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After capturing Tottenham with a 1-0 win on Wednesday, Pep Guardiola insisted that Manchester City would once again be a Premier League force in the future.

With a clinical 12th minute winner, Haaland’s clinical finish helped City move into fourth place in the Champions League and advance to the next season.

After winning the last four Premier League titles, City’s struggle to reach the top four was a significant letdown for them, which included six consecutive years under Guardiola.

Liverpool appear close to winning the title this year, but City, who were defeated 2-0 by the Reds on Sunday, have been withdrawn from the race for months due to a disappointing season that has left them 20 points adrift of the leaders.

Guardiola only has the FA Cup to go on to win silverware this season because City are also out of the Champions League after losing to Real Madrid in the play-offs.

Despite having teams that are old in some positions and lacking in Premier League experience in others, the Spaniard is persuaded that City can be brought back to their former glory in the long run.

READ ALSO: Haaland Back With A Bang As Man City Sink Spurs

In north London, City’s spluttering team showed off their good and bad sides as they opened up strong but squandered a number of chances to increase their lead before clinging on under heavy pressure after the break.

“Never will be this season the old City”, Guardiola said. “Old City were too good, but we will be back.

” The game, it was open second half because we didn’t close the first. Every 20 to 25 minutes they play in this stadium, and we struggled in the second half.

“We’ve seen an unbelievable number of goals this season, and we’ve conceded goals in countless games, like the Champions League at Sporting, where we should have been 1-3 or 1-4 in the first half and lost 4-1,” he said. It occurs frequently, but fortunately, it came out strong today.

Ange Postecoglou, the manager of Tottenham, claimed that his side’s overeagerness caused injury to his side.

Postecoglou’s men have endured a season almost as troubled as City’s, leaving them in 13th place and chasing Europa League glory to end a 17-year trophy drought.

We were a little too eager to move forward with the ball in the first half. I believed we were really wasteful, and it helps them establish a rhythm when they are against City, Postecoglou said.

They can pick you off at various points, and we simply didn’t play that game well. They scored and had a few good chances to advance.

I definitely believed that we had a second-half dominance over the game and the territory. We were pretty relentless. Much better with the ball and much calmer before ultimately falling short.

“It’s disappointing to lose again and that’s the main feeling, but it did look more like us today”.

Manchester City defeated Tottenham 1-0 to move into fourth place in the Premier League on Wednesday thanks to Erling Haaland’s return from injury.

With a knee injury sustained against Newcastle on February 15, Haaland missed City’s Champions League play-off second leg exit against Real Madrid and Liverpool’s Premier League defeat.

City, who had already finished third after beating Southampton on Tuesday, made history by returning with the first-half winner in north London.

After a mediocre start to the season, Haaland scored his 28th goal in all competitions this year, with 10 of those coming in his final 11 games.

This was a much-needed victory for City, who started well but fought their luck as Tottenham missed a number of second half chances.

Pep Guardiola’s side are still miles from the team that won four league titles in a row before this one.

Guardiola will find encouragement in the fact that they achieved gritty success in a time when they have done so little.

Tottenham’s two-game winning streak came to an end, keeping the consistency that has hindered them for much of the campaign.

Ange Postecoglou’s team are languishing in 13th place, with next week’s Europa League last 16 first leg against AZ Alkmaar the club’s sole focus to salvage the season.

Second youngest line-up

As City got off to a strong start, Haaland fired straight at Guglielmo Vicario.

He wasn’t to be denied for long as City took the lead in the 12th minute.

The Belgian’s cross was put on a plate for the unmarked City striker to finish from six yards after Jeremy Doku’s surge into the area opened up the Tottenham defense.

As he cut inside for a low strike that made Vicario stop well, Doku threatened to double City’s advantage.

Tottenham named their second-youngest starting lineup in a Premier League game at an average age of 23 years, 243 days, after being injured.

City’s young supporters repeatedly found it difficult to stop Postecoglou from making mistakes in their defense.

Savinho was awarded by Doku five yards from the end, but the Brazilian’s cuffed shot soared over the bar when it appeared impossible to miss.

Vicario saved a rare opportunity with a close-range strike that Haaland had saved with his legs.

Just before half-time, Kevin Danso’s header was tipped over by Ederson, giving Tottenham an almost equalizer during the course of play.

Wilson Odobert tapped a teasing cross past City early in the second half, but the forward fired wide from four yards.

Before it could arc into the net, Ederson had to scramble across the goal to stop Odobert’s deflected effort.

When Destiny Udogie found Mathys Tel in space, City had lost their way, and he should have been level. The teenager then wastes his effort to shoot wide.

In the closing moments, Postecoglou sent Son Heung-min on, but Ederson made a superb save to stop the South Korean before Pape Sarr headed over as City waited.

After being defeated by Nottingham Forest in a 0-0 draw on Wednesday, Arsenal’s title challenge suffered yet another troubling blow.

As a result of Mikel Arteta’s men’s failed to score one shot on target, the Gunners’ lack of forward options was obvious.

Arsenal cut Liverpool’s advantage to 10 points, but the leaders can surge 13 clear with victory over Newcastle later.

Just one point will do, keeping Forest third ahead of Manchester City, who are currently in third place.

Arsenal’s title chances have been hampered by injuries suffered by Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.

Despite failing to impress in the shock 1-0 home defeat to West Ham on Saturday, midfielder Mikel Merino was chosen by Arteta to play the center-forward position.

Arsenal relied on defenders to score big goals, and Riccardo Calafiori almost obliged in this situation.

When the Italian international’s first-half effort fell back off the post, the visitors almost opened the scoring.

Matz Sels’ only real save came with a header from a corner by Merino early in the second period.

At least Arsenal limited Forest’s potential as an attacking threat.

20 minutes from time, Chris Wood had the hosts’ only chance, but Forest’s talisman shot too close to David Raya.

Didier Drogba has jumped to the defence of his former coach, Jose Mourinho, following racism allegation labelled against him by Galatasaray.

Following a 0-0 draw between the tense Istanbul rivals on Monday, Galatasaray accused the Fenerbahce manager of making “racist statements.”

Galatasaray’s comments were not immediately understood, and former Real Madrid, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Spurs coach Mourinho hasn’t publicly refuted the claim.

READ ALSO: &nbsp, Liverpool’s Slot Handed Two-Match Ban Over Merseyside Derby Chaos

Speaking after Monday’s league draw at Galatasaray, the Portuguese coach said the home bench had been “jumping like monkeys”.

Drogba, who he spent years with at Chelsea, claimed that Mourinho is not racist in a post on his X handle on Wednesday.

Drogba, who played for Galatasaray between 2013 and 2014, made an appeal to his former club to put more effort into regaining Turkish league dominance.

You know how honored I was to wear the yellow and red jersey and my support for Turkey’s most decorated club, GalatasaraySK! I’ve had the opportunity to go through one of the many passionate and heated rivalries that we all know.

” I’ve seen the recent comments about Jose Mourinho. Trust me when I tell you that I’ve known Jose for 25 years, that his past and present serve as proof, and that he’s not a racist. Let’s focus on our games, support our brilliant lions and let’s win the league to get close to our 5-star. How can my “Dad” be a racist? Come on guys, “the Ivorian wrote.

Dear @GalatasaraySK

You are aware of my pride in sported yellow and red jerseys and my devotion to Turkey’s most prestigious club! !

I’ve had the opportunity to go through one of the many passionate and heated rivalries that we all have.

I’ve seen some recent comments about Jose…

After receiving a two-match ban and a significant fine for his actions in the Merseyside derby, Liverpool manager Arne Slot will not be on the touchline for Wednesday’s home game against Newcastle.

The Everton 2-2 draw at Goodison Park on February 12 caused chaotic scenes when James Tarkowski scored the equaliser shortly before the break.

Referee Michael Oliver also sent off Slot, his assistant Sipke Hulshoff, and Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure and Liverpool’s Curtis Jones.

The FA issued a statement on Wednesday saying an independent regulatory commission had sanctioned Everton, Liverpool, Slot and Hulshoff.

READ ALSO: &nbsp, Mbappe To Miss Real Madrid Copa Clash Against Real Sociedad

After the match was over, it was claimed that the Liverpool head coach had insulted and/or verbally abused both the match referee and an assistant referee.

“Arne Slot admitted the charge, and the Regulatory Commission imposed a two-match touchline suspension and £70, 000 ($89, 000) fine”.

In addition, Everton have been fined £65, 000 and Liverpool £50, 000.

After Oliver reached out in the end, Slot and Hulshoff were both ignored. At a press conference two days later, Slot acknowledged that he had “made the wrong decision” because of the incident and that he had been dealing with emotions.

After the game, the Dutchman said, “I should have acted differently because it’s emotional sport and sometimes people make incorrect decisions, which is definitely what I did.”

After the Everton player celebrated in front of the Liverpool fans, Jones and Doucoure got into a fight, prompting him to confront him before the opposing players and staff raced over.

The ban also applies to Liverpool’s March 8 home game against Southampton, which will take place against Newcastle, and the slot will be in the stands for the game against Newcastle.

He will only be permitted in the technical area when Liverpool travel to Paris Saint-Germain on March 5 for the first leg of their last-16 tie. Because of this, he will only be allowed in domestic games.

On March 16, Liverpool will play Newcastle in the League Cup final at Wembley on March 16. He will also be on the touchline.

Premier League leaders Liverpool are currently 11 points clear of second-placed Arsenal in the table and a formidable favorite to win their 20th top-flight title.