LONDON - Manchester City's bid to chop Arsenal's Premier League lead to two points was scuppered as Harry Kane's record-breaking goal earned Tottenham Hotspur a 1-0 win over the champions on Sunday.
Kane's 15th-minute effort punished some sloppy City passing and made him the north London club's all-time top goalscorer with 267, taking him past former great Jimmy Greaves whose record had stood since 1970.
It was a strike even fans of Tottenham's arch-rivals Arsenal would have celebrated down the Seven Sisters Road as it helped Mikel Arteta's side stay five points clear of champions City despite Saturday's shock loss at Everton.
HARRY KANE WITH @PREMIERLEAGUE GOAL 200!
AND he's now Tottenham's all-time leading goalscorer!
; NBC & @peacock #MyPLMorning | #TOTMCI pic.twitter.com/AR422HOxah— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) February 5, 2023
Tottenham had led by two goals at halftime at City a few weeks ago only to capitulate and lose 4-2 but this time they held firm despite a late red card for Cristian Romero to boost their own hopes of finishing in the top four.
Cristian Romero sees RED!
Tottenham will finish the match with 10 men.
; NBC & @peacock #MyPLMorning | #TOTMCI pic.twitter.com/ST71BSfQ8f— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) February 5, 2023
With Erling Haaland subdued the closest City came to scoring was a Riyad Mahrez effort that smashed against the underside of the crossbar in first-half stoppage time. Tottenham then withstood a late City siege with some tenacious defending to clinch a third win in four league games over Pep Guardiola's side.
City remain in second place with 45 points from 21 games with Arsenal on 50 having played a game less with the two sides meeting in north London on Feb. 15. Tottenham, whose manager Antonio Conte was absent after having surgery to remove his gallbladder, are fifth on 39 points from 22 games, one behind Newcastle United.
Harry Kane gets a phone call from Antonio Conte in the locker room after breaking the club's goal scoring record. #MyPLMorning | #THFC pic.twitter.com/HVYf0uhBpu
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) February 5, 2023
Kane's moment arrived when City made a mess of trying to play out from the back and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg stole the ball off Rico Lewis on the edge of the area before holding off a challenge and flicking the ball to Kane. The England striker's right-foot shot was not his sweetest connection but it found its way into the corner past Ederson as Kane became only the third player to score 200 Premier League goals.
After the final whistle Kane was interviewed on the pitch as fans serenaded him with "Harry you're one of own..." — a reference to the fact he joined the club as an 11-year-old.
"It's quite surreal, a magical feeling to do it in front of the home fans and to win the game, I wanted to do it at this special place and in front of these amazing fans."
"To do it in front of the home fans, it's a moment I'll never forget."
Harry Kane speaks after scoring his 200th PL goal and becoming Tottenham's all time leading scorer. #MyPLMorning | #THFC pic.twitter.com/LekCLnX2GE— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) February 5, 2023
City sent on Kevin De Bruyne for Mahrez on the hour and the Belgian fired a shot wide while Julián Álvarez had a ferocious effort deflected over the crossbar. Romero was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Jack Grealish but City could find no way through as they missed a huge opportunity to put pressure on Arsenal and they find themselves only three points above in-form Manchester United.
"Sooner or later it is going to change, but it is strange we haven't scored one goal," Guardiola said of City's troubles with Tottenham. "To find an explanation is not easy. We are not in the position to think about being champions, just the next game, Aston Villa, we will prepare well and play our game as best as possible."
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis)
