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Second half goals from new signing Steven Bergwijn and Heung-Min Son, which followed a Oleksandr Zinchenko red card, secured a vital win for Tottenham over Manchester City.
Tottenham’s new signing Bergwijn featured for the first time and endeared himself to fans early on by winning the ball off former Spur Kyle Walker.
However this was to be a half in which Tottenham failed to muster a shot of any kind as Jose Mourinho’s team looked to contain the champions.
City’s methodical build-up created several chances for first Kevin De Bruyne and then Sergio Aguero.
The latter had a fantastic chance when Davinson Sanchez’s pass was intercepted and Riyad Mahrez rolled the Argentine through but the legs of Hugo Lloris diverted the ball onto the post.
Next came the talking point of the first half. Serge Aurier’s tackle on Aguero inside the area was initially waved away in typically emphatic fashion by Mike Dean, who ran away signalling the Ivorian has won the ball.
Phase after phase of play followed before the referee finally consulted VAR, awarding a penalty to the visitors.
The usually reliable Ilkay Gundogan stepped up but saw his effort saved by Lloris in the Tottenham net as the Frenchman repeated his heroics from when the Citizens last visited Spurs in the Champions League quarter-final last April.
Appeals for another spot-kick followed after the save as Raheem Sterling fell from a Lloris challenge as chaos erupted, both sets of players having an opinion on the decision.
Eventually tensions simmered with no penalty given and Tottenham having survived another guilt-edged chance for City.
The VAR controversy lifted the home crowd inside the N17 venue as Spurs hung onto parity going into the break, despite a great chance for Aguero during the lengthy added time period.
Heung-Min Son’s run hoped to set a higher tempo to Spurs’ attacking intent but still no shot arrived.
Then came a big Manchester City opportunity for the opener.
A quick free-kick from Pep Guardiola’s men resulted in Sterling racing through. A mixture of Japhet Tanganga and Lloris kept the ball out before another attempt was blocked on the line by Toby Alderweireld.
The ball fell back to Sterling who squared to Gundogan, the German’s outstretched effort flying over as Tottenham fans breathed a huge sigh of relief.
With around an hour played, a short City corner was intercepted by Harry Winks. The midfielder, playing on the day of his 24th birthday, drove past the already carded Oleksandr Zinchenko.
No VAR was needed this time as Dean brandished the Ukrainian his second yellow card as City fell down to ten men.
The dismissal of the defender gave Spurs’ crowd and players a much needed lift and they looked to seize the opportunity given to them.
And seize it they did. Just three minutes later, and still without a shot in the game, Spurs were awarded a corner.
After being initially cleared by City, Lucas Moura floated the ball back in. Finding the chest of new boy Bergwijn, the Dutchman took one touch with his chest before firing home a volley to send the roof off the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Guardiola’s City looked to regroup and go again, their dominance in possession and wasted chances now seemingly haunting them.
Bergwijn departed to a rousing reception as he was replaced by summer signing Tanguy Ndombele who wasted no time in making a meaningful impact for Jose’s Lilywhites.
Driving forward in his unorthodox stance, twisting in and out of oncoming defenders, the Frenchman lifted the ball into the feet of Son, who had taken up space on the edge of City’s box.
With Spurs’ second shot of the game, the South Korean shot low to Ederson’s left to find the corner and doubled the home sides advantage.
The rigid formation was then put in place once again, Tottenham happy to allow the Citizens possession of the ball as late drama looked to be avoided.
De Bruyne’s late effort had to be tipped over by Lloris as City continued to press but as had been evidenced from the first half, Guardiola’s team lacked their usual clinical edge.
Substitute Gabriel Jesus saw a header held by the dependable Lloris, Son completing Spurs’ shot tally with a curling effort into the hands of Ederson at the other end.
Eventually five minutes were up and time had run out for City as Jose Mourinho claimed his first win over a ‘top-six’ opponent since his appointment as Spurs boss.
The win will be even sweeter in that rivals around the north London club dropped points this week as they rise to fifth, four points off Chelsea in the final Champions League place.
For City, the result takes the challenge of retaining their Premier League crown even further away with Liverpool 22 points clear and almost at the finish line.
Tottenham XI: Lloris (C), Aurier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Tanganga, Winks, Lo Celso, Dele (Ndombele, 70), Bergwijn (Lamela, 70), Son, Lucas (Dier, 84)
Tottenham unused substitutes: Gazzaniga, Vertonghen, Gedson, Sessegnon
Manchester City XI: Ederson, Walker, Otamendi, Fernandinho (C), Zinchenko (Red Card, 60), Rodrigo, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Mahrez (Jesus, 72), Sterling (B Silva, 84), Aguero (Cancelo, 64)
Manchester City unused substitutes: Bravo, Garcia, Foden, D Silva
