"City lost all momentum and control," said ex-Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy on the BBC. "I do not think City lost their way because Spurs suddenly had more quality than them - it was more that Tottenham just wanted it more in the second half. That is a concern for Pep Guardiola, especially because his team are trying to put pressure on leaders Arsenal.
"In the first half I saw City play like a team trying to catch Arsenal - a team on a mission saying, 'we're coming after you'. Part of the fall off from them in the second half was self-inflicted - giving the ball away, not winning challenges or second balls. It was very unlike them, because we are used to seeing them manage games so well."
Guardiola was bullish after the game and dismissed the suggestion his side are bowing out of the title race: "So you're saying to me that we stop in the Premier League? We're 14 games away. As long as the chance is there, the hope is always going to be there."
Both City and Arsenal have a place in the final of the Carabao Cup to fight for before another massive weekend in the title race. On Saturday, Arsenal host a Sunderland side who are winless in their last seven away games, meaning City could be nine points off the pace by the time they kick-off at Liverpool on Sunday. Guardiola's side have an even worse record at Anfield than they do at Tottenham, having won just once in their last 10 visits, with that solitary victory coming when the stadium was empty during the Covid-19-affected 2020-21 season.