Man City blow lead at Tottenham: Premier League title worries for City, less pressure on Frank

LONDON -- Manchester City suffered a major blow to their Premier League title hopes as Dominic Solanke's scorpion kick helped Tottenham Hotspur fight back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw on Sunday.

Rayan Cherki gave City a 10th-minute lead before Antoine Semenyo doubled their advantage a minute before the break as Spurs lost possession twice cheaply in their own half.

Spurs looked shorn of confidence in the opening period but were transformed after the break as Solanke bundled the ball home at 53 minutes. Tottenham went forward in search of an equalizer and it came in the most spectacular fashion as Conor Gallagher's right-wing cross flew behind Solanke but he flicked out his right boot and looped the ball brilliantly over City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

City manager Pep Guardiola added Phil Foden and Omar Marmoush late as they searched for a game-winner but Spurs came closest with Donnarumma denying attempts from Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons.

The result leaves Man City six points behind leaders Arsenal after the Gunners comfortably beat Leeds United on Saturday. -- James Olley

Man City's title hopes slip further in another surprise twist

Another weekend, another momentum shift.

First it was Man City's defeat at Manchester United. Then it was City's win over Wolves alongside Arsenal's home defeat to United. This weekend, it was Arsenal comfortably navigating a tricky trip to Leeds United and City slipping up at Tottenham.

The bottom line is that Arsenal have extended their lead at the top to six points and the momentum is back with Mikel Arteta's side. After leading 2-0 at halftime, City's draw at Spurs will seem like a massive missed opportunity for Guardiola.

If things go as expected for City against Newcastle on Wednesday, there will be a Carabao Cup final to look forward to in March. But City's next Premier League game is against Liverpool at Anfield; Arsenal face Sunderland at home 24 hours earlier.

It has been an unpredictable season, but this coming weekend already seems like the time when Arsenal could be nine points clear by Sunday night.

Guardiola has never been one to make grand trophy predictions during the first half of a season. He only ever says that he wants his team "to be there" when the run-in begins. They're just about clinging on, but it's beginning to reach the stage of a season where a big gap becomes unmanageable. -- Rob Dawson

Under-fire Frank can thank Solanke for easing pressure on Spurs coach

Perhaps Spurs manager Thomas Frank's chief excuse for their disappointing recent form has been a wretched injury list, which again totaled 11 players. He might well wonder how different things would be had he not lost Solanke for more than four months with an ankle injury.

This was only Solanke's sixth appearance since returning -- and only his third start -- but he provided a cutting edge no other striker at the club can currently match. Following on from vital strikes against Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt, Solanke now has four goals in those six matches and the second one was a moment of pure inspiration.

There is little doubt that Spurs are struggling for attacking fluidity right now. It is a consistent criticism of Frank that the soccer they are producing under his management is so underwhelming.

What a boost it is for a beleaguered manager, then, that Solanke is able to add this sort of potency to a misfiring attack. Frank remains firmly under pressure but this would have been far worse had it not been for the England international leading Spurs' comeback from a two-goal deficit. -- Olley