ESPN pundit explains Manchester City’s European defeat at Tottenham
ESPN pundit Alejandro Moreno believes Manchester City were playing with the hangover from last season’s Champions League quarter final against Liverpool and this contributed to the disappointing result at Tottenham Hotspur. The Citizens had gone into the first leg of the Champions League tie with the aim of securing an advantage, but they could not do so with Spurs eventually sealing a 1-0 triumph at their new stadium.
Speaking after the game, Moreno said that the Citizens were probably fearful after the disappointing defeats to Liverpool at a similar stage last season, and Guardiola may have approached the game with the aim of avoiding a sizeable defeat on the road, he said: “It felt like Manchester City were playing with the hangover of last year’s Champions League result against Liverpool in the back of their heads. They had that in the back of their mind and the way Guardiola approached the match was just to say ‘okay, we’ll take a draw here, or even a 1-0 loss, we just don’t want too much work in the second leg’. In doing so, you start to play more to not lose rather than to win.”
“The Citizens had the early chance to open the scoresheet through the penalty spot with Sergio Aguero“ but the Argentine squandered the opportunity to do so. Thereafter, the tie appeared balanced with Guardiola’s side controlling the game until the 78th minute where Heung-min Son scored with “a stellar solo effort“ for Spurs.
As such, the Mancunian giants must find the scoresheet during the second leg of the Champions League quarter final at the Etihad Stadium, but their task could become stiffer, should Spurs find an away goal. The Premier League holders would require a minimum of three goals to progress, should Spurs find the neton Tuesday night.