Tottenham stun Man City

London. — Harry Kane becomes Spurs’ all-time leading scorer with a well-taken winner to go past Jimmy Greaves, as visitors fail 1-0 to capitalise on Arsenal’s shock defeat at Everton

It was not the cleanest strike of Harry Kane’s career. You could even call it slightly scruffy if you like. A right foot shot delivered slightly on the top of the ball, causing it to spin across and beyond the right hand of Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson and in to the far corner.

But it was goal number 267 for Kane in a Tottenham shirt. That took Kane one ahead of the late Jimmy Greaves as the club’s record scorer and was one of two things that will have really mattered to the England captain. The other is that Tottenham won this game.

To go past Greaves is some achievement for Kane. As he spoke on the field at full-time, he called it ‘surreal’. But anybody who has seen his Tottenham career progress over the last six or seven years sensed this moment was coming from some time out. Certainly none will begrudge him. Few footballers score goals with such natural calm as Kane does. If he stays beyond the duration of a contract that expires in the summer of 2024 he will surely score many, many more.

Spurs had been under a little pressure in the opening quarter of an hour here but when Manchester City lost possession on the edge of their own penalty area in the 16th minute they were in trouble. Once the ball had been moved to Kane, what happened next was something of a formality.

That City did not find a way back in to the game was surprising. They had plenty of time to do it. But these are strange times for Pep Guardiola and his team and the fact City have not managed to capitalise on Arsenal’s defeat at Everton yesterday will hit like a hammer blow.

With Phil Foden unwell and Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan starting this game on the bench, City were not short of possession but they were lacking bite. Erling Haaland had a difficult day up front and did not have a single meaningful attempt on goal. Riyad Mahrez did hit the bar just before half-time but City created almost nothing in the second period. At the end Guardiola was a picture of seething frustration which perhaps nobody would have predicted as Tottenham were not in the game until the scored. Their opponents dominated possession for almost fifteen minutes, moving the ball patiently and accurately in between and around the white shirts. There was a free header at the far post for Nathan Ake following a corner while Julian Alvarez — playing just behind Haaland — delivered a low volley from the edge of the area that may have caused Hugo Lloris a problem had a Tottenham leg not got in the way.

There was no early siege from City but there was pressure. A cross from Kyle Walker had to be headed away acrobatically and bravely by Emerson Royal and it felt like only a matter of time before the defending champions created something more clear cut and productive.

But then City attempted to play one pass too many inside their own half and Tottenham pounced to provide Kane with his career-defining moment. It was a short pass by Manuel Akanji towards young City left-back Rico Lewis that caused the problem. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg read it and anticipated it and when he stole the ball 20 yards out he was strong enough to hold off two challenges to slip the ball to Kane. The England captain always looked likely to score from here. Of course he did. He was on his right foot with enough space in which to move. The shot was not struck cleanly but that didn’t matter.

If anything it may have helped beat City goalkeeper Ederson as the ball was struck rather in to the turf and spun beyond the Brazilian and in to the far corner of the net.

Meanwhile Brennan Johnson nets fine winner as Steve Cooper’s side continue their good form, with the visitors looking over their shoulders having failed to put away their chances again.

When Nottingham Forest can thank a triple European Cup-winner for guiding them to victory on his debut, you know something special is brewing again on the banks of the River Trent. They still like to talk about club football’s greatest prize here, after winning it under Brian Clough in 1979 and 1980.

Keylor Navas lifted the trophy three times during his spell with Real Madrid and his loan move from Paris St Germain in January looks inspired business. At 36 years and 52 days, he was the oldest goalkeeper to make a Premier League debut since Andy Goram for Manchester United in 2001.

After Leeds spent about £37million on Georginio Rutter, Max Wober and Weston McKennie last month, Marsch said he had never felt so supported in his career.

With Leeds above the relegation zone on goal difference alone after winning only two of their last 17 in the league, how long can that position hold?

Yes, Leeds are without top scorer Rodrigo for two months and did not have the rub of the green here. Replays suggested there was an offside in the build-up to the winner and nothing went right for them in front of goal. Eventually, however, hard luck stories wear thin. After spending £130million in the last two windows, the Leeds hierarchy have to ask themselves some tough questions.

To attribute this dreadful run solely to ill fortune would be naive. Leeds have the tools but keep making silly mistakes. Managers can blame players all they like for such errors yet in the end, they pay the price.

‘Forest altered their tactics a few times as they were having trouble dealing with us,’ said Marsch. ‘In the second half they defended deep and were difficult to break down. We did not have the right connections in the second half.

‘We wanted more rotation and dynamic movement to get behind their back line. In the first half they found it difficult to get out of their own half. We should have won this match but right now we are finding ways to lose and that’s difficult to swallow.’

Typically agitated on the touchline, Marsch would do well to look at the opposite dugout for inspiration. In the early weeks of the season, Forest’s new-look side were so weak defensively — conceding 21 in their opening eight games — that they looked certain to make a quick return to the Championship.

Instead of simply hoping for the best, boss Steve Cooper ditched the three-man defence that was the bedrock of their promotion campaign and introduced a back four. The improvement since then has been huge.

Again here, Cooper showed the value of quick thinking. He started with a midfield diamond and his side were overrun before the break, with only Navas keeping them ahead.

At the start of the second half, Cooper made two substitutions, putting Serge Aurier on the dangerous Wilfried Gnonto, as Neco Williams had struggled against the Italian. He also presented a 4-4-1-1 system that gave his full-backs far greater protection. — Dailymailsport.