FULL TIME. Spurs topple Manchester City at the Etihad for a second season in a row. pic.twitter.com/0NWBEJhbe1
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) August 23, 2025
Pep's bogey team? 🫣
No team has defeated Pep Guardiola more often in all competitions than Liverpool … and now Spurs. pic.twitter.com/OL6zv7ArMz
— Premier League USA (@PLinUSA) August 23, 2025
Tottenham beat Manchester City 2-0 with first-half goals from Johnson and Palhinha, securing back-to-back wins and extending their dominance over Pep Guardiola’s side.
Tottenham Hotspur extended their remarkable record against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City with a 2-0 victory at the Etihad, moving top of the Premier League after two games. Spurs struck twice before half-time through Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha to hand City their first defeat in 12 matches.
The breakthrough came when Richarlison beat an unconvincing offside trap and squared for Johnson, whose goal was initially disallowed but reinstated after VAR review. City’s problems deepened in stoppage-time as goalkeeper James Trafford’s poor pass led to chaos in defence, with Palhinha firing home from close range.
City, who fielded their youngest starting XI in 15 years, struggled despite introducing Phil Foden, Rodri and Jeremy Doku from the bench. Erling Haaland missed a gilt-edged header, while Rodri and Foden were denied by goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and Micky van de Ven’s block.
For Spurs, the win marked back-to-back clean sheets under new manager Thomas Frank, a stark contrast to last season’s defensive frailties. “Given the way we controlled the game, we deserved the win,” Frank said post-match.
The result means Guardiola has now lost eight times to Spurs, more than against any other Premier League club.