Manchester City slumped to a disappointing 2-0 defeat to a tremendous Tottenham Hotspur side in their first home match of the 2025-26 Premier league season on Saturday afternoon.
After a humbling experience for the Citizens in this fixture last season, losing 4-0 in November 2024, Pep Guardiola’s side found themselves two goals down at half time, with Brennan Johnson’s opener followed by Joao Palhinha’s first Spurs strike on his full debut, courtesy of a howler from City’s new goalkeeper James Trafford who endured an Etihad debut to forget.
The Etihad faithful were hoping that Guardiola’s half-time team talk would have the desired effect, but City found it difficult to break down a resolute Spurs backline and they rarely posed a threat in the final third, with Erling Haaland not getting a sniff up front.
A close-range header in the 77th minute from substitute Rodri - his return from injury one of few positives for City - represented the hosts’ first of just two shots on target in the second half, and Spurs eventually held on to claim back-to-back wins at the Etihad for the first time since May 2010.
Defeat for Man City means that they cannot return to the top of the Premier League table, as that position is now occupied by Spurs who have kick-started life under new head coach Thomas Frank in impressive fashion with successive wins without reply after beating Burnley 3-0 last weekend.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
Tottenham Hotspur's Brennan Johnson celebrates with Micky van de Ven on August 23, 2025
Since the start of April, Man City have picked up more points than any other Premier League team (26) and there were promising signs of what many hope is to come from Guardiola’s new-look side when they hit four unanswered goals past Wolves on the opening weekend of the new season.
However, the youngest Man City team since October 2010 (24 years, 326 days) looked disjointed in front of their own fans, especially after Rayan Ait-Nouri was forced off with an injury midway through the first half, and they maintain a defensive vulnerability that they struggled with throughout last season, which was capitalised on by an energetic and well-organised Spurs outfit.
The Etihad has become Tottenham’s playground in recent years; the North Londoners have now won three and drawn one of their last five Premier League visits to Man City, picking up more points (10) than they managed in their previous 11 trips combined (two points - D2 L8).
Spurs have also scored at least two goals in each of their last five games at the Etihad - the last side to net 2+ goals in five consecutive top-flight away matches against Man City were Sunderland between 1980 and 2000.
Those who think Man City are back to their best need to re-evaluate that assumption. Trafford has an Etihad debut to forget and Guardiola’s players clearly need a bit more time to gel.
Spurs, meanwhile, have hit the ground running under Thomas Frank and they already look a much stronger side collectively from the one that struggled under Ange Postecoglou last season.
MAN CITY VS. SPURS HIGHLIGHTS
Brennan Johnson goal vs. Man City (35th min, Man City 0-1 Spurs)
In the finest of margins, Brennan Johnson gives Spurs the lead over City following a VAR review!
? @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/FgMaK1POoq
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 23, 2025
Just a minute after receiving the first yellow card of the contest, Johnson opens the scoring for Spurs after VAR overturn the on-field decision of offside.
Richarlison was at the heart of a speedy Spurs break, bursting in behind Man City’s high defensive lin down the right channel before fizzing a low cross into the centre of the penalty box for Johnson to tap home from around 10 yards out.
Joao Palhinha goal vs. Man City (45+2 min, Man City 0-2 Spurs)
Oh my ?
A costly City mistake is capitalised on by Palhinha@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/HPkufm9Gyn
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 23, 2025
Spurs double their advantage on the stroke of half time at it is summer signing Joao Palhinha who marks his first start for the club with a goal thanks to a howler from goalkeeper James Trafford.
Trafford, making his Etihad debut, is left dallying on the ball as Man City try to play out from the back from a goal-kick.
His attempted pass into a central position is intercepted by Pape Sarr and the ball is flicked to Richarlison before Palhinha runs in to smash deflected strike into the back of the net.
MAN OF THE MATCH - JOAO PALHINHA
Tottenham Hotspur's Joao Palhinha celebrates with Cristian Romero on August 23, 2025
There were several impressive performers for Spurs, but one man who stood out was Joao Palhinha, who marked his all-action debut performance with a first-half goal and was a key cog in midfield that contributes at both ends of the pitch.
The Portuguese loan signing from Bayern Munich won more duels (four) and made more tackles (three) than any other Spurs player in the first half alone, and he finished the contest with a 100% success rate in aerial duels and completed over 80% of his passes.
MAN CITY VS. SPURS MATCH STATS
Possession: Man City 61%-39% Spurs
Shots: Man City 10-12 Spurs
Shots on target: Man City 4-5 Spurs
Corners: Man City 7-2 Spurs
Fouls: Man City 7-12 Spurs
BEST STATS
The average age of Manchester City's starting XI vs Tottenham is 24 years and 326 days.
It's their youngest for a Premier League match since October 2010 against Arsenal (24y 257d). ? https://t.co/K8ksV04o1M
— Squawka (@Squawka) August 23, 2025
John Stones makes his 250th Premier League appearance this afternoon.
173 for Man City and 77 for Everton. ? pic.twitter.com/lyi0SyH7VQ
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) August 23, 2025
1 - Tottenham are the first side ever to score the first goal in five consecutive Premier League away games at the Etihad, and only the second to do so away to Manchester City at all in the competition, after Blackburn from 1993 to 2002. Thorn. pic.twitter.com/OaTILow9ar
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 23, 2025
6 - This is only the sixth time under Pep Guardiola that Manchester City have trailed a Premier League home game by 2+ goals at half-time, with Tottenham now responsible for half of those (3/6), including three of the last four (also Jan 2023 & Nov 2024). Foe. pic.twitter.com/k0tUC96Waj
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 23, 2025
2 - Tottenham Hotspur are only the second side to win away to a Pep Guardiola managed team in back-to-back league seasons, after Manchester United, who achieved the feat in 2019-20/2020-21. Bogey's. pic.twitter.com/yA8BC7eASC
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 23, 2025
3 - Having also won with Brentford in November 2022, Tottenham’s Thomas Frank is only the third manager to beat Pep Guardiola away from home in the league with two different clubs, after José Mourinho (Real Madrid & Man Utd) and Antonio Conte (Chelsea & Tottenham). Esteemed. pic.twitter.com/KSocvB2vPL
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 23, 2025
WHAT NEXT?
Man City will now turn their attention to their final match in the month of August away against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium next Sunday, a day after Tottenham return to North London to face Bournemouth in their next Premier League fixture.
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