Tottenham supporters taunted Pep Guardiola with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” as the Manchester City manager saw his team suffer a fifth consecutive loss.
The reigning Premier League champions began the weekend trailing league leaders Liverpool by five points, having lost four matches in a row before the international break.
However, their hopes of a strong comeback were shattered by an early brace from James Maddison. Pedro Porro added a third after half-time, and Brennan Johnson scored late to secure a memorable 4-0 victory for the visitors, propelling them into the top six.
Guardiola appeared frustrated on the sidelines as he watched his team fall further behind in the title race, with the travelling Spurs fans seizing the chance to add insult to injury with their cheeky chant. The result on Saturday evening tarnished what had been a positive week for Guardiola and City, who had earlier announced that the Catalan would extend his tenure at the club for another two years, taking him beyond a decade of service.
Guardiola and his squad are also pursuing a record-breaking fifth consecutive Premier League title. However, it seems history may elude them as they struggle without the influential Rodri, who showcased his Ballon d’Or trophy on the pitch before the match started.
Arsenal’s impressive 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest earlier in the day has also increased the pressure on Guardiola and his team, who had gone 52 home games without defeat prior to this.
Ex-Spurs stopper Paul Robinson wasn’t shy to voice his opinions post-match on BBC Sport, heaping praise and stating: “So many headlines today for both sides. That’s the best and most mature performance I have seen under Ange Postecoglou.”
He went on to commend the team dynamics: “They went in with a lead and second half they were very mature and defended like a unit. That was an excellent textbook away performance. We know Man City are not themselves at the moment, but it’s an incredible performance.”
Robinson also didn’t pull any punches about Man City, noting their struggles: “Man City didn’t have the answers today, they were knocking at the door, but they couldn’t find the answers. They are off-colour, Man City.”
