Manchester City 2 Tottenham 2: Poor refs make players cheat, Pep Guardiola has no fear, Kevin Wimmer is a weak link

Five things we learnt as Spurs come from two-down to deny City victory in controversial clash at the Etihad Stadium

Duncan Wright

Published: 19:41, 21 Jan 2017
Updated: 14:46, 29 Jan 2017

City felt they should have been awarded a penalty moments before Son's goal

MANCHESTER CITY ended Tottenham's six-game winning streak - but still threw away a two-goal lead that all-but ends their Premier League title hopes.

Pep Guardiola's side looked on course for the much-needed win as they made the most of two howlers from Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris to take control of the game.

Hugo Lloris had a shocker as he gifted Manchester City two goalsCredit: Reuters

But Spurs showed they have plenty of character as they clawed their way back to earn a point, thanks also to a piece of poor refereeing from Andre Marriner.

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SunSport takes a look at five things we learnt from the clash that does neither side any favours in the battle to haul in Chelsea at the top.

Players dive because refs don't do their jobs

Is it any wonder why football is blighted by diving when you can't trust a referee to make a decision as clear as the one Andre Marriner missed?

Raheem Sterling stayed on his feet despite an obvious shove from Kyle Walker, and sure enough the ref decided not to point to the spot.

Referee Andre Marriner somehow failed to spot the obvious push on Raheem Sterling from Kyle WalkerCredit: BT Sport

The fact Tottenham went up the other end and equalised within a minute only served to magnify the woeful call from Marriner - who no doubt would have pointed to the spot had Sterling tumbled to the ground.

Players can help refs by trying not to con them, but the officials can help themselves just as much by getting it right when it matters.

Pep is not scared of failing

You can criticise as much as you want but Pep Guardiola will only do things his way - emphasised by the amazingly attacking side he picked from the start.

Yaya Toure was arguably the only defensive midfielder in a City shirt, and he loves to get forward and join in with attacks, as Guardiola decided to throw everything he had at Tottenham.

Pep Guardiola responded to fears over a crisis by going on the all out attack and showed no fear of criticism if it all went wrongCredit: PA:Press Association

Whether he would have gone so positive had City not been playing catch-up in the title race is anyone's guess but there were no thoughts of being frightened of getting beaten.

A bold call from the under pressure manager who showed he isn't afraid of the criticism that might come his way if the result goes against him.

Wimmer looks a weak link

The loss of Jan Vertonghen may hurt Tottenham more than we thought, given the hapless display by his replacement Kevin Wimmer.

No-one looked more out of place in a woeful first half display from Spurs than than the Austrian, who was all over the show as City ran him ragged and exposed his lack of tactical awareness.

Mauricio Pochettino hauled him off at half time, but who knows how long the damage from this morale-sapping display will last.

And the problem could be doubled if the hamstring injury that forced Toby Alderweireld off the pitch keeps him out for a long time.

Kevin Wimmer was given the runaround before he was hauled off to spare his blushes at half-timeCredit: AP:Associated Press

More needed from Aguero

Sergio Aguero's future as Manchester City's main man has been the subject of much debate - but he could end any talk by letting his goals do the talking.

The arrival of Gabriel Jesus has put more pressure on his starting place, but of all the City players who took the game to Tottenham the Argentine was the least threatening.

Aguero has scored just once in the league since mid-November and his team could really do with him rediscovering his touch in front of goal.

His quiet display will hardly have given his manager too much food for thought about not giving Jesus a go soon.

City can't cut out the defensive howlers

Tottenham had done nothing in the game, but the first time they attacked with any intent, Nicolas Otamendi duly obliged with a defensive horror-show.

Nicolas Otamendi twice let Dele Alli slip by as the midfielder header Spurs back into the gameCredit: Reuters

First he dashed out of his position in an effort to intercept the ball, and was completely exposed as he got nowhere near his target.

Then when the ball was fed out wide to Kyle Walker, Otamendi completely forgot to track the run of Alli back into his penalty area - where the midfielder had the simple task of heading home.

Is it any wonder Guardiola went on the all out attack? One job to do, one failure is an example of why City are where they are this season.