Tottenham 1 Manchester City 1: Tottenham fans called for the head of acting manager David Pleat for the first time this season as their team came from behind to earn a point against fellow strugglers City.
Nicolas Anelka breathed life into City's battle to climb away from the relegation zone with his 10th goal in 12 games, waltzing through the home defence after 25 minutes. Spurs' fans started to get on Pleat's back by chanting: "We want Pleat out", before jeering their team off the pitch at the half-time break. Spurs did find a lifeline, however, when Jermain Defoe hit the equaliser after 52 minutes from close range to register his fifth goal for the club since arriving during the January transfer window.
A point apiece nudged both clubs further towards safety and the only surprise was that there were not more goals conceded by two poor defences.
Spurs came into this game on a run of just one win in seven matches, and the last time a forward scored for them was against Leicester in February. Pleat tried to address that by leaving Robbie Keane on the bench, and the home side missed his trickery.
TOTTENHAM: Keller, Carr (Kelly 31), Doherty, Gardner, Taricco (Bunjevcevic 64), Redknapp, Davies, Poyet (Keane 73), Brown, Kanoute, Defoe. Subs Not Used: Hirschfeld, Ricketts. Booked: Poyet. Goal: Defoe 52.
MANCHESTER CITY: James, Jihai (Sinclair 74), Tarnat, Distin, Dunne, Wright-Phillips, Bosvelt, McManaman, Sibierski, Fowler (Wanchope 64), Anelka. Subs Not Used: Macken, Barton, Arason. Booked: Fowler. Goal: Anelka 25.
Referee: C Foy (Merseyside).
