A 4-0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium was not a result many Tottenham Hotspur fans or pundits saw coming, but Ange Postecoglou has underlined just how significant this moment could be for his team’s progress.
The context behind the Spurs stunning 4-0 win against City
Heading into the clash against Manchester City, few Tottenham fans could have envisioned a 4-0 triumph over the reigning Premier League champions. Facing a side of City’s calibre, particularly at the Etihad Stadium, where they had not lost a league match in over two years, felt like an insurmountable task.
Spurs themselves were hardly in scintillating form, entering the match sitting 10th in the Premier League table after a string of inconsistent results.
Their record of five wins, five losses, and a draw from 11 games left little hope among fans, especially after a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Ipswich Town in their previous outing.
The inconsistency on display was a stark contrast to the resilience City was known for, even as Pep Guardiola’s men were reeling from a surprising four-match losing streak in all competitions.
With City keen to rebound from their poor run and Spurs struggling for rhythm, it seemed inevitable that the match would go one way. Even pundits had written Spurs off, expecting the hosts to punish a faltering Tottenham side.
But what unfolded on Saturday evening defied all expectations and has left Postecoglou’s men with much to build upon.
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Ange Postecoglou on Spurs’ emphatic victory
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game (19:50 – 23/11/24) Ange Postecoglou did not shy away from highlighting the significance of Spurs’ performance against a team of City’s pedigree. The Australian manager praised his players for their resolve and the style of football they delivered under challenging circumstances.
He said: “It’s significant when you understand the context of who we were playing. I’m proud of the lads, the football we played, the resilience and discipline we showed. When you play City they test every aspect of your game and we handled that well.
“It was an important game for us, the way the boys reacted [to defeat to Ipswich]. It’s easy when you’re under pressure to splinter off but I never got the sense that would happen this week.
“The disappointing thing over the last few games is we’ve fallen well short of the kind of team we want to be. But I’ve no doubt we are on the right track.”
Spurs need consistency to turn moments into momentum
While the performance against Manchester City was nothing short of remarkable, it only adds to the enigma surrounding this Tottenham side.
This is a team capable of blowing away top sides with dominant victories, having already beaten Aston Villa 4-1 and Manchester United 3-0 earlier in the season. However, these flashes of brilliance have often been interspersed with underwhelming results against teams they should be beating comfortably.
Consistency has been Tottenham’s Achilles’ heel so far, with the defeat to Ipswich and similar results exposing their tendency to stumble in more routine fixtures.
If Spurs are to build on this statement win at the Etihad, Postecoglou must instil the same discipline and belief in his players for every game, not just against high-profile opponents.