Spurs’ new stadium baptism ignites City’s bogey team era

For some reason, Tottenham Hotspur have become the kryptonite for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.

Their record since Spurs moved from Wembley back to the site of White Hart Lane has been abysmal, and it was a run which started less than a week after the Lilywhites returned home.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium opened in April 2019 with Spurs beating Crystal Palace 2-0 in the Premier League. It featured fireworks, light shows and the Go Compare Man singing.

But the true ‘opening night’ came in their Champions League quarter-final against Man City. Here’s a look back at that fateful evening in N17.

Listen to Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, as Scott Saunders hosts Graeme Bailey and Toby Cudworth to wrap up the January transfer window and discuss Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Marcel Sabitzer, Hakim Ziyech’s failed PSG move and more. If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!

The first Champions League game in Tottenham in eight years saw Spurs beat tournament favourites Manchester City 1-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final.

Tottenham’s two-and-a-half season European odyssey at Wembley is over and after returning to their spiritual Haringey home last week with a win against Crystal Palace, they managed to conquer the English champions on a memorable night back in north London.

The visitors nearly found a half-sight of goal inside the opening minute when Raheem Sterling found David Silva waiting in the left channel, but his instinctive shot could only find the side-netting.

Spurs’ first chance came when Danny Rose’s ball into midfield was flicked on by Dele Alli and into the path of the marauding Mousso Sissoko. He returned the favour with a cross for Dele, only for his acrobatic effort cleared the crossbar.

With only 12 minutes on the clock, Man City were awarded a penalty. Sterling cut inside from the left and had a shot blocked by Rose, but after a lengthy VAR check, the left-back was judged to have made the intervention with his arm.

However, Sergio Aguero was unable to take advantage and his spot-kick was well-saved by Hugo Lloris, who dived down to his left to keep out the Argentine.

The hosts then quickly had two penalty appeals dismissed when Harry Kane was brought down by Nicolas Otamendi and then Dele by Aymeric Laporte as the pressure inside the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium continued to ever increase.

Spurs went close midway through the first half when Dele…