Tottenham v Man City

Tottenham 1

Capoue 59′

Man City 5

Agüero 15′ Yaya Touré 51′ (pen) Dzeko 53′ Jovetic 78′ Kompany 89′

FT 90 +4
HT 0-1

By Phil McNulty Chief football writer at White Hart Lane

Manchester City moved to the top of the Premier League with an ominous show of authority against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Manuel Pellegrini's side required a win over Spurs to move a point clear of Arsenal, and the outcome never looked in doubt when Sergio Aguero scored in an eighth successive game to give them an early lead.

Yaya Toure doubled their advantage five minutes into the second half from a hotly-contested penalty after Spurs defender Danny Rose was sent off despite appearing to get a touch on the ball before being penalised for fouling Edin Dzeko.

Dzeko added a third and, even though Etienne Capoue pulled one back for Spurs, there was still time for City substitute Stevan Jovetic to score his first league goal since his £22m summer switch from Fiorentina.

And as the visitors inflicted further heavy punishment on Spurs following their 6-0 win in Manchester in November, captain Vincent Kompany rounded things off with a simple finish.

The only black mark on City's night was that Jovetic had replaced Aguero, who sustained a hamstring injury just before half-time and is now a doubt for Monday's crucial meeting with Chelsea at the Etihad.

That injury apart, this was a highly satisfactory night for Pellegrini with City's display confirming they are now the team to catch, not only at the Premier League summit but in terms of quality and performance.

They knew the prize on offer for a victory and produced a masterclass in the opening half-hour which could easily have seen the game won - with Aguero as the spearhead.

He set the tone inside four minutes when he showed pace and power to create space before striking the far post with Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris beaten, while Dzeko deceived Kyle Walker in the area but shot wastefully over the top.

The goal was coming and it duly arrived after 15 minutes, Aguero making the finish look deceptively easy as he converted David Silva's pass with an angled finish.

Aguero was proving impossible for Spurs to control and the Argentine's fine header from Gael Clichy's cross required a diving one-handed stop from Lloris to prevent City extending their lead.

He was the threat again when first his header from Silva's corner was cleared off the line by Rose, with the striker reacting first before sending a shot inches off target.

Spurs showed resilience to survive the Aguero-inspired siege and had a goal disallowed for offside when Michael Dawson touched in Christian Eriksen's free-kick.

City suffered a serious setback moments before half-time as Aguero, the star of the show, pulled up clutching his hamstring and was replaced by Jovetic.

Capoue replaced Mousa Dembele at half-time but Spurs' hopes of making a recovery were undermined by a highly-contentious moment after 50 minutes when Rose conceded a penalty, and was sent off, for a challenge on Dzeko even though he looked to have got a touch on the ball first.

Toure converted the spot-kick with ease and when Dzeko stroked in the third after Silva's shot struck a post, City looked home and dry.

Spurs showed some fight as Capoue scrambled in following a corner, which was the signal for Pellegrini to make a change, sending on Matija Nastasic for Toure.

Order was restored with 12 minutes left when Jovetic's shot took a deflection to beat Lloris and give the scoreline the sheen City's superiority deserved.

And with Spurs depleted and in disarray, with White Hart Lane emptying rapidly, Kompany completed the formalities.

Lineup, Bookings (6) & Substitutions (6)

Tottenham Hotspur

25 Lloris
02 Walker
03 Rose Dismissed
19 Dembélé (Capoue - 45' )
20 Dawson
06 Chiriches
07 Lennon
42 Bentaleb
10 Adebayor
23 Eriksen (Holtby - 83' )
22 Sigurdsson (Naughton - 55' Booked )

Substitutes

09 Soldado
14 Holtby
15 Capoue
16 Naughton
18 Defoe
21 Chadli
24 Friedel

Manchester City

01 Hart
05 Zabaleta Booked
22 Clichy
25 Fernandinho
04 Kompany
26 Demichelis Booked
15 Jesús Navas
42 Yaya Touré Booked (Nastasic - 64' )
16 Agüero Booked (Jovetic - 45' )
10 Dzeko
21 Silva (Kolarov - 80' )

Substitutes

06 Lescott
09 Negredo
13 Kolarov
17 Rodwell
30 Pantilimon
33 Nastasic
35 Jovetic

Ref: Andre Marriner

Att: 36,071

Match Stats

Possession 34 66

Shots

4 24

On target

2 10

Corners

3 5

Fouls

11 10

Live Text Commentary

Full time

Full Time Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 1, Manchester City 5.

90:00 +3:01 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 1, Manchester City 5.

90:00 +2:09

Hand ball by Stevan Jovetic (Manchester City).

90:00 +1:26

Stevan Jovetic (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.

90:00 +1:26

Foul by Nabil Bentaleb (Tottenham Hotspur).

89:32

Attempt saved. Etienne Capoue (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lewis Holtby.

88:26 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Tottenham Hotspur 1, Manchester City 5. Vincent Kompany (Manchester City) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal following a corner.