Erling Haaland’s second half brace saw Manchester City secure a priceless 2-0 victory at Tottenham – and moved Pep Guardiola’s side back to the top of the Premier League table and within one win of an historic fourth straight title.

It marked City’s first-ever league victory – and goals – at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with both arriving on the most auspicious of occasions. It was a tense, eventful night with City also having to bring substitute ‘keeper Stefan Ortega Moreno on for Ederson midway through the second half after the Brazilian hurt his head in a collision with Cristian Romero.

And the German made his impact immediately felt with a series of quite outstanding saves – including one stunning block to deny Son Heung-Min – to keep the hosts out.

But City found a way to navigate what was their eighth successive league win with Haaland opening the scoring with a close range 52nd minute opener and then sealing victory with a 90th minute penalty which extended their Club record unbeaten run across all competitions to 34 games.

Far more importantly, the triumph sent City two points clear of Arsenal and means if they beat West Ham on Sunday they will secure a fourth successive league title – something no English side has ever achieved before.

While City were seeking an eighth Premier League win to take them to within three points of the title, Spurs knew victory would keep their hopes of a top-four finish – and a place in next season’s Champions League – alive and kicking.

It meant the intensity and tension was apparent from the get-go and any fanciful outside suggestions that Spurs would somehow not be 100 per cent committed with Arsenal also in the title chase were immediately put to bed.