In the wake of Tottenham Hotspur's sensational 4-0 dismantling of Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, the focus has largely been on the implications of this defeat for Pep Guardiola. Yet, the true mastermind behind this display—Ange Postecoglou—has certainly not gone unnoticed.
Manchester City finds themselves in upheaval, reeling from five straight losses across various competitions. This defeat marks a significant low for the club, being their first home loss since Brentford triumphed 2-1 in 2022.
Not only did City lose, but they were completely outplayed.
This result equaled the heaviest defeat of Guardiola’s coaching career, conjuring memories of a grim bygone era for City fans—before the influx of investment shaped them into a dominant force.
The orchestrator of this triumph? An Australian who has been right under their noses all along.
Earlier this season, Postecoglou led Spurs to a 3-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford, further underlining his tactical prowess.
Fans were treated to a performance that echoed the vibrant atmosphere of Melbourne in the Northern Quarter, where the mix of coffee shops, bars, and graffiti art seems to ignite Postecoglou’s spirit. However, it was his tenure at Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan—the club he guided to the J League title in 2019—that laid the foundation for this triumph in a footballing mecca like Manchester.
Thanks to his affiliation with the City Football Group, Postecoglou has garnered invaluable insights into Manchester City’s tactical play. Few Premier League managers boast such understanding, a fact that was clearly reflected in his strategic preparations for what may prove to be the pinnacle of his managerial journey.
Before the international break, Tottenham suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat to relegation-threatened Ipswich Town—the worst result of Postecoglou’s 50 Premier League matches to date. The fans' discontent was palpable as boos echoed around the stadium, intensifying the pressure on the Australian manager.
However, Saturday’s stunning performance swiftly silenced the critics.
Postecoglou’s relationship with Spurs supporters has been a tumultuous rollercoaster, and the elation following this victory is amplified knowing that some fans had, in the past, hoped for a defeat against City to help derailing Arsenal’s title bid during their last league clash, which ended in a 2-0 loss.
Contrast this with the exhilarating performance where Postecoglou's tactical tweak of reintegrating James Maddison into the starting eleven—replacing the suspended Rodrigo Bentancur—proved to be crucial.
As Alex Keble from PremierLeague.com pointed out, "Nobody showcased the disparity between the teams more than Maddison, who was sensational on his return to first-team action—impacting play in various phases." The dynamic midfielder not only challenged City’s defense with his deep runs but contributed to the opening goal from a perfectly executed cross by Dejan Kulusevski.
Postecoglou’s Spurs demonstrated their attacking ambition as they seamlessly navigated through midfield, with Maddison’s menacing runs wreaking havoc on City’s backline.
“Choosing Maddison—known for his offensive threat—was a brave gamble from Postecoglou, yet it paid dividends instantly and repeatedly,” Keble noted.
After taking the lead, with City having started strongly, Tottenham weathered the storm as the hosts began to fade, and Maddison took control, orchestrating play from deep positions. His pinpoint passing was instrumental, causing City to falter under pressure, leading to a second goal for Maddison as he continued to exploit space.
With 64 touches and 45 passes under his belt, Maddison dictated the tempo, leaving Man City chasing shadows as they struggled to regain their footing.
His interplay with Yves Bissouma, Pape Sarr, and striker Dominic Solanke further dismantled the City midfield duo of Gundogan and Bernardo Silva.
This approach, while effective, is synonymous with Postecoglou’s style, but the real development was how Spurs maintained their composure and defensive discipline, even without first-choice centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.
After sealing their third goal, Spurs demonstrated a tactical shift, holding just 30% possession yet registering four shots against City’s 13. They displayed a compact 4-5-1 formation, effectively stifling City’s midfield and impressively counter-attacking to net a fourth.
For this, Postecoglou deserves considerable accolades. His side has faced scrutiny for their inability to manage game scenarios in the past, but their matured performance against City has stamped a new identity on the group.
Pundits and former players alike were buoyed by what they witnessed. Ex-Spurs midfielder and manager Tim Sherwood seized the moment to call out those fans who contemplated Postecoglou’s dismissal during the international break. Meanwhile, two-time FA Cup winner with Spurs, Graham Roberts, shared his delight on social media about the direction Postecoglou is leading the team.
"I had to bite my tongue after the Ipswich defeat, but as I’ve reiterated, we must stay loyal to this manager; he’s simply magnificent! You can genuinely see what he’s attempting to create here. A top top manager," Roberts exclaimed.
Currently, Tottenham occupies sixth place in the Premier League, trailing third-placed Chelsea by a mere three points. The club leads in goals scored, boasts the second-best goal difference (14), and is only surpassed in defensive records by Liverpool and Newcastle.
These statistics reflect their promising trajectory; however, an intense schedule looms ahead of Christmas that will serve as a true litmus test across all competitions.
In the league, Spurs will face Chelsea and Liverpool in the coming weeks, alongside a quarter-final showdown in the Carabao Cup against Manchester United, and Europa League encounters against Roma and Rangers.
Postecoglou has a track record of clinching silverware in his second year in charge, and how his side fares in these pivotal matches could well determine if that pattern continues.
If he continues to steer the team as adeptly as he did against City, the much-discussed quest for Spurs to end their trophy drought may just become a reality.