Manchester City: No Wembley woes for blues

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LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 14: Lucas Moura of Tottenham Hotspur is fouled by Nicolas Otamendi of Manchester City, David Silva of Manchester City, Vincent Kompany of Manchester City and Aymeric Laporte of Manchester City as Christian Eriksen of Tottenham Hotspur looks on during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on April 14, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /

Pep Going ‘Defensive’ Equals More ‘Offensive’:

With the score finely balanced at 2-1 and Spurs getting a foot-hold, Pep had to make a decision. Initially looking a defensive move, he brought off a speedy winger for a central defender. However, what that allowed City to do was play with a back three, and pushing the wing backs further up.

This pushed Trippier and Sanchez back, while Raheem Sterling moved across to almost a second striker. It kept the width City benefit from, along with the congestion of the midfield. When the third goal went in, you couldn’t see a way back for Spurs.

Harry Kane was quiet, and Spurs were limited to just three shots on target, despite enjoying 48% of possession. Maybe at that point, Spurs had their minds on the FA Cup Semi Final.

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