Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino can now have some little smile ahead of next week’s Champions League after thrashing Manchester City 1-0 thanks to Son Heung-min’s 78th-minute goal.
The South Korean, who has enjoyed a superb season, scored the winning goal at the incredible new Spurs stadium with a left-footed finish past Ederson.
Son’s winner came 20 minutes after Harry Kane was forced to limp off with a nasty-looking ankle injury which could rule him out of next Wednesday’s return leg at the Etihad Stadium.
Kane, who missed two months of action from January to March after suffering an ankle ligament injury, came off worse following a challenge on England teammate Fabian Delph and immediately went down the tunnel to receive treatment.
The severity of the injury is currently unclear, but it looked a bad one and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the 25-year-old is forced to sit out of the second leg.
However, Spurs have an excellent goalscorer in Son, who netted his 18th goal after keeping the ball in play on the byline, drifting past Delph and then slamming the ball past Ederson.
Pep Guardiola will feel that his side should have scored at least one away goal.
Sergio Aguero had City’s best opportunity in the 11th minute when Danny Rose was penalised for a handball inside the box – referee Bjorn Kuipers pointed to the spot following a VAR review – but Hugo Lloris denied the prolific South American with a fine stop.
BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand was one of many people to bemoan the decision to award a penalty.
“Someone in there needs to have played the game, needs to understand football,” the former Manchester United defender said. “These people that are making the decisions at the moment, they don’t seem to understand the game because that is clear cut, for me: not a penalty.”
Still, it didn’t matter in the end for Spurs, who were good value for their victory.
City weren’t at their scintillating best and paid the price against a Tottenham side energised by their home supporters.
The hosts had the better chances in the opening 45 minutes, with Dele Alli smashing a volley narrowly over the crossbar and Kane also going close, aside from the penalty.
The second half saw fewer clear-cut opportunities but Son made no mistake with the one chance he fashioned for himself.
Ahead of next week’s second leg, Spurs face relegated Huddersfield on Saturday lunchtime, while City go head-to-head against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.