Tottenham fans left bemused as Manchester City edge closer to Premier League title

Except it was a City goal that led to that reaction and so we had our answer. The acid test would always be what happened when City scored. Or Tottenham. And so when it arrived, early in the second-half, the reaction said it all.

Erling Haaland tapped home. Some Tottenham fans even clapped and then the chorus came. The defiance kicked in with their own appropriated way of celebrating even if it was a goal that ended Spurs dwindling hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

“Are you watching Arsenal,” came the chant from the South Stand and it rang around like a weight had been lifted. Like they finally knew what to do and how to act and the maelstrom of mixed emotions up until that point had finally been calmed.

Before that those fans did not know whether to laugh or cry; whether to be angry or militant or enjoy the painful absurdity of it all. And, so, instead they were subdued until City scored. Before then this was as muted as it has ever been inside the Tottenham stadium.

It all felt slightly surreal with Spurs and City half-and-half scarves being touted outside before kick-off and middle-aged men staring earnestly into the TV cameras up and down the Tottenham High Road declaring they would rather “sell their mother” than see their team help Arsenal win the Premier League.

“We’re not really here,” chanted the City supporters and it felt like many of those home fans would have nodded in agreement. It did not look like they really wanted to be here. Or, once here, they did not know what to do.

The atmosphere was made all the more strange considering what was at stake; considering Spurs were still in the Champions League fight; considering this was their last home game of the season. And considering they were playing as well as they had done for some time.

Inside two minutes a loud rendition of “stand up if you hate Arsenal” rang around but it was not particularly intense. It was heard again after half an hour but by then the muscle memory of backing their team had started to kick in.

Did they want their team to score? Did they want their team to win or draw even if it switched the advantage to Arsenal in the title race ahead of Sunday’s final round of fixtures? Certainly it felt, when they attacked, like they did even if they may have been responding by instinct rather than rationale.

The biggest roar of all came just before half-time when Radu Dragusin got in the way of a goal-bound shot from Bernardo Silva and beat his chest and Spurs were applauded off at half-time. In a different set of circumstances, though, that would have been far more intense and guttural.

The pain of knowing a positive result would so decisively help Arsenal continued to be palpable. Twenty years ago Arsenal had won the league at White Hart Lane, the last time they were champions, and how they sing about that. Spurs did not want another song. They would give up the points for that, surely. Or so it felt.

Interestingly it appeared to affect City, also. The tempo was not the same. The urgency was not quite there − they also looked tired − and Pep Guardiola was becoming increasingly exasperated. It was not quite the air of a pre-season friendly or a meaningless end of campaign game but it felt close to that which is all the more remarkably given the importance of this result and its ramifications.

Maybe it would have been different had City scored early. Or, if Spurs had quickly gone into the lead. What would the reaction have been then? In fact it was only the second time in their last nine home games that Spurs had not conceded in the first half, while that statistic that City had not yet won a league game at this stadium hung in the air.

It was not just the fans who were being reserved. Spurs were also playing far more cautiously, less open and cavalier than in the 3-3 between the two sides at the Etihad last December. This was a very different game. A very different set of circumstances.

The City goal shifted the dynamic. Suddenly there was more noise. A bit of a buzz and a reaction and the competitive instinct kicked in even harder, after the goading of Arsenal. When he was substituted Rodrigo Bentancur angrily kicked his seat in the dug-out. It was probably how Spurs collectively felt.

As the clock ticked the noise abated. No-one quite knew what to do and what it would mean had Spurs scored. After all the truth was they needed a win not a draw. A draw only helped Arsenal.

As the clock ticked the noise abated. No-one quite knew what to do and what it would mean had Spurs scored. After all the truth was they needed a win not a draw. A draw only helped Arsenal.

They did not give up on the pitch, though. No-one could accuse them of that. They pushed hard for an equaliser and they had their chances which, in fairness, were roared on. Then Haaland applied the killer blow from the penalty spot and it was all over.

Although quite what the response would have been had Spurs actually scored remained to be seen. No doubt they would have said it was, well, the most ‘Spursy’ thing to do especially as it would mean little for them and everything to their neighbours.