Five... Jermain Defoe goals in Premier League wins against City
Wed 18 January 2023, 15:45|
Tottenham Hotspur
Jermain Defoe scored seven goals for us in the Premier League against Manchester City across his 10 years at the Club.
Five of those goals contributed to victories as we enjoyed a superb record against City in the first 20 years of the Premier League, winning 20 of our first 27 meetings, drawing four and losing just three, up to 2011. He then scored in April, 2013, our only win in 10 between 2010-2015, as we came from behind to take a thriller at the Lane.
JD's goals against the sky blue half of Manchester illustrate everything he was about as a natural goalscorer, that instinct in the box that took him to 143 goals for us in 363 appearances, sixth in our all-time list.
Spurs 2-1 City - 19.03.2005
This was Jermain's second goal against City - his first was one of his first goals for Spurs, in a 1-1 draw in April, 2004 - and typical Defoe.
Lurking at the far post as City half-cleared an attack, he was in the right place at the right time and able to react quickly enough off the floor to divert a wayward shot from Simon Davies into the back of the net with his head.
That goal opened the scoring in Stuart Pearce's first match as City boss, Claudio Reyna levelled just before half-time and Robbie Keane scored the winner from close range six minutes from time.
Spurs: Robinson, Kelly, Naybet (Gardner 76), King, Atouba, Davies, Brown, Carrick, Reid (Keane 80), Defoe, Mido (Kanoute 65).
Spurs 2-1 City - 09.12.2007
Right place, right time - again. This time, it was Jermain's turn to strike late to take three vital points as we started to climb the table under new boss Juande Ramos in 2007/08.
Pascal Chimbonda turned home Dimitar Berbatov's cross for the opener just before half-time only for City substitute Rolando Bianchi to level on the hour.
A typically back-and-forth encounter between the teams could have gone either way but JD, off the bench on 77 minutes, did what he did best on 83 minutes, blasting the ball home after Steed Malbranque's cross rebounded to him off the base of the post.
Spurs: Robinson, Chimbonda, Dawson, Kaboul, Lee, Lennon (Boateng 67), Jenas, Zokora, Malbranque, Berbatov (Tainio 90), Bent (Defoe 77).
Spurs 2-0 City - 16.05.2009
You often hear Jermain described as an instinctive finisher, and this goal against City is the perfect example.
Described by the BBC as 'audacious', JD opened the scoring in style in the 29th minute, darting between defenders to fashion a backheel finish from Tom Huddlestone's cross. City responded through Valeri Bojinov on 65 minutes but we won it when Robbie Keane slotted home from the penalty spot four minutes from time.
This was our final home match of a testing 2008/09 campaign that had found us bottom of the Premier League when Harry Redknapp took over in October, and still in the relegation zone in January, before an impressive run lifted us up to eighth.
Spurs: Gomes, Corluka, Woodgate (Hutton 46), King, Assou-Ekotto, Huddlestone, Keane, Jenas (Zokora 67), Modric, Pavlyuchenko (Campbell 75), Defoe.
Spurs 3-0 City - 16.12.2009
This was Jermain's most prolific spell - including that famous five-goal haul against Wigan in November, 2009 - and another clinical finish as we outplayed a City side starting to build into Champions League and then title contenders - they would clinch their first Premier League crown in 2011/12.
JD had already scored 12 goals when City arrived in N17 and was there again for our second in a fine display. Niko Kranjcar took the headlines with a two-goal show and opened the scoring from close range on 37 minutes. Jermain pounced when Peter Crouch headed on Heurelho Gomes' clearance, reading that Crouchy's flick would drift over Kolo Toure and planting the ball into the top corner.
Niko struck again in added time as we completed a key win over a team we'd battle for that coveted fourth place and Champions League qualification - a famous 1-0 victory at the Etihad six months later clinched it.
Spurs: Gomes, Corluka, Bassong, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto (Bale 90+5), Huddlestone, Lennon, Palcios, Kranjcar, Crouch, Defoe (Jenas 90+2).
Spurs 3-1 City - 21.04.2013
One of Jermain's favourite goals, the striker got the better of Vincent Kompany and England team-mate Joe Hart in a stunning seven-minute comeback against then reigning champions City at the Lane.
City led through Samir Nasri's fifth-minute strike until Clint Dempsey levelled 70 minutes later. That sparked a spell of three goals in seven minutes to completely turn the game around.
Next up, JD. Just off the bench, he was fed in the left channel by Lewis Holtby, ran into the box, checked onto his right foot and curled across Kompany and beyond Hart into the far corner.
Gareth Bale completed the turn around with a dink over Hart from Tom Huddlestone's pass as we ended the 2012/13 season with just two defeats in 22 matches to finish fifth.
Spurs: Lloris, Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Assou-Ekotto, Dempsey, Parker (Huddlestone 61), Dembele, Sigurdsson (Holtby 60), Adebayor (Defoe 71), Bale.
