Tottenham do Arsenal title favour as Kane goal sinks Pep Guardiola’s sorry Manchester City

Harry Kane scored the record-breaking only goal against Manchester City as Tottenham helped Arsenal maintain their Premier League title advantage.

Kane converted with typical ruthlessness after Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg pressured Rico Lewis into a mistake in the Manchester City penalty area after 15 minutes.

In the process, Kane became Tottenham’s all-time record scorer with 267 goals, finally overtaking Jimmy Greaves’ total, while racking up his 200th Premier League strike.

Manchester City had their chances thereafter but Tottenham also threatened and stood firm to secure a victory which lifts them to within a point of fourth-placed Newcastle.

The result also meant Arsenal went unpunished after their defeat to Everton on Saturday, keeping Manchester City five points behind the Gunners having played a game more.

Despite Antonio Conte recovering from surgery, he was involved in team selection and deadline-day signing Pedro Porro was only on the bench for Spurs with City surprisingly naming Kevin De Bruyne amongst the substitutes too.

The visitors had seen title rivals Arsenal drop points 24 hours earlier and signalled their intentions with Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez having shots blocked in the opening exchanges.

City were dominating possession but they soon felt the familiar feeling of trailing to Tottenham and it proved a record-breaking goal.

Eric Dier urged his teammates to press higher and Hojbjerg stole in ahead of Lewis outside the away penalty area before he passed into the path of Kane, who scuffed an effort beyond Ederson and into the corner.

It moved Kane past Greaves for Spurs goals and saw jubilant celebrations both on and off the pitch with the screens inside the stadium acknowledging his achievement before the forward waved to his family in the West Stand.

Bookings followed with Rodrigo Bentancur and Cristian Romero cautioned in quick succession, the latter for clattering into peripheral figure Erling Haaland.

Tottenham assistant Cristian Stellini was attempting to match the animated presence of the absent Conte on the touchline but saw his side enjoy a slice of luck before the break.

After Rodri and Jack Grealish had failed to find the net with curled efforts late in the half, Mahrez sent a stinging half-volley crashing against the crossbar from 12 yards that bounced away to safety to ensure Spurs were ahead at the break for the first time at home since October 12.

Ben Davies headed wide for the hosts at the start of the second period before Guardiola turned to De Bruyne with 57 minutes played.

De Bruyne’s first real involvement saw his short free-kick find Alvarez, who saw a low shot diverted over by Dier’s thigh.

It sparked a frantic spell with Romero blocking Manuel Akanji’s shot and seconds later Ivan Perisic’s cross agonisingly evaded the Argentina defender and Kane at the back post.

Kane was in the thick of the action minutes later, sending one effort wide before Ederson denied him after Tottenham’s record scorer had bulldozed his way past Kyle Walker and Akanji.

More drama was to follow with referee Andrew Madley showing Romero a second yellow card for a foul on Grealish before five minutes of stoppage time was added on.

Despite plenty of City possession, it was Tottenham who held firm to move within a point of the top four and do rivals Arsenal a favour in the title race.