By Martyn Herman
Manchester City’s bid to chop Arsenal’s Premier League lead to two points was scuppered as Harry Kane’s record goal earned Tottenham Hotspur a 1-0 win over the champions.
Kane’s 15th-minute effort on Sunday (Monday AEDT) punished some sloppy City passing and made him the north London club’s all-time top goalscorer with 267, taking him past Jimmy Greaves whose record had stood since 1970.
Harry Kane celebrates his record goal.Credit:Getty
It was a strike even fans of Tottenham’s arch-rivals Arsenal would have celebrated as it helped Mikel Arteta’s side stay five points clear of City despite Saturday’s shock loss at Everton.
“Sooner or later it is going to change, but it is strange we haven’t scored one goal,” City coach Pep Guardiola said. “To find an explanation is not easy.
“We are not in the position to think about being champions, just the next game, Aston Villa, we will prepare well and play our game as best as possible.”
Tottenham led by two goals at half-time at City a few weeks ago only to lose 4-2 but this time they held firm, despite a late red card for Cristian Romero, to boost their own hopes of finishing in the top four.
With Erling Haaland subdued, the closest City came to scoring was a Riyad Mahrez effort that smashed the underside of the crossbar in first-half stoppage time.
Tottenham withstood a late City siege with some tenacious defending to clinch a third win in four league games over Guardiola’s side.
City remain in second place with 45 points from 21 games with Arsenal on 50 having played a game less with the two sides meeting in north London on February 15.
Tottenham, whose manager Antonio Conte was absent after having surgery to remove his gallbladder, are fifth on 39 points from 22 games, one behind Newcastle United.
Kane’s moment arrived when City made a mess of trying to play out from the back and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg stole the ball off Rico Lewis on the edge of the area before holding off a challenge and flicking the ball to Kane.
The England striker’s right-foot shot was not his sweetest connection but it found its way into the corner past Ederson as Kane became only the third player to score 200 Premier League goals.
“It’s quite surreal, a magical feeling to do it in front of the home fans and to win the game, I wanted to do it at this special place and in front of these amazing fans,” he said.
Champion debut for Forest keeper
Elsewhere, Keylor Navas swapped a shot at Champions League glory for a relegation fight in the Premier League. He immediately looked at home.
The Costa Rica goalkeeper made a string of great saves on his debut for Forest in a 1-0 win over Leeds that moved the team six points clear of the relegation zone.
Keylor Navas was excellent on debut.Credit:Getty
“Outstanding and composed,” Forest manager Steve Cooper said of the three-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, who moved from Paris Saint-Germain this week. “The obvious talking points are the saves, and rightly so, he deserves all the credit for that, but I loved his composure and game management and decision-making.”
Brennan Johnson scored the 14th-minute winner for Forest, who have won three of their last four league games and are up to 13th. Leeds are only out of the relegation positions on goal difference.
Mooy the merrier
Meanwhile, Socceroo Aaron Mooy was on target and had a hand in two other goals as Celtic hammered St Johnstone 4-1 to restore a nine-point cushion at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Aaron Mooy has been in fine form for Celtic.Credit:Getty Images
Rangers had cut the gap at the top with a victory the day before but the response from Ange Postecoglou’s side was emphatic with Andrew Considine, Kyogo Furuhashi and David Turnbull also on the scoresheet at McDiarmid Park in Perth. Drey Wright scored St Johnstone’s solitary effort.
Mooy, shy by nature, looked almost pained after being brought up for an interview to collect his latest man-of-the-match award.
“He doesn’t enjoy doing these (man-of-the-match) press conferences – but he needs to stop playing so well!” joked teammate Greg Taylor, standing alongside the reluctant Socceroo after Mooy’s latest “unbelievable” display.
The 32-year-old Australian simply offered a modest smile – but gave away nothing else after scoring his sixth goal since Christmas.
Asked by Sky Sports if his current run of form might make him want to strike a longer deal at the Scottish champions, Mooy said: “Long term? I’m getting a bit older … but I’m just enjoying what I’m doing day by day, that’s as far as I think ahead. So we’ll see …”
It means Postecoglou’s side has now lost only once in 25 league games this season as it marches towards back-to-back crowns under the Australian.
And if the quiet Mooy wasn’t going to sing his own praises, Taylor was happy to do it for him.
“He’s been unbelievable,” Taylor said. “Especially since the World Cup. Ever since, he’s been given a run in the team, chipping in with goals and assists.”
Reuters, AAP
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