Manchester City vs Tottenham: live - late Christian Eriksen strike gives Spurs precious points

Man City1 - 2Tottenham

K. Iheanacho74

H. Kane53C. Eriksen83

54,551Etihad Stadium

FT

Teams 

Christian Eriksen gave Spurs the lead for the second time with a strike eight minutes from time

Picture: GETTY IMAGES

By Adam Hurrey
6:17PM GMT 14 Feb 2016

Follow live coverage of the Premier League match between title-chasing Manchester City and Spurs

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18:27

Pellegrini speaks...

Disappointed, because I think we played better than Tottenham.

We had more clear chances in a very close game - the decisive penalty was very important. It hits the back of Sterling, hits his elbow very slightly...it was a decisive moment.

18:17

The Wallace Report

They are a club that likes to talk about the fine notion of the glory of the game, and 1961 and all that but we are about to find out whether the sparkling 2016 version of Tottenham Hotspur can deal with the reality of their chance to make history.

This was a landmark win in a landmark season for Mauricio Pochettino’s great young side. They may have rode their luck at times, especially with the wrongful award of a penalty for their first goal, and they had to take some severe pressure from Manchester City, but when Christian Eriksen came up with the winner Spurs delivered in style.

They moved back to second place, ahead of the old enemy Arsenal on goal difference and within two points of leaders Leicester City with 12 games to play. Spurs are in a title race and winning the kind of games that Spurs teams are not supposed to win. The club was last second at this stage of the season in 1985; they last finished second in the top-flight last in 1963. It is not quite unchartered territory but it is very unfamiliar.

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18:08

Full time: Manchester City 1-2 Tottenham

Tremendous stuff. Serious, serious guts from Tottenham - they could have settled for a point after Iheanacho had dragged City level, but Lamela's fresh legs and fresh endeavour carved open a chance for Christian Eriksen. He had the coolness to slot the ball under Joe Hart and....well, who knows what that means now. What it does mean is this:

This is the title race. Leicester finally buckled against Arsenal in the 95th minute, and now Tottenham have responded with that all-action, all-hands-to-the-pump, all-for-one-and-one-for-all victory. It wasn't a smash-and-grab affair either - Pochettino's lot deserved this entirely.

Tottenham host Arsenal on March 5th, by the way.

18:07

90 min +5

CHAOS! City get it to Aguero, who gets to the byline and clips a cross over to the back post....

...Lloris gets a fingertip to it and then David Silva pokes a desperate shot over the bar!

18:03

90 min +2

Lamela heads for the corner, but Zabaleta's presence alone is enough to spook him to the floor and City have the goal-kick. And now a corner! Spurs cling on, though.

18:02

90 min

FOUR ADDED MINUTES.

18:00

89 min

Aguero has a slither of space in the Spurs area...but it's just too tight and Spurs have a goal-kick. 90 seconds left, plus the trimmings...

17:57

85 min

Close! Harry Kane flashes a snap-shot just wide. City are now frantically searching for their kitchen sink.

17:56

GOAL! Manchester City 1-2 Tottenham (Eriksen, 84 min)

HELLO! Lamela slides a superb ball through Otamendi's legs andChristian Eriksen has only Joe Hart to beat....and he slides it home!!! On his birthday, no less.

17:53

81 min

Erik Lamela replaces Dele Alli. He's straight into the closing-anything-down-if-it's-wearing-blue duties.

17:49

78 min

Now what? Well, Danny Rose is obviously still bombing forward on the left, but what do Tottenham want from this game now? Aleksandar Kolarov has come on to replace Clichy now - the City onslaught is on.

17:46

GOAL! Manchester City 1-1 Tottenham (Iheanacho, 74 min)

The substitution pays off for Pellegrini! Gael Clichy has space down the left, he cuts it back perfectly for Kelechi Iheanacho to stride on to it and hammer a left-foot shot into the roof of the net!

17:45

74 min

Tom Carroll is now on, and Heung-min Son has been withdrawn. Danny Rose isstill careering down the left wing.

17:41

70 min

Tottenham looking fairly comfortable with what City are throwing at them. Harry Kane is down injured and there are some histrionics over who kicks the ball out play to allow him to receive treatment. In the end, he gets up anyway after that fierce challenge from Zabaleta.

17:39

68 min

Kelechi Iheanacho has replaced Fernando, as City ramp up for the grandstand finish. Spurs respond by readying Tom Carroll.

17:38

67 min

Aguero is fred by a superb first-time pass by Silva but, with Sterling streaming into space on the right, Aguero can't squeeze a pass cross to supply him. The game is starting to unarvel a bit and there's green space to exploit for both sides.

17:33

62 min

Aguero creeps down the left, looking for a chance to cut inside and get a shot away, but Spurs are wise to it and block. We're entering the traditional phase where Yaya Toure locates the scruff of the game's neck - has he still got it in him?

17:30

59 min

Not sure what that goal will do for the dynamic of this game, but City haven't shown they're capable of a concerted spell of pressure - meanwhile, this Tottenham side are ready to put the hard yards in to protect these crucial points. Sit tight.

17:28

57 min

Booking for Kevin Wimmer, who blocks off a City attack and now the home side have a free-kick. David Silva territory, surely...but Toure steps up instead and he hits the bar

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Photo: Cristiano Ronaldo playfully tweaks ear of one of his team mates

   

Cristiano Ronaldo seemed to be in a playful mood today. With a straight face, the Portuguese striker reached out and tweaked the ear of his team mate. 

Visit site and comments

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Ferguson 'ready to return' to Manchester United if Van Gaal is sacked

Ferguson 'ready to return' to Manchester United if Van Gaal is sacked

11:50, 17 JAN 2016UPDATED 12:32, 17 JAN 2016BY JAMES ROBSON

With Louis van Gaal coming in under increasing pressure, Sir Alex Ferguson is being linked with a return to Man Utd

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Martin Rickett/PA Wire

Sir Alex Ferguson could be set for a sensational return to Manchester United .

According to reports the legendary Scot is prepared to act in an advisory role to Ryan Giggs if Louis van Gaal is sacked.

The People claim Ferguson would be willing to take a hands-on approach to aid Giggs.

The 74-year-old retired in 2013, but has retained an ambassadorial role at Old Trafford.

Van Gaal is coming under increasing pressure at United after falling away in the title race.

Watch: Klopp compares Sir Alex Ferguson to The Beatle's John Lennon

1:50

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1:50

United are adamant they want the Dutchman to see out his contract, despite being linked with moves for Carlo Ancelotti, Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola in recent months .

Giggs is very much seen as a future United manager within the club, with Van Gaal even declaring the Welshman his successor.

But there remain doubts about his experience and whether he would be able to step straight into such a big job.

Having Ferguson in a mentor role could be seen as the ideal solution.

Giggs was the common denominator in each of Ferguson’s 13 Premier League titles at United.

MORE: Wayne Rooney was back to his best against Newcastle United, claims Paul Scholes

Ronaldo, Bale, De Gea - what Real Madrid's transfer ban means to Manchester United

Ferguson, himself, has tipped the legendary winger to become a top manager one day.

They could represent a dream partnership for United if they decide that Van Gaal’s time is up.

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I don't care if it was offside": John Terry reacts to controversial late equaliser against Everton

FOOTBALLNEWSJOHN TERRY

"I don't care if it was offside": John Terry reacts to controversial late equaliser against Everton

Follow JIM DALY for more Chelsea news

The Chelsea captain went from villain to hero, netting a late equaliser after scoring an own goal earlier on against the Toffees

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Reuters

Timely Terry: The Chelsea defender scores a late, late equaliser...that's offside

John Terry was at the centre of controversy after scoring a98th minute offside equaliser against Everton.

The Chelsea captain flicked in Oscar's header one minute after the allotted seven minutes injury time was up to grab a 3-3 draw .

Everton manager Roberto Martinez was furious after the game and labelled the refereeing "diabolical" but Terry claimed he wasn't bothered.

"I don't really care as it was my first this season," he told Sky Sports after the game." It's an important one as we're still undefeated since the manager has come in.

"To keep that little momentum, ideally we needed three points, we're not happy where we are in the league, we need to start winning games but every game's tough and every opposition seems to be stepping up their game."

Terry had opened the scoring in the game with an own goal to give the Toffees the lead. Kevin Mirallas doubled their lead before Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas levelled it up.

Funes Mori restored the Merseysiders lead before Terry's late, late equaliser, which was clearly a yard or two offside.

Terry added: "[It was] difficult especially after going 2-0 down. A lot of teams would have thrown the towel in, but the fight and the desire from the squad unbelievable to come back, and [we were] unlucky no to win the game I think.

"Both teams were sussing each other out a little bit [in the first half], [then] it opened up slightly with more goals and chances, but it was a tireless effort from the boys.

Reuters

Reuters

Reuters / Stefan Werm all we can do at the moment is give everything and I thinkdown, everyone on their feet singing and applauding the players.

"[It was] different class from them, unbelievable desire from the players as well. As I said before, we want to get out of this position we're in -- we will do if we continue that fighting desire."

Meanwhile, Blues boss Guus Hiddink admitted to Match of the Day the goal was offside: "I will not deny it - it was offside because Oscar touched the ball, even though John was technically perfect [with the finish]."

"I took some risks and it paid off in a spectacular way. The team is very resilient."

He added: "There was seven minutes extra time... I said, 'Ref, okay, they are celebrating at least one minute in the corner.'"

Should Terry's goal have stood?

YES

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Ballon D'or Award 2015 winners in full + Photos from the event (PHOTOS)

The 2015 FIFA Ballon D'or award took place tonight in Zurich with Lionel Messi emerging as the winner while celebrities from the football and entertainment world attended the showpiece event. Full winners list plus photos from the event after the jump.

Fifi Men's World Player of the Year: Lionel Messi

FIFA Women's World Player of the year : Carli Lloyd

FIFA World Coach of the year (Men): Luis Enrique

FIFA World Coach of the year (Women): Jill Ellis

FIFA Puskas Award: Wendell Lira

FIFA Fair play award:Gerald Asamoah

 

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Lionel Messi wins record fifth Ballon d’Or

    

Lionel Messi

Barcelona star Lionel Messi won a record fifth FIFA Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best player at a ceremony in Zurich on Monday.

He dethroned three-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo in adding to his four consecutive awards from 2009 to 2012.

Brazil star Neymar came third in the vote of journalists and coaches.

“It’s a very special moment to come back, to get a Ballon d’Or again after the two years in which Cristiano Ronaldo won each time.

“This Ballon d’Or means a lot more than I could have ever dreamed of as a child,” said the 28-year-old Messi.

“It’s incredible that it’s my fifth, it’s much more than I ever dreamed of,” said the 28-year-old Messi.

Messi had 41 per cent of the vote Ronaldo getting 28 per cent and Barca’s Neymar eight per cent.

Messi was the star player as Barcelona won the treble of Champions League, La Liga and Spanish Cup last season, before also adding the Club World Cup last month.

Although he became the first ever player to win the award five times, Messi had said earlier that he would swap all those individual accolades for a World Cup success. “Team awards are more important than individual ones,” he said, before adding that the World Cup “is every player’s objective, it’s really the pinnacle”.

Messi and his Argentina teammates came close to winning the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 but were beaten 1-0 by Germany in the final.

His Barcelona boss Luis Enrique won the coach of the year award while Jill Ellis took the women’s trophy.

She had guided the US to women’s World Cup glory in Canada last summer, beating Japan 5-2 in the final.

Carli Lloyd scored a hat-trick in that match and that was enough to help her land the FIFA women’s player of the year gong.

Brazilian Wendell Lira won the Puskas award for goal of the year for his spectacular overhead bicycle kick for Atletico Goianiense against Goaianesia in a regional league match, edging out Messi’s own mazy dribble against Atletic Bilbao in last season’s Copa del Rey final.

Barca and Real dominated the team of the year as well with four players each, including Messi, Neymar and Ronaldo.

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Ballon d'Or final list

Ballon d’Or final lists

January 11, 2016

    

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The Ballon d’Or for 2015 will be awarded on Monday with Lionel Messi tipped to win the prize for a fifth time.
AFP Sports looks at the finalists in all the categories:

Ballon d’Or:
1.   Cristiano Ronaldo (POR/Real Madrid)                                                                     2.   Lionel Messi (ARG/Barcelona)                                                                             3.   Neymar (BRA/Barcelona)

Women’s Ballon d’Or:
1.   Carli Lloyd (USA/Houston Dash)                                                                           2.   Aya Miyama (JPN/Okoyama Yunogo Belle)                                                               3.   Celia Sasic (GER/FFC Frankfurt)

Coach of the Year:
1.   Luis Enrique (ESP/Barcelona)                                                                             2.   Pep Guardiola (ESP/Bayern Munich)                                                                       3.   Jorge Sampaoli (ARG/Chile national team)

Women’s Coach of the Year:
1.   Jill Ellis (USA/United States national team)                                                           2.   Mark Sampson (WAL/England national team)                                                         3.   Norio Sasaki (JPN/Japan national team)

Puskas award for best goal:
1.   Alessandro Florenzi (ITA/AS Roma)                                                                     2.   Wendell Lira (BRA/Vila Nova)                                                                             3.   Lionel Messi (ARG/Barcelona)

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