian and Aleksandar
Kolarov to raid forward as wing-backs.
That stretched the previously solid-
looking Spurs defence, and an equaliser
soon followed.
City were fortunate that the ball found
its way to Aguero on the right of the
box, but there was nothing lucky about
his finish, with the Argentine turning
inside Caulker before slotting past
Friedel.
Anxiety among the home fans was
suddenly replaced by belief and
expectation, none more so than when
Dzeko made his entrance with 17
minutes to go.
Chance after chance followed for
Mancini's men, with a Dzeko effort
being deflected into the side netting,
Silva rolling a shot wide, Friedel denying
Dzeko and Aguero also testing the
Tottenham keeper.
Spurs did threaten on the break when
Gareth Bale found space to smash in a
shot that Hart had to beat away, but
otherwise it was one-way traffic.
And Dzeko delivered the goods again
with two minutes to go when he fed
Silva then ran into the box to meet the
return pass, swivelling to fizz an
unstoppable shot past Friedel.
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