Tottenham Hotspur 1 Manchester City 1

Last updated : 13 April 2004 By Footymad Previewer

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City played out an enjoyable and dramatic draw at White Hart Lane.

The draw prevents either team pulling away from the relegation zone following Portsmouth's 3-1 win at home to Birmingham.

Spurs boss David Pleat said: "It was a very exciting game and I think we just edged it overall." Spurs started the brighter of the two teams with Gus Poyet missing a couple of very good chances with his head and Frederic Kanoute driving straight at David James from the edge of the box.

Manchester City took control of the game as the half went on with Steve McManaman in vintage form.

Nicolas Anelka it was who gave the visitors the lead when he was first to react after Kasey Kelly had parried his initial shot and the former Arsenal man fired into an open goal from close range.

Robbie Fowler almost doubled the visitors' lead just before the break when Anelka's cross found him inside the six-yard box, but his shot was saved superbly by Keller who scrambled across his line.

After the break Spurs looked a different side and their sustained pressure told six minutes into the half when Jermain Defoe equalised after collecting Poyet's flick-on at the far post and firing low and hard past James.

With half-an-hour to go the game took on the feel of a five-a-side match as both teams had chances at either end. McManaman and Defoe were both denied a winner by superb defending.

Robbie Keane thought he had snatched all three points for the home side late on when he smashed the ball into the back of the net as City failed to clear their lines but the referee's assistant flagged him offside much to the disgust of the home fans.

The game ended in dramatic fashion with both teams throwing everything into attack and counter-attack but the two sides had to settle for a draw.

Stuart Pearce said afterwards: "The way results have gone this season you wouldn't bet against it going down to the wire."