“Goaldogan strikes again!” – Player ratings as Gundogan scores twice to help Man City smash Spurs in sixteenth straight win
In a one-sided night of football, Manchester City tore Spurs to pieces at the Etihad to win 16 games in a row.
This was meant to be the start of a more difficult run of games for Pep Guardiola’s men but they made light work of José Mourinho’s embattled Spurs side, dominating the game from first minute to last and scoring three times to extend their lead atop the table.
Here’s how the players rated at the Etihad Stadium:
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Manchester City
Ederson – 8 – Had precious little to do defensively but was a good passer all night, particularly when he scorched a long range pass over the Spurs side and set Ilkay Gundogan clean through. Could have had a goal too if City had allowed him to take the penalty!
Joao Cancelo – 8 – Shut down Spurs incursions down his flank while also creating danger in attack. Looks a player transformed and surely the best full-back in the league right now.
John Stones – 7 – Rock solid.
Aymeric Laporte – 7 – Looked good at the back, giving City genuine options given Ruben Dias.
Premier League assists since the start of 2018:
🔵 Ederson
2 assists
110 games played🔴 Gini Wijnaldum
1 assist
111 games played pic.twitter.com/nXes4RApVG— Squawka (@Squawka) February 13, 2021
Oleksandr Zinchenko – 7 – Repeatedly involved in attacks as a passing option, making himself the third point of many triangles, allowing moves to flow.
Rodrigo – 8 – Controlled the game from the base of midfield and scored the opening goal from the penalty spot (albeit it was far from a clean strike and he was lucky that Hugo Lloris was playing so poorly.
Ilkay Gundogan – 9 – Continued his excellent form of late by bursting into the box on more than one occasion. Won City’s penalty with a tricky bit of skill. A controlling midfielder, Gundogan has developed a superb habit of scoring goals. Notched twice today, the first a vicious low shot that punished Hugo Lloris’ weak wrists and the second a wonderful run into the Spurs half before turning Davinson Sánchez inside out and lashing the ball low beyond Lloris, giving City a three goal lead. 11 goals scored this season, Ilkay Goaldogan strikes again!
İlkay Gündoğan's game by numbers vs. Spurs:
87% passing accuracy
60 touches
7 touches inside opp. box
4 shots
2 shots on target
2 goals
2 fouls won
1 penalty wonAnother finishing masterclass. pic.twitter.com/nSRibj0pEY
— Squawka (@Squawka) February 13, 2021
Bernardo Silva – 7 – Knitted everything together in midfield, allowing his team-mates in attack to thrive.
Phil Foden – 6 – Not quite as electric as he has been lately.
Raheem Sterling – 8 – Tormented the Spurs full-backs time and time again with his speed and skill. Gorgeously deft assist for Gundogan’s first goal of the game as he waltzed through the City defence, bided his time and then found the perfect pass.
Gabriel Jesus – 6 – Led the line well, making selfless runs to take defenders out of the way.
Substitutes:
Ferran Torres (for Gundogan 69′) – 6 – A couple of bright runs.
Riyad Mahrez (for Jesus 79′) – n/a – Came on late.
Spurs
Hugo Lloris – 3 – Another miserable performance from the Spurs skipper. Weak-wristed in his attempts to save Rodri’s penalty and Ilkay Gundogan’s first goal. Was easily wrong-footed for City’s third too. He has a long history of excellence but looks miles off his usual level.
Japhet Tanganga – 4 – Worked hard to deny City space but their first two goals came down his flank.
Davinson Sanchez – 3 – Powerless for the penalty but completely failed to handle Ilkay Gundogan’s movement on the German’s two goals. At least for the first he remained vertical, the second he lost the flight of the ball, couldn’t get his bearings and then fell flat on his face after a rudimentary change of direction from the German.
Eric Dier – 5 – Stopped City from penetrating down the middle of the defence.
Ben Davies – 6 – Defended his flank reasonably well.
Jose Mourinho has suffered his heaviest Premier League defeat as Spurs manager.
They've lost four of their last five PL games. pic.twitter.com/k7CkjIYc3o
— Squawka (@Squawka) February 13, 2021
Tanguy Ndombele – 5 – Lost in a deeper role for the first-half. Played no. 10 in the second period and looked brighter but was still replaced.
Pierre Emile Hojbjerg – 3 – Worked hard as always but was culpable for City’s first two goals. First he conceded the penalty with a sloppy foul and then he gave up tracking Ilkay Gundogan’s run, allowing the German to score. When Mourinho’s avatar on the field was the one most responsible for handing Spurs’ opponent their opening goals you can only find it deeply amusing as the defeat becomes an even bigger repudiation of the Portuguese coach and his philosophy on the field.
Erik Lamelka – 4 – Ran hard. Little else.
Lucas Moura – 5 – Completely and utterly ineffective as a counter-attacking or counter-pressing force. Hooked at half-time.
Heung-min Son – 6 – A relentless defensive performance, but offered nothing in attack.
Harry Kane – 5 – Rattled a free-kick off the cross-bar but in general was isolated.
Substitutes:
Moussa Sissoko (for Lucas 46′) – X – Allowed Ndombele to run get involved further up the field.
Dele Alli (for Ndombele 64′) – X – 0
Gareth Bale (for Lamela 72′) – X – Great footwork and a nice shot.
