Cup exit for City at Tottenham

Goals from Timo Werner and Pape Matar Sarr put the hosts in control in this Round Four encounter in the capital.

Matheus Nunes produced a fine finish in first half stoppage time, raising hopes of a comeback by Pep Guardiola’s Blues but we couldn’t find a leveller in the second period to force penalties.

Despite the disappointment of defeat, there was a proud moment for Youth Cup-winning captain Jahmai Simpson-Pusey who came on for his senior debut, joining fellow graduates Nico O’Reilly, James McAtee, Rico Lewis and Jacob Wright on the pitch in the second half.

Focus will now turn rapidly to the Premier League as we hit the road again to face Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday. 

WHAT HAPPENED

In terms of omens, an injury to Manuel Akanji in the warm-up perhaps set the scene for this Carabao Cup Round Four defeat at Tottenham.

He was replaced by Ruben Dias in the starting XI but even our captain for the evening could do little to stop a strong scoring start for the hosts in the opening period.

City may have enjoyed the lion’s share of the possession here in the capital in that first 45 minutes but it was Tottenham who took their chances when they came.

Akanji’s injury ahead of kick-off was frustrating, especially at a time when Pep Guardiola has several stars in the treatment room already.

And the evening got worse when Timo Werner gave the hosts the lead on six minutes - finishing confidently at the back post as he got to a pinpoint Dejan Kulusevski cross ahead of Rico Lewis.

Pape Matar Sarr doubled Tottenham’s advantage on 25 minutes as the Senegalese midfielder met a Kulusevski cutback before unleashing a 20-yard effort that flew past Stefan Ortega Moreno.

Ilkay Gundogan tried to reduce arrears just past the half hour mark but his fizzing free-kick from the left channel didn’t dip enough to trouble Guglielmo Vicario in the Tottenham goal.

Savinho showed his pace and grace on the left wing and played in a delicious ball that looked destined to find the foot of an onrushing Phil Foden but it sadly slipped past the England forward and away from danger.

The Brazilian’s curling strike from the right channel flew past Vicario’s post on 39 minutes as his effort raised anxiety levels for the hosts.

Those stress charts moved up another notch when Foden waited menacingly over a free-kick from outside the box just before the break but when it came time to strike, his chipped effort was too high to reduce the arrears.

The first step on a hoped-for road to recovery came in the final minute of added time in that first half as Matheus Nunes finished wonderfully from a classy cutback into the box by the lively Savinho.

There were changes for the visitors at the break as Dias and Gundogan were replaced by Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic, with boss Guardiola looking to make an impact from the bench.

Tottenham came strongly out of the blocks again though, like they did in the first period, and Ortega Moreno had to be at his alert best to dive and keep out a powerful Brennan Johnson drive from the right channel.

The home fans held their collective breaths as scorer Werner raced through on goal looking for his second of the night but after what seemed like an eternity, the 28-year-old German hammered his effort over the bar on 51 minutes.

Moments later, Kulusevski thought he’d scored when his angled stroke towards the far corner looked destined for the net but, again, Ortega Moreno showed his suppleness to claw it away.

There was another change for the visitors just before the hour mark as Bernardo entered the action in place of Foden.

And then agonisingly seconds later, Savinho fell to the floor in some discomfort, the silky-smooth winger eventually stretchered off and replaced by Jacob Wright after a period of treatment. 

Wright came so close to levelling matters on 69 minutes when he sent a curling effort goalward but the fine effort just went past Vicario’s post.

The midfielder was joined on the pitch by Youth Cup-winning captain Jahmai Simpson-Pusey for his senior debut on 73 minutes as Guardiola again showed he’s not afraid of blooding young talent from our flourishing Academy.

Tottenham could - and probably should have - extended their advantage on 83 minutes but Ortega Moreno denied Richarlison after a wayward throw-in from Gvardiol found the Brazilian forward one-on-one with the keeper.

Vicario was in no-man’s-land on 88 minutes as he failed to punch clear a corner and O’Reilly hammered goalwards only to see Yves Bissouma clear the effort off the line.

The fourth official held up the board to indicate six minutes of added time, much to the consternation of the home fans, but City couldn’t quite find that all-important equaliser, Wright going closest with a shot from outside the box which flew wide.

TEAM NEWS

TOTTENHAM XI: Vicario, Gray, Romero (C) (Davies 52’), Dragusin, van de Ven (Udogie 14’), Bentancur, Sarr (Bissouma 46’), Kulusevski, Johnson (Moore 88’), Solanke, Werner (Richarlison 69’)

Subs: Forster, Pedro Porro, Bergvall, Maddison

CITY XI: Ortega Moreno, Lewis, Stones, Dias (C) (Gvardiol 46’), Ake (Simpson-Pusey 74’), Gundogan (Kovacic 46’), McAtee, O’Reilly, Savinho (Wright 62’), Nunes, Foden (Bernardo 58’)

Subs: Ederson, Haaland, Alfa Ruprecht

MANAGER REACTION

“It was a good game,” said Guardiola.

“It was really tough in the transitions, but we played really, really good. But their first action, they scored.

“In general we played really good and I’m so proud. I really like the way we play.

“I don’t like to lose but I like to see the way we played with courage and the way we behave - I like it.” 

O’REILLY REACTION

“It’s never nice losing,” he said.

“I thought we played well and for the majority of the game we were the better team in my opinion.

“We were getting chance after chance and couldn’t take it but that’s for us to go back to the training pitch and next time hopefully it’ll go in.”

WHAT IT MEANS

City’s involvement in the 2024/25 Carabao Cup is over as we now look to the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and FA Cup.

We may have exited this competition but the schedule is still jam-packed with a tough away game at Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday followed by a midweek UCL encounter in Lisbon against Sporting on Tuesday. 

WHAT NEXT

It’s back to Premier League action now for Pep Guardiola’s Blues.

City head to Bournemouth on Saturday for a 15:00 (UK) kick-off at the Vitality Stadium.

Next Fixture

All fixtures

Thu 26 Dec

Premier League

Man City

12:30

GMT

Everton

Last time out there, Phil Foden‘s first-half strike proved enough to give City a hard-fought 1-0 win on our way to a history-making fourth Premier League title in a row.