19 January 2023 , 22:59
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Ex- Tottenham striker Gary Lineker bemoaned his former side’s “Spursy” collapse as the North Londoners crumbled against Manchester City.
Antonio Conte’s men looked to be en-route to a shock victory at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday evening after goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Emerson Royal had put them in firm control at half-time. Two goals in two minutes from Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland after the break levelled matters before a Riyad Mahrez brace wrapped up a crucial three points for Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions.
Victory was crucial for City in the fact that it saw them reduce the gap to current Premier League leaders Arsenal to five points ahead of what looks to be a pivotal weekend. Meanwhile, Spurs have been condemned to their third Premier League defeat in their last four matches - the latest being all the more painful considering the position they had found themselves in at the break.
Lineker, a Spurs player between 1989 and 1992, couldn’t resist a small dig at his former side. Taking to Twitter, he wrote: “Well, this has all gone a bit Spursy.”
The defeat at the Etihad leaves Tottenham in a real battle to return to the Champions League next season. They sit fifth in the standings but are already five points behind Newcastle - the Magpies having a game in-hand.
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Spurs could potentially be set to drop down to seventh this weekend though should they lose to Fulham and Brighton beat Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. The North Londoners last lost three successive Premier League matches in February 2022 having found themselves on the end of defeats to Chelsea, Southampton and Wolves.
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Lineker’s comments are likely to wrangle with those at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Defender Eric Dier has previously hit out on the use of the word 'Spursy' in the past and claimed it was unfair on his teammates by suggesting that his side had shaken off their reputation under Jose Mourinho before he was sacked.
Speaking in November 2020, he said: “That's something that's quite frustrating to be honest because I think, as I said before, there were seasons where we finished second in the league and people called it ‘Spursy’.
“We finished second. We just didn't manage to win it and people were calling that ‘Spursy’.
"I don't believe this team has had that tag for a long time. I don't think teams enjoy playing us.
"I think we're physical, I think we're aggressive, I think we're determined, we've got a good attitude and the manager [Mourinho] has definitely brought an extra edge to that.
“He's more demanding in certain areas and ruthless with you individually and as a team so he's definitely increased that a bit as well.”