Manchester: Champions Manchester City drew a third successive Premier League match as Tottenham Hotspur’s Dejan Kulusevski headed a 90th-minute equaliser in a rip-roaring 3-3 stalemate on Sunday.
Substitute Jack Grealish’s 81st-minute goal looked to have secured the win for City but Kulusevski earned his side a point their risk-taking approach merited.
Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski, foreground right, scores his side’s third goal during the English Premier League match against Manchester City.Credit: AP
City now find themselves in third place, three points behind leaders Arsenal and one behind Liverpool.
Pep Guardiola’s side were furious deep in stoppage time when Grealish was through on goal but play was stopped for a foul on Erling Haaland during the build-up.
“It is hard when you review the image, the referee decides to blow the whistle after he has already said to play on. After the pass, the whistle, so I do not understand this action,” Guardiola told Sky Sports.
“It was a good game. It is a pity. Sometimes football is like life, you do not get what you deserve.”
Jack Grealish’s shot beats Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.Credit: Getty Images
Tottenham played with fire at times and City could have been out of sight before half-time had it not been for the woodwork.
But Ange Postecoglou’s side stuck to its attacking principles and snapped a three-match losing streak despite missing several players through injury and suspension.
“We were lucky to be in it by half-time,” Postecoglou said. “City could have blown us away in that period, a bit similar to what happened to us against [Aston] Villa last week.
“We hung in there, second half was a lot better, a lot more control and a lot more belief in the team. We got our reward for that which is great for the lads.”
Ange Postecoglou holds back an angry Erling Haaland at the end of the match.Credit: AP
Clashes between these two sides are rarely dull with City surprisingly losing three of their last four league clashes against the north Londoners.
It took only six minutes for Tottenham to stun the hosts as Son Heung-min brushed off Jeremy Doku from Kulusevski’s pass and fired a shot in off City goalkeeper Ederson.
But three minutes later, Son scored at the other end as a cross by Julian Alvarez bounced in off his thigh.
Tottenham’s obsession with playing the ball out from the back cost them in the 31st minute as they lost possession and City exchanged passes before Alvarez picked out Phil Foden to slot home.
Alvarez and Doku were both denied by the woodwork and Haaland wasted a couple of gilt-edged chances as Tottenham hung on desperately before half-time.
City’s intensity dropped after the break though and Lo Celso’s sublime low finish off a post levelled the scores before the frantic conclusion to a breathless encounter.
