In the words of Caroline Cheese
If you were in any doubt as to how HUGE the game was last night, you should start by reading BBC pundit Dan Roan’s article: (excerpt below)
Wednesday’s showdown between Manchester City and Tottenham, a match that amounts to a Champions League play-off, is of huge significance. Not only to the two clubs concerned, who stand on the threshold of the most exclusive group in the English game, but potentially for the entire competitive balance of the Premier League for years to come.
Some believe that if Roberto Mancini completes the task he was brought in to do, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan will embark on a fresh spending spree the like of which has never been seen before in English football. Encouraged by another high-profile platform with which to promote the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the club’s owners will find it even easier to attract the world’s best players, possibly consigning Liverpool to years of mid-table frustration in the process.
But are we in danger of over-playing the importance of a City victory on Wednesday? Is this really the biggest game in the club’s history? Are we truly on the brink of a new era for the English game? And what would happen if City fail and Spurs qualify instead?
Intense stuff, I think you can agree.
But let’s leave it to the mighty BBC commentator, Caroline Cheese to pick up from here… (edited for the best bits!!)
18:51 Here it is: Manchester City v Tottenham in a showdown worth somewhere between £30m and £60m.
18:56 City boss Roberto Mancini says: “There is no pressure. It is a football match, not a war.” However his programme notes tell a rather different story: “All our players want to be in Champions League and so do I. This game now becomes the most important game for this club for many years.” But no pressure though, right?
19:16 I think I can safely say that I have never seen so many texts / 606 messages / tweets for a midweek game before.
19:44 It’s like a contest between City and Spurs fans for (a) how nervous they are, and (b) how little faith they have in their teams. More breaking news from Eastlands: Roberto Mancini is wearing THE scarf.
19:52 With NINE minutes to go until kick-off, the crowd at Eastlands are treated to a rendition of Nessun Dorma by a singer I don’t recognise. Some Spurs fans don’t seem to be loving it… We’re on to Blue Moon now, the City scarves are in the air. All slightly surreal but went down a storm with the locals.
19:57 After all that, I’ve started to feel a bit nervous myself. Here come the teams. The atmosphere is IMMENSE.
20:10 Brilliant, brilliant skill from Carlos Tevez as he darts between two defenders on the left, but Heurelho Gomes bundles the ball behind for a corner which comes to nothing. Tevez looking very dangerous
20:19 Wayne Bridge’s foul on Younes Kaboul gives Gareth Bale the chance to fizz over a free-kick from the right and Peter Crouch heads against the post. Seconds later, Bale is in space in the box but sees his shot blocked.
20:22 Goal… disallowed, but the Spurs pressure is building. Ledley King is climbing on Gareth Barry as he heads home a Gareth Bale corner. Steve Bennett in no doubt about that one.
20:28 And now Spurs have to defend a corner. It’s a pretty poor one by Craig Bellamy – but it comes out to Adam Johnson, whose fiercely struck effort is well-saved to his left by Heurelho Gomes
20:35 Another excellent save by Heurelho Gomes – this time from team-mate Gareth Bale. Gareth Barry’s ball in hits Bale and almost creeps inside the post, but Gomes scrambles to his left and pushes it away
20:40 I thought it was in. Peter Crouch nods down Aaron Lennon’s cross for Gareth Bale, who meets it beautifully on the half-volley but the ball flies just wide. Great half of football.
20:44 Kolo Toure heads wide with a free header and then straight at Heurelho Gomes. Another two chances go begging… Hard to believe it’s still 0-0 with only a few minutes until half-time.
20:50 HALF-TIME Man City 0-0 Tottenham
21:06 Roberto Mancini takes his pitchside seat early and the camera zooms right in on the Italian’s face… He looks like he’s aged about 20 years during that half. As the players come out, Mancini folds his arms, leans forward and gently rocks back and forth.
21:17 Great ball from Gareth Bale for Jermain Defoe, who flicks the shot with the outside of his right foot. Marton Fulop makes an excellent save to tip it around the post. Defoe’s been very quiet tonight – but that was so, so close.
21:19 Tackles fly in just outside the Man City box as the ball pings around, and tempers almost flare… Tom Huddlestone isn’t happy with Nigel de Jong’s wild challenge and flicks a leg out at the Dutchman.
21:32 Agony for Spurs fans. Benoit Assou-Ekotto fires in a super ball from the left and first Jermain Defoe stretches and misses, and then Peter Crouch does exactly the same.
21:39 Peter Crouch rises to head home Gareth Bale’s cross… surely… no, he’s gone too close to Marton Fulop.
21:44 GOALFLASH Man City 0-1 Tottenham (Crouch) Tottenham goal: Eight minutes remaining… Younes Kaboul goes past Craig Bellamy on the right and his cross clips off Wayne Bridge, catching Marton Fulop unawares. The keeper can only palm the ball at Peter Crouch, who manages to react in time to head back past Fulop. What an important goal that could be…
21:46 This could wrap it up. Gareth Bale breaks down the left and Roman Pavlyuchenko – on for Jermain Defoe a few minutes ago – is waiting in the middle, but Nigel de Jong cuts out the cross.
21:49 Man City fans head for the exits with three minutes remaining
21:55 Spurs threatening a second. Roman Pavlyuchenko is so unlucky. He runs onto a ball on the edge of the area, hits it first time with his right foot and sees Marton Fulop tip it around the post.
21:56 FULL-TIME Man City 0-1 Tottenham
21:57 Tottenham’s players begin some wild celebrations. They know they will play in the Champions League next season for the first time in their history… And they could yet pip Arsenal for third and avoid the annoyance of a qualifier.
21:58 Craig Bellamy wears a huge grin as he shakes hands with Spurs boss Harry Redknapp. Interesting… And it will be interesting to see who’s still at Eastlands next season. Bellamy? Tevez? Mancini?
22:05 The Spurs fans at Eastlands aren’t going anywhere as they celebrate a magnificent win. It’s got to be agony for those City fans who are still in the ground. Not sure why they’re still in the ground. Are City’s players planning an end-of-season lap of honour? Surely not…
22:12 Hahaha. Harry Redknapp is talking to the TV cameras and a group of players led by David Bentley creep up and empty a massive bucket of water over him. He’s drenched. Completely drenched. Not sure that mic’s going to work either.
Transmission Ended.
www.thisisfantasyfootball.com (end of season update not far away now!!)
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