For 50-plus minutes, the Manchester City machine sputtered. It had roared to the cusp of a fourth-straight Premier League title. It needed two more wins, the first in an utterly strange environment Tuesday at Tottenham — where it nearly veered off course.
Nearly, but not quite.
In the 51st minute, the machine’s three main cogs — Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland — combined for a goal.
In an occasionally frantic second half, backup goalkeeper Stefan Ortega stood on his proverbial head.
Haaland converted a late penalty, and City held on for a 1-0 victory.
It was their eighth Premier League win in a row, and it took them two points ahead of Arsenal at the top of the table, with just one game apiece to play. City will host West Ham on Sunday (11 a.m. ET). If the reigning champions win, they will reign again.
And they will achieve something that …