Erling Haaland marked his return from injury with the winning goal as Manchester City secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Tottenham on Wednesday, moving into fourth place in the Premier League.
Haaland, who had missed City’s recent matches due to a knee injury, made an immediate impact, scoring in the 12th minute to give City a much-needed three points. This goal, his 28th of the season, was his 10th in his last 11 games, silencing critics after a brief dry spell earlier in the campaign.
Despite a strong start, City had to ride their luck as Spurs missed several second-half chances. Tottenham’s inconsistency continued, with their recent two-match winning streak coming to an end. The loss leaves Spurs in 13th place, with the Europa League last-16 clash against AZ Alkmaar as their only remaining focus for the season.
Haaland’s goal came after a brilliant run and assist by Jeremy Doku, whose cross was perfectly timed for the Norwegian to finish from close range. Tottenham’s young lineup struggled to cope with City’s attacking threats, with Doku, Haaland, and others having multiple chances to extend the lead.
Tottenham did threaten in the second half, with Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel both squandering excellent opportunities. However, Ederson was in fine form, saving a late effort from Son Heung-min and denying Spurs a last-minute equaliser with a superb save.
