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Gundogan celebrates his goal. Anthony Devlin
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Manchester City v Tottenham, Premier League

The runaway league leaders were involved in a top-four showdown this evening.

GOOD EVENING AND welcome along. We’ve already seen Crystal Palace pick up their first away league win of the season today as Christian Benteke broke his duck to help the Eagles to a 3-0 victory.

The 3pm kick offs are drawing to a close, but Stoke v West Ham is just about reaching half-time after a delayed start due to power failure.

At 5.30pm, Manchester City — unbeaten and on a run of 15 league wins — entertain fourth-placed Tottenham at the Etihad. It has all the makings of a pulsating affair so stick around for build-up and live updates.

Team news is in and the influential David Silva misses out due to “personal reasons”. Ilkay Gundogan comes in for the Spaniard, while Leroy Sane replaces Bernard Silva, who drops to the bench.

Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Otamendi, Mangala, Delph, Fernandinho, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Sane, Sterling, Aguero.

There are three changes for the visitors. Serge Aurier, Erik Lamela and Moussa Sissoko drop out from the team that defeated Brighton 2-0. Getting the nod in their place are Kieran Trippier, Mousa Dembele and Dele Alli

Tottenham: Lloris, Trippier, Dier, Vertonghen, Rose, Dembele, Winks, Eriksen, Alli, Son, Kane.

Here are the results from the 3pms:

PL ft 16 Dec

Okay, I want your predictions… Do Spurs have any chance of stopping the Man City juggernaut or will it be 16 wins on the bounce?


Poll Results:

Man City win (155)
Spurs win (68)
Draw (47)

“Every game will be tough, especially today against a team like Tottenham.” Watch the two managers speaking to BT Sport.

Here we go. The teams are in the tunnel waiting to enter the field. Tonight’s referee is Craig Pawson.

Kick-off - We’ve just begun. City, wearing their home colours of light blue and white, tip off. Tottenham are in their navy change strip.

Both teams have started with a really high tempo here and it’s been a frantic few minutes. The first real break in play arrives as Dembele catches his fellow Belgian De Bruyne, who waves an imaginary card in the direction of the referee.

Sane gets forward down the left and goes past Trippier before looking to send the ball in the direction of the six-yard box. Vertonghen is well-positioned to cut it out, however.

Minutes later, a De Bruyne free-kick picks out Aguero but this time he can’t direct a header on target.

GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Tottenham (Ilkay Gundogan) 

The leaders are in front! Sane whips the corner in and his fellow German, who is completely unmarked, heads past Lloris from the centre of the goal.

Shocking defending by Tottenham.

Sane is having a field day against Trippier. The winger breezes past his marker and crosses but Dier cuts it out at the front post.

Penalty shout – Rose blatantly pushes Magala in the back with both hands, but it’s not given. Poor call.

The 21-year-old has pace to burn but an end product to back it up:

Save – Lloris is called into action to keep out a left-footed drive by Aguero. The loose ball falls to Sterling, but he is leaning back and fires high into the crowd.

City are beginning to purr here.  An excellent move creates an opening for Gundogan, and Lloris gets down to keep his strike out.

It’s still all Man City and the latest chance sees Aguero drill a couple of yards wide. Spurs are finding it hard to get their creative players into the game.

Tottenham find a rare opening and Kane curls a shot towards the far corner. Ederson, at full stretch, is thankful to see it sail off target.

Fernandinho clips a ball to the back post after a move involving De Bruyne and Sterling. It finds Aguero, but the flag goes up for offside.

Half-time: Manchester City 1-0 Tottenham 

Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League - Etihad Stadium De Bruyne with Eriksen close by. Anthony Devlin Anthony Devlin

Second half – We’re off and running again. The Etihad Stadium appears to have got quite foggy all of a sudden.

Good play from Spurs there. They work the ball from one side to the other, where Kane sends a cross to the far post. Son is lurking dangerously but Sane tracks back well to get a vital touch.

Yellow card – Kane catches England team-mate Sterling late on the ankle. It’s a bad challenge and he goes into Craig Pawson’s book.

Great stop! Kane has a pop from 25 yards out and Ederson gets a fingertip to prevent an equaliser.

Substitution – Guardiola withdraws Aguero to bring on Gabriel Jesus. The Argentine striker is not one bit pleased with the fact that he hasn’t even lasted the hour.

Chance! Lloris gets a hand to Sane’s shot after a direct run. Sterling  follows up and wastes the rebound but the flag has gone up for offside. .

Dele Alli is a lucky boy… He’s caught De Bruyne on the ankle and gets away with a booking.

GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Tottenham (Kevin De Bruyne) 

De Bruyne brushes himself off after being on the receiving end of Alli’s tackle, then receives the ball on the edge of the box and lashes it past Lloris.

Penalty to Man City… 

AND IT’S MISSED! Jesus smashes his spot-kick off the post and Sterling puts the follow-up over with his left foot.

GOAL! Manchester City 3-0 Tottenham (Raheem Sterling) 

De Bruyne robs Demebele and feeds Gundogan. He plays in Sane to lay it on a plate for Sterling to tap in. Super goal and Man City are on their way to a 16th straight victory.

Subs – Gundogan, who has been excellent today, comes off with 17-year-old English prospect Phil Foden given a run-out.

Meanwhile, Pochettino has withdrawn Alli and brought on Moussa Sissoko.

Another change – And it’s for City. Bernardo Silva replaces Sane.

GOAL! Manchester City 4-0 Tottenham (Raheem Sterling) 

Another for the ex-Liverpool man. Dier misses the ball completely, Sterling pokes it through the legs of Lloris to give himself a handy finish into the open net.

GOAL! Manchester City 4-1 Tottenham (Christian Eriksen) 

It’s little more than a consolation but Eriksen, who has been quiet this evening, drills a shot into the bottom corner just before the final whistle.

Full-time: Manchester City 4-1 Tottenham 

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