MANCHESTER, England (AFP) - Manchester City got back to winning ways in thrilling style after coming from two goals down to beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-2 on Thursday, a victory that moved the champions to within five points of Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Looking to avoid a third successive defeat in all competitions, City were sluggish from the off and went into the break two goals behind after Dejan Kulusevski and Emerson Royal netted in quick succession at the end of the opening period.
Three goals in 12 second-half minutes, however, quickly turned the match on its head, as strikes from Julian Alvarez, Erling Haaland, the Norwegian’s first in four appearances in all competitions, and Riyad Mahrez put City in front.
The goal took Haaland’s league haul to 22 for the season - the most by a City player in a single league campaign under Pep Guardiola, with 19 league games still left to play.
With the visitors chasing an equalizer down the other end, Mahrez added a late fourth to keep City well in the title race, five behind Arsenal having played one game more than the Gunners, while Spurs stay fifth, five points off the top four.
City had lost 2-1 at Manchester United last time out and when they went into the break 2-0 down, it appeared that Guardiola’s men were heading for successive league defeats for the first time since December 2018 as well as their third loss in a row to Tottenham.
The hosts were relatively untroubled by Spurs before Ederson’s poor pass to Rodri fell to Kulusevski, who slotted home.