LONDON: Manchester City blew a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday as a moment of magic by home forward Dominic Solanke handed Arsenal a huge Premier League title boost.

Tottenham were comprehensively outplayed in the first half but everything changed after the break and Solanke earned his side a deserved point with a brilliantly improvised effort.

First-half goals by Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo had City cruising towards a win that would have cut Arsenal’s lead back to four points and a listless Tottenham left the field to the sound of boos at the interval.

But Solanke showed great strength to slot in from close range under pressure from Marc Guehi in the 53rd minute to revive home hopes and his second goal in the 70th minute was one that will be replayed again and again.

As Solanke dived forward to try to meet Conor Gallagher’s cross the ball was behind him but he flicked out a leg and conjured up a scorpion-like flick over his head with his heel that looped up and over City’s keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and into the net.

“I had to improvise a bit, I love those finishes, trying to make something out of nothing,” Solanke said. “I had to have a few looks at the big screen after.”

Tottenham even had chances to win the game as the pressure eased on head coach Thomas Frank.

Second-placed City’s fourth draw in their last six league games left them on 47 points from 24 games, six points behind Arsenal who won 4-0 at Leeds United on Saturday. Tottenham are 14th with 29 points.

“They found a goal and we know what’s happened and after that they had the momentum,” City boss Pep Guardiola said.

“The Premier League is like that. It’s a setback but we are still there, we move on. There are 14 games to go and a lot of points. We will see.”

Tottenham have won only two of their 12 Premier League home games under Frank but at least this draw was greeted with cheers rather than the jeers that have haunted the Dane.

“I think we can create something magic together when the players and the fans are united,” he said. “That atmosphere, intensity, that’s what pushed the players.”

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2026

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