City were robbed of the points at home Saturday evening.
Manchester City played Tottenham Hotspur to a very entertaining 2-2 draw for any neutral tuning in on Saturday evening. For City supporters it will surely be two dropped points as the Sky Blues were cruising up 2-0 in the second half and watched the lead slip away. Football in a cruel sport as City supporters know all too well and Saturday was perhaps the worst in a while for the Citizens.
Despite the poor outcome, City actually played one of their better games of the season. They were quick, intense, and showed an eleven-man effort we haven't seen in quite some time. There was also the debut of Gabriel Jesus, who nearly became transcendent as he nearly secured the victory with only his second touch as a City player.
In the end it simply wasn't meant to be, City were undoubtedly the better team but between poor officiating and some questionable tactics, Spurs ran away with a point in what can only be considered highway robbery.
Below are the player ratings for each City player who saw the pitch as well as our City Man of the Match.
Claudio Bravo: 6.0
It’s now pretty much universally accepted that Bravo has been a giant disappointment. Another game without a save and even though there wasn't much he could do on the second goal, the first might have been plucked on the cross by a more active keeper.
Pablo Zabaleta: 7.0
After a terrible outing in the midfield against Everton, the acting captain had a very strong bounce-back game. The Argentine still has something to offer this City team, but perhaps not every single game.
Nicolas Otamendi: 6.5
Otamendi has never been the most calming defender during his City tenure. However, he does well in most cases and he did well in this game for the most part.
Aleksandar Kolarov: 7.0
Perhaps a rest was exactly what the doctor ordered for the Serbian defender. Most City supporters were nervous when Kolarov’s name appeared on the starting eleven, but he was strong as a center back all game.
Gaël Clichy: 6.0
Clichy was having a pretty good game up until around the hour mark, when he became a literal turnover machine. Left back is City’s most obvious need and every single person knows it.
Yaya Touré: 7.5
Yaya as the lone pivot? What could go wrong? Who was nervous? I wasn't. Yaya played exceptionally, he actually ran and was important in linking the defense and the attack. It’ll be interesting to see what happens in the pivot position when Fernandinho returns.
David Silva: 7.5
The Spanish wizard had another very strong game trying to create chances, and if not for a lack of finishing City could have scored about five or six goals, and Silva would have been at the heart of most.
Kevin De Bruyne: 8.5 (City Man of the Match)
De Bruyne ran the show offensively, simple as that. At times De Bruyne was playing such crazy passes his forwards were forced into making a run to match the quality of the ball. There really isn't enough praise for De Bruyne.
Raheem Sterling: 6.5
Sterling should have drawn a penalty and a red card. Other than that the young Englishman was quite toothless in front of goal. With Leroy Sané and Gabriel Jesus looking for wing spots, might Sterling’s starting spot be in jeopardy?
Leroy Sané: 7.0
Sané can be frustrating at times, but there also are periods where you can see why he was the third most expensive transfer this past summer in the Premier League. The young German’s future is bright, no doubt.
Sergio Agüero: 6.5
Agüero worked harder in this game than he has in the last two or three, combined. Constantly pressing and tackling the opposition, the Argentine had a great game. But he now hasn't scored against any team in the Top 7, and that’s an issue.
Gabriel Jesus: 7.0
What a debut for the Brazilian. Fizzing balls across the six-year box and having a goal disallowed, surely this kid will force his way into a starting spot soon.
John Stones: N/A
Came on late, not enough time to mark.
Fabian Delph: N/A
Came on even later, but was nice to see him have a run out in the league.