Manchester City’s English Premier League title challenge on Sunday hit a fresh stumbling block as Dominic Solanke’s acrobatic strike salvaged a 2-2 draw for struggling Tottenham Hotspur, while Benjamin Sesko secured another thrilling 3-2 win for Manchester United over Fulham.
City were cruising toward what would have been another damaging defeat for Spurs boss Thomas Frank as they led 2-0 at halftime.
However, Solanke scored twice in the second half to leave Pep Guardiola’s men six points adrift of leaders Arsenal.
Photo: Reuters
City have won just one of their six league games in this year to allow the Gunners to move closer to a first title in 22 years.
“We haven’t had the consistency to win the games when others were able to do it,” Guardiola said.
Rayan Cherki fired the visitors into an early lead and was only denied a spectacular second by a brilliant Guglielmo Vicario save.
Antoine Semenyo did double City’s advantage before the break to spark uproar from the furious Spurs support at halftime.
However, Tottenham flipped the script in the second period to give Frank some breathing space.
Solanke’s absence for most of the season due to injury has played a major part in Spurs’ struggles.
The England international’s finish from close range halved the deficit before he produced a stunning moment of athleticism to hook the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma with a scorpion kick.
A third consecutive win since Michael Carrick took the reins at Old Trafford propelled United back into the top four at the expense of Chelsea and Liverpool.
A week on from a 3-2 win at Arsenal, it was another throwback to United’s glory days during Carrick’s playing career as they snatched victory in dramatic fashion after a Fulham fightback.
Goals from Casemiro and Matheus Cunha either side of halftime put United in command.
Just a second defeat in nine league games dealt a blow to Fulham’s own hopes of European football next season.
The visitors showed plenty of fight as Raul Jimenez’s penalty five minutes from time began a frantic finale before Kevin’s spectacular strike looked to have salvaged a point.
However, United went straight down the other end, and Sesko spun onto Bruno Fernandes’ pass before blasting into the top corner.
“It’s the best feeling I have to say,” Carrick said. “Some of the best moments I’ve been part of here. you can dissect performances and there are plusses and not, and then you get a moment of elation and excitement like that.”
To cap a fine day for Arsenal, third-placed Aston Villa were beaten 1-0 at home by 10-man Brentford to remain seven points off the top.
Kevin Schade was sent off for kicking out at Matty Cash on 42 minutes.
However, in first-half stoppage time, the Bees took the lead when Dango Ouattara blasted in from a narrow angle.
Villa laid siege to the Brentford goal after the break, but lacked the invention to break the visitors down.
Tammy Abraham did have the ball in the net, but was denied a debut goal on his return to Villa after a video assistant referee review found the ball had gone out of play in the build-up.
Crystal Palace also failed to make the most of a man advantage in a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest.
Morgan Gibbs-White’s early strike put Forest in front, but Neco Williams’ decision to punch the ball clear off his own goal line just before half-time was the break the visitors needed.
Ismaila Sarr netted from the penalty spot after Williams was shown a red card.
However, Palace failed to end their 12-game wait for a win and remain just three points above Forest and nine clear of the bottom three.
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