Harry Kane scores twice to stun Manchester City and add new twist to title race

Tottenham star sparks dramatic comeback to hand leaders only their third defeat in league this season

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  Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring their side's third goal against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, February 19, 2022. Getty

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  Tottenham manager Antonio Conte congratulates Harry Kane after win over Manchester City on Saturday. AFP

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  Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris congratulates Harry Kane. AFP

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  Harry Kane scored Tottenham Hotspur's second goal at the Etihad Stadium. Getty

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  Harry Kane scored the winner. EPA

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  Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan scores their first goal. Reuters

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  Ilkay Gundogan, center, celebrates scoring with Joao Cancelo. AP

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  Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City celebrates after scoring his team's second goal. Getty

Harry Kane blew the Premier League title race wide open after his stoppage time handed Manchester City a dramatic 3-2 defeat at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Kane was City's prime target to replace club record goalscorer Sergio Aguero. City's failed pursuit of Kane came back to haunt them as the England captain scored twice to secure Tottenham victory.

Kane had put Tottenham 2-1 ahead in the 59th minute before Cristian Romero's handball allowed Riyad Mahrez to equalise for the league leaders from the penalty spot in the 92nd minute.

City looked favourites to eke out a late victory, but Kane struck again to clinch a league double for Tottenham over City, having beaten them on the opening weekend.

City's defeat, only their third in the league this season, means they are now only six points ahead of Liverpool who also have a game in hand.

"We had to find a way to get our season back on track," Kane said. "Tough place to come against one of the best teams in the world but to grind out the result we did was really special."

Spurs snatched the lead in the fourth minute when Dejan Kulusevski marked his first start with a cool finish after Kane and Son Heung-min carved open the City defence.

City equalised in the 33rd minute thanks to the latest mistake from Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris, who spilled Raheem Sterling's cross for Ilkay Gundogan to convert.

Antonio Conte's team went ahead after 59 minutes when England captain Kane timed his run perfectly to finish Son's cross.

City looked to have got out of jail through Mahrez's 90th minute penalty. But Kane struck again with a header from Kulusevski's cross deep into stoppage-time, handing City their first defeat in 16 league games dating back to a 2-0 home loss against Crystal Palace on October 30.

Earlier, Chelsea played their first league game in nearly a month, and as the newly crowned world champions of club football.

And manager Thomas Tuchel said his players were still feeling the effects of their exertions at last week’s Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi in the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace, secured by Hakim Ziyech’s 89th-minute volley.

“It was not the time to over-expect something from us,” Tuchel said. “We came from where we came, played 120 minutes in the FA Cup (on February 5), 120 minutes in the Club World Cup (in the final against Palmeiras) in 30 degrees Celsius temperature difference, we had jet lag against a good opponent, a tough team to play.”

Also, Arsenal eased to a 2-1 win at Emirates Stadium thanks to goal by Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka, with Brentford’s consolation coming from virtually the last kick of the game from Christian Norgaard.