James Maddison scored twice in the span of seven first-half minutes against City. Photo: photosport
Manchester City's misery continued with a shock 4-0 Premier League rout by Tottenham Hotspur at Etihad Stadium, marking the first time in Pep Guardiola's dazzling managerial career that he has lost five games in a row across all competitions.
James Maddison scored twice in the span of seven first-half minutes, while Pedro Porro netted shortly after the break and Brennan Johnson added a fourth goal deep in added time to end City's club record run of 52 consecutive home matches unbeaten in all competitions.
City remain second in the table on 23 points but are five points adrift of leaders Liverpool, with the Reds having a game in hand, while Spurs climbed to sixth on 19 points after 12 games.
"In this moment we are fragile defensively," said Guardiola, who signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
"We started really well as normal but we could not score and then after that we conceded. After that we conceded some more which is difficult for our emotions right now.
"In eight years we have never lived this kind of situation. Now we have to live it and break it, winning the next games, especially the next one. Now we see things in one way, maybe in a few weeks we see it differently."
It was City's most lopsided loss in their history at Etihad, and their three consecutive league losses are also a first during Guardiola's eight-plus seasons as boss.
"These are rare days, to come to the champions and especially City considering how they have dominated over the last few years in Europe as well," Maddison, who celebrated his 28th birthday on Saturday, told Sky Sports.
"To come home with four-nil is special, these are the days you remember and I think it's important we enjoy it."
City's three consecutive league losses are also a first during Guardiola's eight-plus seasons as boss. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Guardiola's four-time defending champions had 23 shots to Tottenham's nine and will rue the missed chances, including three in the first half from striker Erling Haaland alone.
But they were all over the place defensively and paid the price in the 13th minute when Maddison sprinted in to side-foot home a beautiful long cross from Dejan Kulusevksi. Maddison doubled the lead seven minutes later when he chipped the ball over grounded goalkeeper Ederson.
Porro put the match out of reach in the 52nd minute when Dominic Solanke cut back the ball for the Spaniard who unleashed a first-time effort past Ederson, and then substitute Johnson added one more in the 93rd minute.
Timo Werner sprinted down the left past Kyle Walker before sending a low cross across the face of the goal that Johnson slid to knock in, watched by City's shell-shocked fans.
It was the joint-biggest defeat for Guardiola, who had lost 4-0 three previous times, with Real Madrid, Barcelona and with City, in a 4-0 defeat to Everton in 2017.
City last lost a competitive home game by four-plus goals when Arsenal beat them 5-1 in 2003 at Maine Road.
Arsenal back on form
Arsenal returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a confident 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest but Aston Villa's winless streak continued when they were held to a 2-2 draw at home to lowly Crystal Palace.
Goals by Bukayo Saka, Thomas Partey and teenager Ethan Nwaneri got the Gunners back on track after four league games without a win in manager Mikel Arteta's 250th game in charge.
Arsenal stayed in fourth spot, level on 22 points with third-placed Chelsea who began the day's action with a 2-1 victory away at Leicester City. Leaders Liverpool have 28 points ahead of their Sunday clash with bottom club Southampton.
Arsenal began the day level on points with surprise package Forest but outclassed the Midlands club in the London rain.
The returning Saka and captain Martin Ødegaard were hugely influential for Arsenal as both looked back to their best.
The returning Saka and captain Martin Ødegaard were hugely influential for Arsenal. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
They combined after 15 minutes for Saka to clip a superb left-footed drive high past Forest keeper Matz Sels.
Partey curled in Arsenal's second after 52 minutes and 17-year-old Nwaneri, on as a substitute, put the icing on the cake with his first Premier League goal late on.
"It's not a coincidence. The team flows in a different way when (Ødegaard) is playing," Arteta said of his skipper who returned from a long injury lay-off earlier this month.
"When he is on the team you sense something different even if it's hard to put your finger on it."
Goals by Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez secured the points for Chelsea as their manager Enzo Maresca returned to haunt his former club. Jordan Ayew's stoppage-time penalty came too late for the hosts.
Aston Villa have now gone six games without a win in all competitions as their early-season surge has stalled.
They needed a late headed equaliser by Ross Barkley to take a point against a Palace side who twice led.
Ismaila Sarr gave Palace the early lead before Ollie Watkins levelled and the hosts then squandered a chance to go ahead as Youri Tielemans had his penalty saved by Dean Henderson. Justin Devenny restored Palace's lead almost immediately but the Londoners were unable to secure only their second league win.
Palace remained third from bottom with eight points but Wolverhampton Wanderers climbed out of the relegation zone with a thumping 4-1 victory away at Fulham.
Matheus Cunha scored two superb goals to take his league tally for the season to seven and also set up a third for his side after Fulham went ahead after 20 minutes with an Alex Iwobi curler from the edge of the box.
Wolves' second league win of the season put them on nine points from 12 games and into 17th place.
Brighton & Hove Albion joined Arsenal and Chelsea on 22 points with a 2-1 victory at Bournemouth thanks to goals by Joao Pedro and Kaoru Mitoma as they maintained their best-ever start to a top-flight season.
The visitors did end with 10 men though after Carlos Baleba was shown a second yellow card on the hour.
Everton had 27 goal attempts at home to 10-man Brentford but could make none of them count as they drew 0-0 - a result that left them in 15th place in the table. Brentford played half the game with 10 men after Christian Norgaard was dismissed for a bad challenge on Everton keeper Jordan Pickford.
- Reuters
