Alan Shearer says three Tottenham players were ‘absolutely outstanding’ vs Man City
Tottenham continued their winning streak in the Premier League with an impressive victory against Manchester City.
Thomas Frank became head coach at Tottenham specifically to improve their dreadful Premier League record. It now seems that he was the right man for the job.
After a 3-0 win against Burnley, there were worries about whether Spurs would be able to build upon this momentum against Manchester City.
But a devastating 2-0 victory for Tottenham against Man City at the Ethiad later proved all the doubters wrong.
Alan Shearer prasises Tottenham’s midfield trio
Pape Matar Sarr was the Man of the Match against Man City for his relentless performance from beginning to end.
Whether in the press, the build-up or in front of goal, Sarr was an absolute powerhouse in every sense of the word.
Meanwhile, Joao Palhinha netted his first for Spurs in an effort which stunned spectators. Along with Rodrigo Bentancur, the two formed a formidable partnership which was able to placate Man City’s advances.
Alan Shearer has praised Frank more than enough this month. But Spurs’ midfielder trio stole the show for him on Saturday.
Speaking on The Rest is Football Podcast on Monday, 25 August, he said: “I thought the midfield three of Sarr, Bentancur and Palhinha were absolutely outstanding.
“The way they got wired in, the way they protected, the way they played, creativity. Palhinha got his goal. They, I mean, after what we’d said about City and their midfield and Reijnders the week before, how good he was in the debut for City in the league and then for him to be bossed by those three yesterday at home.
“Spurs were impressive, man. They really were. Thomas Frank, what a great start he’s had, isn’t he?”
How did Tottenham’s trio decimate Man City?
It was more or less a tactical masterclass from Frank.
Despite having more possession, Pep Guardiola’s side was unable to attack with purpose.
Man City took a total of 10 shots, four of which were on target and created two big chances. Meanwhile, the Lilywhites took 12 shots, five of which were on target, created three big chances and failed to convert just one.
| Manchester City | Statistics | Tottenham |
| 61% | Possession | 39% |
| 1.55 | Expected goals (xG) | 1.11 |
| 10 | Total Shots | 12 |
| 4 | Shots on Target | 5 |
| 2 | Big Chances | 3 |
| 2 | Big chances missed | 1 |
Frank’s high press was a huge factor in creating opportunities for his side. Pahlinha’s goals derived from Sarr pressing James Trafford, who is weaker on the ball than Ederson.
Meanwhile, Pahlinha and Bentancur formed a double defensive pivot to shield Spurs from City’s advances to give Sarr a freer role in the midfield. This allowed the Senegalese midfielder to exploit the pockets of space left by the opposition to help create meaningful attacks.
While each player had their role on the pitch, Frank’s midfield trio seems to be the key to unlocking Spurs’ true potential.
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