GARY NEVILLE was dumbfounded by Manchester City’s tactics in a costly 1-0 defeat at Tottenham.
Pep Guardiola’s misfiring champs remain five points behind leaders Arsenal, who have a game in hand.
And Manchester United legend Neville was amazed at the poor service for goal machine Erling Haaland.
The star summer buy had netted 25 times in 19 Premier League games – but in his 20th match on Sunday he failed to have a single shot for the first time.
Passer-in-chief Kevin de Bruyne was left on the bench until the 59th minute.
And even though City were behind from Harry Kane’s historic strike on the quarter-hour mark, Guardiola’s men couldn’t even break through after Cristian Romero’s late red card.
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Neville told Sky Sports: “Haaland is making the runs. He is ready to go, they (City players) are just not playing them.
“The amount of runs he makes that get ignored is incredible.”
Fellow pundits Graeme Souness and Micah Richards agreed.
Former Liverpool hardman Souness said: “Haaland and De Bruyne are the most successful partnership in the Premier League.”
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And ex-City defender Richards said: “In fairness to Haaland he’s making SO many runs and no one is seeing him.”
Guardiola tried out a new look, with Julian Alvarez partnering Haaland.
Behind them midfielders Rodri and Bernardo Silva were flanked by Riyad Mahrez and Jack Grealish.
But City struggled against Spurs’ stubborn defending and pacy counter-attacks.
And Kane’s drilled winner took him to a Tottenham record of 267 goals, passing fellow England great Jimmy Greaves.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
