Erling Haaland’s brace calmed Manchester City’s nerves as they secured a vital 2-0 victory over Tottenham, edging closer to clinching an unprecedented fourth consecutive English title.
The Norwegian striker capitalized on a precise Kevin De Bruyne delivery early in the second half to notch City’s inaugural league goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He later converted a late penalty to seal the crucial three points.
This result propels Pep Guardiola’s side two points clear of Arsenal at the summit of the table. A win against West Ham at the Etihad on Sunday would secure their fourth successive championship, irrespective of Arsenal’s outcome against Everton.
No team in the history of English top-flight football has achieved such a remarkable feat of winning four titles in succession.
The defeat for Spurs also confirms Aston Villa’s claim to the fourth Champions League spot, joining City, Arsenal, and Liverpool in next season’s elite European competition.
Prior to kickoff, the atmosphere in north London was charged with speculation as to whether home supporters preferred a loss for their team to benefit City, who are their closest pursuers, with Arsenal trailing closely behind.
The Spurs faithful made their sentiments clear towards their arch-rivals Arsenal, echoing chants of “Stand up if you hate Arsenal” throughout the stadium.
Both teams settled swiftly into the game. Spurs threatened first when a precise pass from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg found Brennan Johnson, whose cross found Rodrigo Bentancur, forcing Ederson into a sharp save.
City’s Phil Foden tested Spurs’ goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario with a close-range effort, but the Italian shot-stopper denied him with a strong save.
City, riding a 21-match unbeaten streak, struggled to find their rhythm, while Spurs found it challenging to capitalize on their attacking opportunities.
The game gained momentum towards the end of the first half, with City’s Josko Gvardiol and Spurs exchanging shots on target, but both sides entered halftime with just one shot each on goal.
City broke the deadlock early in the second half when Bernardo Silva fed De Bruyne, who provided a pinpoint cross for Haaland to convert from close range.
As City celebrated, thousands of Spurs fans taunted Arsenal supporters with chants of “Are you watching Arsenal?”
The match then saw interruptions as De Bruyne sustained an ankle injury from a Pape Sarr tackle, followed by Ederson’s injury from denying Cristian Romero’s attempt. The Brazilian goalkeeper was substituted with Stefan Ortega, who made an immediate save to thwart Dejan Kulusevski’s effort.
With five minutes left, Son Heung-min threatened to equalize for Spurs, but Ortega denied him with a crucial save.
In stoppage time, City were awarded a penalty after Pedro Porro fouled Jeremy Doku. Haaland confidently converted, securing his 27th league goal of the season and igniting jubilant celebrations among City players and fans.
With just one match left in the season, last year’s treble winners stand on the brink of another historic achievement, poised to etch their name in football folklore once again.
