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Tottenham Hotspur beat Manchester City: Five things we learned

Kane's ankle worry a concern for Spurs as the visitors' quadruple bid gets a knock.

Tottenham beat Manchester City 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

Here, Press Association Sport looks at five things learned from the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Quadruple on the line

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City – UEFA Champions League – Quarter Final – First Leg – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino got his tactics right (Adam Davy/PA)

Liverpool showed last season that the best way to beat City is to take them on at their own game by pressing high and looking to break with pace. The problem with that blueprint, however, is teams have to be very good to pull it off. City are good enough to adapt their game and pick off any weaknesses. Spurs have suffered in the past but, on this occasion, they proved they were up to the challenge. Doubtless feeding off the energy of the fans in their new stadium, they really worried their opponents and grabbed a deserved winner to give themselves a fighting chance of going through. City's quadruple hopes, although far from over, are on the line.

Kane worry

Britain Soccer Champions League
Harry Kane is an injury concern for Tottenham (Frank Augstein/AP)

Tottenham will be very concerned about the fitness of Harry Kane after their talisman suffered what looked like another ankle injury in the second half and was carried straight down the tunnel. The England captain has already endured one month-long lay-off for ligament damage in 2019 and there will be fears he could miss the second leg and other vital matches in the run-in.

Handball rule confusion

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City – UEFA Champions League – Quarter Final – First Leg – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Referee Bjorn Kuipers consulted VAR before awarding Manchester City's penalty (Adam Davy/PA)

Mauricio Pochettino is no fan of VAR and the early penalty incident involving Danny Rose will hardly have changed his mind. City showed not the slightest inclination in appealing for what seemed an obvious case of ball to hand against the Spurs left-back. However, referee Bjorn Kuipers was advised to review the incident and – under UEFA's strict interpretation of handball – was obliged to award the spot-kick. The controversy was not the role of Kuipers but why the VAR thought he had made a "clear and obvious error" and the way UEFA is applying the handball law.

Backing for Rose

Britain Soccer Champions League
Danny Rose, right, had a challenging night – but it ended in victory (Frank Augstein/PA)

Rose has had a difficult few weeks in the spotlight after being racially abused while on England duty in Montenegro. So frustrated by how authorities are dealing with that issue, he said last week he "can't wait to see the back" of the game. Spurs supporters certainly got behind their man, with loud chants for him early in the game. Proud Lilywhites, the Spurs LGBT+ supporters association, also unveiled a banner in support of him.

Victory tainted

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City – UEFA Champions League – Quarter Final – First Leg – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium pitch invader approached Manchester City's Fabian Delph (Adam Davy/PA)

If there was anything that could take the gloss off another fine night for Spurs in their new home, it was the supporter who got onto the field in the latter stages. He did not approach any players – it was Fabian Delph who moved towards him – but it was a concerning security breach.

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Ilkay Gundogan in action during the FA Cup third-round game between Manchester City and Rotherham United on January 6, 2019
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool33257175205582
2Manchester CityMan City32262483216280
3Tottenham HotspurSpurs332211064343067
4Chelsea33206757342366
5Manchester UnitedMan Utd33197762431964
6Arsenal32196765402563
7Leicester CityLeicester34145154645147
8Wolverhampton WanderersWolves33138124142-147
9Everton34137144644246
10Watford32137124747046
11West Ham UnitedWest Ham34126164151-1042
12Bournemouth34125174961-1241
13Crystal Palace33116163943-439
14Burnley34116174260-1839
15Newcastle UnitedNewcastle34108163243-1138
16Southampton3399153954-1536
17Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton3296173251-1933
18Cardiff CityCardiff3384212863-3528
RFulham3455243276-4420
RHuddersfield TownHuddersfield3435261967-4814

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