Kane’s milestone goal gives Tottenham win, helps Arsenal too

Tottenham's Harry Kane celebrates after scoring the opening goal during an English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Harry Kane broke Tottenham’s all-time scoring record with a goal — his 267th for the club — that will have been celebrated almost as jubilantly by the other team in north London.

The England captain’s milestone strike earned Tottenham a 1-0 win Sunday over Manchester City, which was looking for a victory to trim the gap to Premier League leader Arsenal to two points.

In the end, Arsenal wasn’t punished for losing 1-0 at Everton on Saturday — and maybe that’s no surprise. After all, City now hasn’t won, or even scored, in five games at Tottenham’s new stadium in either the Premier League or the Champions League.

Even the absence of Tottenham manager Antonio Conte, recovering in his native Italy after having his gallbladder removed this week, couldn’t change the narrative around this particular fixture.

Kane swept home the winner in the 15th minute after Pierre-Emile Højbjerg intercepted a pass out from the back by City midfielder Rodri and set up the striker to score his 200th Premier League goal. Only two other players — Alan Shearer (260) and Wayne Rooney (208) — have reached that figure.

Tottenham's Harry Kane, left, celebrates with Tottenham's Eric Dier after scoring the opening goal during an English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Kane broke the tie for all-time Tottenham goals he had with the late Jimmy Greaves, who played for the club from 1961-70.

“Just a magical moment,” Kane said in an on-field interview as he looked out at Tottenham’s celebrating fans, “and I was desperate to do it with a win. To do it in front of the home fans is a moment I’ll never forget.

“There’s been so much talk about it over the last couple of weeks. I just wanted to get it done as soon as possible. And to do it in a big game against one of the best teams in the world is a special feeling.”

City was the architect of its own downfall for the goal, just as it was when conceding two sloppy first-half goals against Tottenham last month before rallying for a 4-2 win at Etihad Stadium.

This time, there was no comeback despite a second-half resurgence sparked by the introduction of Kevin De Bruyne, who was benched for the second straight game against Tottenham, and the 87th-minute sending-off of Cristian Romero for a second yellow card.

“Sooner or later it is going to change,” City manager Pep Guardiola said of his team’s record at Tottenham’s new stadium, “but it’s strange. We haven’t scored one goal, we create chances, we have missed penalties in the past. To find an explanation is not easy.

Manchester City's Erling Haaland, centre, speaks with Nathan Ake, 2nd left during an English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

“We found the positions, made good balls to the channels, but missed the last action up front.”

City lost for the fourth time this season in the league and stayed five points behind Arsenal, which has a game in hand as it bids for a first top-flight title since 2004.

Guardiola said City’s players were “not in the position to think about being champions, just the next game.”

“There’s still a lot of football to be played,” City defender Kyle Walker said. “I know the twists and turns (in the title race), I know what this team is about.”

Fifth-place Tottenham moved a point behind fourth-place Newcastle in the race for Champions League qualification.

NAVAS DEBUT

Keylor Navas swapped a contender for the Champions League for a relegation candidate in the Premier League. He immediately looked at home.

The Costa Rica goalkeeper made a string of great saves on his debut for Forest in its 1-0 win over Leeds that moved the team six points clear of the relegation zone.

“Outstanding and composed,” Forest manager Steve Cooper said of the three-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, who moved from Paris Saint-Germain this week. “The obvious talking points are the saves, and rightly so, he deserves all the credit for that, but I loved his composure and game management and decision-making.”

Brennan Johnson scored the 14th-minute winner for Forest, which has won three of its last four league games and is up to 13th.

Leeds is in 17th place in the 20-team league and only out of the relegation positions on goal difference.

AMERICAN INFLUENCE

U.S. midfielder Weston McKennie came on for his debut for Leeds as a second-half substitute and played alongside international teammate Tyler Adams.

Leeds United's Weston McKennie gestures during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Leeds United at City Ground stadium in Nottingham, England, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

With Brenden Aaronson also in the squad, Leeds became the first team to have three U.S. internationals play in the same season in the Premier League since 2012-13, when Stoke had Geoff Cameron, Brek Shea and Maurice Edu.

Leeds manager Jesse Marsch is another American at the club and knows he is under pressure ahead of a match at Manchester United on Wednesday, which is Leeds’ game in hand.

“I have to find a way of turning good performances more into winning because that’s exactly where we are and have been for a little while,” Marsch said.

“I understand the frustration and doubts. Internally, we have belief here. We do.”