Tottenham 2-1 Manchester City: Werner ends drought as Guardiola´s side eliminated

Timo Werner scored his first goal in seven months to help Tottenham eliminate Manchester City from the EFL Cup with a 2-1 victory in Wednesday’s last-16 tie.

Both teams were left to count the cost of muscle injuries come full-time of an entertaining game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as Micky van de Ven hobbled off in tears and Savinho was also distressed as he went off on a stretcher.

Werner also sustained a knock that forced him off, but that was long after emphatically curling away from Stefan Ortega inside five minutes after being teed up by Dejan Kulusevski down the Spurs right.

Pape Matar Sarr tucked in a first-time finish of his own from outside the box to double the hosts’ advantage 25 minutes later – an effort Ortega perhaps could have done better to keep out – but City finally woke up before half-time.

Savinho picked out Matheus Nunes to side-volley in at the back post and that set the tone for a gripping second period – one in which Erling Haaland watched from the substitutes’ bench despite his side chasing a goal.

Ortega made three saves to keep City in the tie, with Richarlison failing to convert from a glorious position, and those misses so nearly proved costly in the closing stages.

Yves Bissouma brilliantly denied Nico O’Reilly on the line with quick reflexes, however, to ensure Ange Postecoglou remains on course for silverware in his second season at Spurs, while inflicting a first loss of the campaign on eight-time EFL Cup winners City.

It’s Timo time.

Opening his account for the season in style pic.twitter.com/m7oCQAofDN

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 30, 2024

Data Debrief: City can’t handle Kulu

Tottenham had suffered elimination from their previous three EFL Cup ties against fellow Premier League opposition – against Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Fulham in the past three seasons – but they showed great resolve to overcome City.

Werner and Sarr scored the goals that sent Spurs through, both of those assisted by Kulusevski in a different manner. The Sweden international created four chances in total, which was double the number of any other home player.

Man City may have scored for the first time in four away games in the EFL Cup, but this marks their third successive away loss in the competition for the first time since August 1997.