Pep Guardiola picked a blend of experience and youth with a handful of changes to the starting line-up which included James McAtee and Nico O’Reilly ready to help fight for a place in the competition’s quarter-finals.
The hosts took the lead in the fifth minute through Timo Werner as the German met Dejan Kulusevski’s cross to the back post.
And City were then left with a lot of work to do after Pape Matar Sarr’s doubled Spurs’ lead, the midfielder placing his first-time finish into the bottom corner, just out of reach for Stefan Ortega Moreno.
City showed resolve and were rewarded with a late first-half goal through Matheus Nunes that meant it was all to play for after the break.