Tottenham Hotspur secured a second consecutive Premier League victory under new manager Thomas Frank, defeating Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium. The win marks another statement result for Spurs, who also recorded a sensational 4-0 triumph at the same venue last November.
Goals from Brennan Johnson and new loan signing João Palhinha sealed the win for the visitors, who withstood significant early pressure from Pep Guardiola’s side. The result extends Tottenham’s strong start to the season with two wins and two clean sheets, while Manchester City suffered their first defeat of the new campaign.
Manchester City started the match strongly, with Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush, a January 2025 signing from Eintracht Frankfurt, forcing two excellent saves from Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. However, it was Tottenham who opened the scoring against the run of play. In the 23rd minute, a swift counter-attack saw Richarlison deliver a low cross to Brennan Johnson, who finished from close range. The goal was initially ruled offside but was awarded after a VAR review confirmed that City defender John Stones had narrowly played Richarlison onside.
Tottenham doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time, capitalising on a defensive blunder. Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford, making his home debut after a summer transfer, played a risky pass inside his own penalty area. The loose ball found its way to João Palhinha, who, having joined Spurs on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich, smashed in his first goal for the club. Trafford was fortunate to remain on the pitch just minutes earlier following a collision with Mohammed Kudus on the edge of the box. City’s frustrations were compounded when striker Erling Haaland missed a clear header from close range just before the break.
Despite a dominant second-half performance from Manchester City, Tottenham’s resolute defensive display held firm. The victory is Tottenham’s third in their last five visits to the Etihad Stadium and continues their remarkable run against Guardiola’s side. The defeat is the 10th for Pep Guardiola against Tottenham across his managerial career, the same number of defeats he has suffered against Real Madrid and Liverpool.
The win provided a much-needed lift for Tottenham’s travelling supporters, many of whom had vocally protested against chairman Daniel Levy before the match due to the club’s failure to sign winger Eberechi Eze, who instead agreed to a move to rivals Arsenal this week. By the final whistle, however, the chants had turned to praise for the players and their new manager.
Both clubs will now prepare for their next Premier League fixtures to close out the month. Manchester City will travel to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, while Tottenham will host AFC Bournemouth on Saturday.
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