Man City vs Tottenham 3-3

It's hard to win anything with an unreliable defence, so Pep Guardiola has work to do if Manchester City are to come close to replicating last season's treble success this time around.

Eight goals conceded in three games with the lead surrendered six times in those fixtures, are the kind of statistics usually associated with Erik ten Hag's out-of-form Manchester United rather than Manchester City, but they are the reality of Guardiola's team right now after Tottenham ended their three-game losing streak to draw 3-3 at the Etihad on Sunday.

These are unusual times at City. It is the first time they have gone three Premier League games without a win since March-April 2017, and you have to go back to Nov. 2009 for the last time City led in three successive league games and failed to win any of them, as Guardiola's side have done against Chelsea (4-4), Liverpool (1-1) and now Spurs.

Jack Grealish had looked like settling a thrilling game at Etihad Stadium with a goal in the 81st minute.

But Kulusevski rose to meet Brennan Johnson’s cross and head in off the underside of the bar to secure a point for Spurs.

For City, this was the rout that wasn’t, the game that promised a thrashing and delivered a draw. They were inches from putting Tottenham out of sight, twice hitting the woodwork, and squandered some fine chances, but a lack of ruthlessness meant they ended up dropping points at the Etihad for a second successive weekend.

So City have a challenge ahead that maybe they didn't face last season in that they will be up against opponents who believe they can beat them. Tottenham, for all of their injury problems, retained that belief despite twice falling behind at the Etihad and they were rewarded with their equaliser.

Grealish had come off the bench early in the second half and the stadium erupted when he swept Haaland’s cross into the back of the net from close range.

There was another twist as Kulusevski headed into the top corner.

City still went in search of a winner and that chance looked to have come when Grealish burst away just beyond the halfway line.

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Sarah H

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