The victory switched the focus from City’s best opening to a top-flight campaign to what has become Spurs’ finest start to a season since the 1960-61 season when they won the league and FA Cup double.
No wonder Tottenham’s Argentine manager Mauricio Pochettino described their performance as “nearly perfect”.
Spurs are now one point behind City, which has 18 from seven games, and one ahead of third-placed Arsenal, who lived up to their ‘lucky’ tag with a bizarre added-time winner from Laurent Koscielny’s deflection at unfortunate Burnley.
Elsewhere, there were draws for Stoke City at Manchester United (1-1) and Southampton at champions Leicester City (0-0).
Manchester City, which had not dropped a point in its first six games, went behind when Aleksandar Kolarov diverted a Danny Rose cross past his own keeper Claudio Bravo after nine minutes.
Dele Alli added a second after good work from Son Heung-min and, with City failing to cope with Spurs’ pressing and pace, the hosts also had an Erik Lamela penalty saved by Bravo.
No doubt regular taker Harry Kane would have done better from the spot, but in every other respect Spurs coped well without their injured England striker as South Korea’s Son produced another dazzling performance.
By contrast, City struggled without their own missing talisman, Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who had inspired their scintillating start to the season.
Guardiola sends on Iheanacho. Photograph: Frank Augstein/AP
Guardiola was gracious in defeat, admitting Spurs had been the better side.
Spurs are now the only unbeaten team in England top flight and will to build on this momentum in what could be defining season for Pochettino. All eyes will be on him as many expect him to move on to Arsenal or Manchester City sometime in the future and this year could help seal that fate.
Time will tell who are the eventual winners of the prestigious Premier League trophy but it is going to be a exciting season of football up ahead.
