Manchester City were startled by a weakened Tottenham team on Sunday, as Dejan Kulusevski’s 90th-minute equaliser secured Spurs a dramatic 3-3 draw at the Etihad.
Despite facing the might of City and a rising injury crisis, Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou insisted on sticking to his system of relentless attacking play and won his reward.
Spurs captain Son Heung-min scored twice in the first ten minutes.
Phil Foden put City ahead before halftime, but Giovani Lo Celso equalised 20 minutes later.
Jack Grealish restored the home side’s lead, only for Kulusevski’s header to ensure City have now lost five of their previous eight league games.
The English and European champions have slipped to third place in the rankings, three points behind leaders Arsenal.
Tottenham moves up to fifth place with a point, ending a sequence of three consecutive defeats.
The visitors’ brave approach was rewarded right away.
Ederson was unable to stop Son from scoring his eighth goal versus City as he raced onto Kulusevski’s ball over the top.
The lead lasted only three minutes until Son equalised at the other end.
Erling Haaland flicked on Julian Alvarez’s free-kick, which bounced off the hapless Son into his own net.
Spurs started without a recognised center-back for the second game in a row, and they never seemed capable of limiting City going forward.
When Tottenham coughed up possession within their own box, Haaland strayed wide on what should have been a straightforward tap.
City should have been out of the game by halftime.
Before Alvarez hit the woodwork from outside the box, Jeremy Doku crashed off the inside of the post.
Haaland’s goal-scoring slump continued as he shot wide with another great opportunity.
Nonetheless, City produced a clinical move to go ahead on 31 minutes.
Doku found Alvarez inside the box, who squared for Foden to score.
To keep Tottenham in the game, Guglielmo Vicario was forced to produce a fantastic save from Bernardo Silva seconds into the second period.
However, City were guilty of sleeping on their laurels and giving Spurs’ ramshackle defence some breathing room.
Due to James Maddison’s injury, Lo Celso was given a rare start and blasted in off the post for his second goal in as many outings.
Tottenham’s insistence on playing out from the back appeared to have cost them 10 minutes from time.
Rodri robbed Yves Bissouma and found Haaland, who crossed for Grealish to score.
However, the drama was far from ended.
Kulusevski brilliantly timed his run to head in Brennan Johnson’s cross.
In stoppage time, City were enraged when referee Simon Hooper inexplicably stopped the game to award the home side a free-kick when Grealish was clear through on goal.
City’s punishment did not stop there, as yellow cards for Rodri and Grealish mean they will be sidelined for Wednesday’s trip to Aston Villa, who have won 13 consecutive Premier League home games.