MANCHESTER CITY 0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPURS 1
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2960587/Man-City-0-Tottenham-1.html#comment-rig WELL, bully for Harry.
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp had stoked the fires of this showdown by accusing big-spending City of intimidating tactics in the transfer market.
But it was Spurs who beat up those nasty northern boys with all the cash.
An 82nd-minute header from Peter Crouch made certain of that cherished fourth place and a Champions League qualifying spot - while condemning City to the wilderness of the Europa League. Spurs could even sneak third and go straight into the Champions League group stage at the expense of hated rivals Arsenal should they win at Burnley on Sunday and the Gunners lose at home to Fulham.
That might be asking a lot but, after this, delirious Tottenham fans and players will believe anything is possible.
What a miracle Redknapp has worked. He was doused with a huge bucket of water by his players as he gave a TV interview but did not mind one bit.
This is a man who has turned water into wine.
Redknapp took over 18 months ago with Spurs bottom of the Premier League with two points from eight games - and his only ambition was to make sure this proud club did not get relegated. Now they could be mixing it with the Continent's elite.
As for City, nobody is feeling over the Blue Moon this morning.
Sheikh Mansour's multi-millions have again failed to bring any great rewards and the recriminations will be long and hard.
Will manager Roberto Mancini survive? How will they attract the world's stars when they are not at Europe's top table?
Why would Fernando Torres want to come now?
Will Carlos Tevez and Craig Bellamy quit? There are many questions to be answered and the way Bellamy clasped Redknapp's hand at the end suggests he is already thinking about his possible destination.
City had their chances last night and Tevez was bright early on. But they did not make that advantage count and Spurs got better as the game went on.
They were heroes all and a special word goes to Ledley King, whose persistent knee injury usually prevents him playing twice in a week.
This was his second game in five days and he was a rock at the heart of the visitors' defence.
It might even have been enough to convince watching England boss Fabio Capello he is worth a risk at the World Cup.
Capello also will have been impressed by Crouch, who kept on looking for a goal and did not let a number of missed chances get to him.
Crouch was gutted by Spurs' defeat to Portsmouth in the FA Cup semi-final, when he squandered numerous opportunities and his confidence took a serious knock. For much of last night, he must have feared this encounter was going the same way.
Crouch headed Gareth Bale's free-kick against the post on 18 minutes and King had the ball in the net three minutes later from a corner but was adjudged by referee Steve Bennett to have climbed on Gareth Barry before nodding in.
King was back in defence to stick his head in the way of a fierce drive from Tevez and Heurelho Gomes palmed away Adam Johnson's effort.
Then Tevez missed Barry's cross but it hit the surprised Johnson on the back and was sneaking in by the post until Gomes got across to scramble the ball clear.
When the corner came in, Kolo Toure was presented with a free header but directed it over.
Aaron Lennon, making his first start of the year, got Spurs going again as he picked out Crouch, whose header was volleyed inches wide by Bale.
City once more employed Sunderland reserve keeper Marton Fulop, signed as an emergency loan to replace the injured Shay Given.
For a while he threatened to be an unlikely City hero as he made a superb diving save to keep out Jermain Defoe's right-foot shot.
Crouch was also holding his head in frustration when his header was saved by Fulop's legs - but the lanky England striker would not be denied.
Younes Kaboul went past Bellamy on the right, his cross clipped Wayne Bridge and Fulop could only push the ball out to Crouch, who gleefully headed in.
Spurs have waited a very long time for an occasion like this. They deserved to party the whole night away.
And, while one team in North London was celebrating, the other one from the Emirates was feeling just that little bit more uncomfortable.
DREAM TEAM
STAR MAN - PETER CROUCH (Spurs)
MAN CITY: Fulop 8, Zabaleta 6, Toure 6, Kompany 6, Bridge 6, Adam Johnson 7 (Wright-Phillips 5), De Jong 6, Barry 6 (Vieira 5), Bellamy 6 (Santa Cruz 5), Tevez 7, Adebayor 5. Subs not used: Nielsen, Richards, Onuoha, Sylvinho.
TOTTENHAM: Gomes 8, Kaboul 7, Dawson 8, King 7, Assou-Ekotto 7, Lennon 6 (Bentley 5), Huddlestone 7, Modric 7 (Palacios 5), Bale 7, Crouch 9, Defoe 7 (Pavlyuchenko 6). Subs not used: Alnwick, Jenas, Gudjohnsen, Bassong. Booked: Kaboul, Huddlestone, Assou-Ekotto
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepag...587/Man-City-0-Tottenham-1.html#ixzz0n6ehfy3I
