By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Erling Haaland proved decisive once again as his early goal secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory for Manchester City over Tottenham Hotspur in a tense Premier League encounter.
City, keen to maintain momentum in the title race, struck in the 12th minute when Haaland capitalised on a precise assist from Jeremy Doku to fire a clinical shot into the bottom left corner, leaving Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario with no chance.
The Norwegian forward had threatened even earlier, forcing a brilliant save from Vicario in the eighth minute after a powerful volley from close range.
City’s attacking intent continued as Savinho and Haaland both came close to doubling the lead, but Tottenham held firm.
Spurs had their moments, with Kevin Danso testing Ederson just before halftime and Wilson Odobert squandering a good opportunity in the second half.
Rodrigo Bentancur also saw his well-placed header land straight into Ederson’s grasp, while Heung-Min Son missed a golden chance in the 85th minute, failing to beat the City goalkeeper from close range.
Late drama unfolded in stoppage time when Haaland appeared to have sealed the win with a second goal after a Phil Foden assist. However, VAR intervened, ruling the goal out for handball, much to City’s frustration.
Tottenham had one final chance in the dying moments, but Pape Matar Sarr’s header flew agonisingly over the bar, ensuring City held on for a crucial three points.
