The Algerian threw leadership, inspiration and success Riyad Mahrez to direct and sign the comeback of the Manchester Cityon the canvas at halftime, with 2 goals behind, which he amended with authority before completing the initial quarter hour of the second part to frustrate the expectations of the Tottenham (4-2).
Mahrez It was decisive and appeared when the team needed him most. He intervened in the 4 goals that turned the situation around. In fact, he signed the third and fourth, the one that consolidated the comeback and the one that sealed the victory to resume the pursuit of the leadership of the Arsenalfrom which he is now separated by 5 points.
The Spanish team brought out the champion’s spirit Pep Guardiola who faced the appointment with the London team in the middle of a pothole, with a recent defeat against the Manchester United in the derby and with symptoms of fragility.
Even so, the coach turned his eleven upside down and faced the clash without usual fixed as Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, Kyle Walker, Aymeric Laporte o João Cancelowho stayed on the bench.
The Tottenham It is not for gifts. He has only one victory in his last 4 games and his European position, already outside the zone of Champions League, it is in the air. Also the continuity of Antonio Conteincreasingly in question.
The clash was flat for most of the first half. Without incidents in the areas and without demands for the goalkeepers. The ball was largely owned by the citizen but the Tottenham he did not stop threatening counterattacks that did not come to a head.
But the more he accentuated his dominance the City his punishment came. He had had the first chance of a game without a presence in the areas in a shot from Rico Lewis that the French goal solved in a good way Hugo Lloris. Y Erling Haaland had started to show up. In the air game. He came into his own with a header that narrowly missed.
But the serious thing came later, in the other goal. A City turnover. An inaccuracy between the goalkeeper Ederson y Rodri, on the edge of the area. The Spaniard could not control it and snatched it away Dejan Kulusevski who took advantage of the defensive chaos of the locals to shoot on goal and put the ball into the net.
It was minute 45 but there was still time for a greater punishment for the box Pep Guardiola. He had a lot to do with it. Harry Kane who received and fought with Rodri for the ball inside the area. In the end he took it and shot at the goal. Ederson cleared it and Emerson Royalwell positioned, picked it up with his head and brought it back towards the goal in the last action of the first half.
But he fixed it in the blink of an eye. Manchester City. Showed up Riyad Mahrez, key in both actions. The first because he sent a cross from the right. The visiting defense got tangled up. Pitching Ilkay Gundogan and the ball, divided, rejected by Lloris, was taken advantage of by Julian Álvarez to mark and shorten distances.
The tie came to the next action, with City overturned. Mahrez found Rodri, entered the area and received an aerial ball from the Spanish. He sent it headlong to Haaland, better placed and alone. He did not forgive the Norwegian who equalized.
With the champion overturned, he had an opportunity against the Tottenham to recover the pulse. Ivan Perisic He shot at the goal without opposition. she crossed Rico Lewis and the shipment hit the post.
But there was nothing to stop the local push and thus turned the game around. Rodri found Mahrez on the right, in his band. He reached the area and shot. Failure Lories. The ball, coming from an almost unintentional shot, entered through his stick and slipped in to give the team the advantage Guardiola.
He wanted to straighten the situation Tottenham but City was as I wanted. He had the ball and managed the game. he sentenced him Mahrez to round off his good game, when he scored the last goal, the fourth, by taking advantage of an error by the defense of the Tottenham in utter despair.
With information from EFE
