Erling Haaland scored the decisive goal as Manchester City edged past Tottenham Hotspur with a narrow 1-0 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday night, marking another milestone for the prolific striker.
Returning from injury, Haaland netted the winner just 12 minutes after kickoff, becoming the second player ever to score at least 20 goals in each of his first three Premier League seasons, joining the legendary Ruud van Nistelrooy of Manchester United. The goal came after he expertly turned Jeremy Doku's low cross past Spurs' goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
City's dominance early on saw Haaland come close to extending their lead, with Vicario making several impressive saves. Despite dominating possession, City struggled to convert opportunities during the first half, allowing Tottenham to seize control after halftime. Spurs’ Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel squandered opportunities, with Son Heung-min being denied by City goalkeeper Ederson, showcasing the resilience of Guardiola's side.
“Of course, it’s never nice to be injured and not play, but it’s about looking forward and staying positive,” said Haaland about his return. He attributed the win to team effort, stating, “Today was all about winning. I try to be in the box, and if people want to pass me the ball, I try to finish in the back of the net.”
Despite City's performance deteriorated significantly in the second half, they managed to hold on for the win, moving them up to fourth place with 47 points from 27 matches.
Meanwhile, Tottenham, fielding their second-youngest starting XI ever, remains 13th on the table with 33 points. Manager Ange Postecoglou was pleased with his team's effort, acknowledging, “First half, we were too eager and wasteful. But the second half we dominated the game and were relentless.”
At Anfield, league leaders Liverpool maintained their impressive form with a convincing 2-0 victory over Newcastle United, thanks to goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister.
Szoboszlai opened the scoring just 11 minutes in, capitalizing on poor defending from the visitors, as he struck home Luis Diaz’s cutback shot from close range.
Mac Allister added the second goal for Liverpool in the 63rd minute, finishing superbly from Mohamed Salah’s assist. “It is the desire, the desire to win trophies,” stated Mac Allister. “We know we have the opportunity to win some this season, so we are really happy working hard,” he added. The Anfield crowd erupted, with fans chanting, “We’re going to win the league,” which reflected the team’s significant lead over second-place Arsenal.
Newcastle’s task was made more difficult before the match when top scorer Alexander Isak was ruled out due to injury. Callum Wilson had the best chance for the visitors but failed to convert, reflecting the team's struggles adapting without their key players.
Liverpool’s solid performance saw them create several opportunities, with Salah continuously causing problems down the right flank. They managed to create 12 shots compared to Newcastle's three during the match, indicating their commanding performance.
On the Premier League table, Liverpool leads comfortably with 67 points, 13 points clear of Arsenal, who still have one game at hand. Newcastle now sits 6th, three points behind fourth-placed Manchester City.
These results showcased not just the resilience and skill of key players like Haaland, Szoboszlai, and Mac Allister but also the tactical adjustments necessary from coaches Postecoglou and Slot as they navigated their teams through challenging fixtures.
Moving forward, both Manchester City and Liverpool aim to carry their momentum as the season heads toward its concluding stages, stressing the competitive nature of the Premier League where every match can alter the standings and narratives dramatically.