Tottenham did fierce rival Arsenal a huge favor in the Premier League title race on Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dominik Solanke scored a second-half double \u2014 including one from an outrageous scorpion kick \u2014 as Spurs came from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw with second-place Manchester City, leaving Arsenal with a six-point lead with 14 games left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was almost the perfect day for the leaders, with Aston Villa \u2014 the other title contender \u2014 losing 1-0 at home to 10-man Brentford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Villa stayed seven points adrift of Arsenal and was in danger of being reeled in by fourth-place Manchester United, which scored a stoppage-time winner through Benjamin Sesko to beat Fulham 3-2 for a third straight league win under new manager Michael Carrick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having already overseen victories over City and Arsenal in his short tenure, Carrick appears to have the magic touch at revitalized United.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The same cannot be said of Pep Guardiola at the moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was a huge wasted opportunity for Guardiola’s City, which was up against a heavily depleted Tottenham team and was cruising 2-0 ahead at halftime thanks to goals by Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo. At times, it was almost too easy for City in front of an apathetic home crowd at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
City then collapsed as a revitalized Tottenham fought back. Solanke bundled in Spurs\u2019 first goal \u2014 appearing to kick the back of Marc Guehi’s leg, resulting in the ball dribbling over the line \u2014 and then grabbed the equalizer with a deft, flying back-flick that looped over City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and into the corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe first half was difficult \u2014 we couldn’t get near them at times,\u201d Solanke said. \u201cThe second half was a different story. In the second half, we were great and grew with confidence and belief.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the last five games, City has looked vulnerable in losing twice \u2014 to United and tiny Bodo\/Glimt in the Champions League \u2014 and now spluttering against an injury-hit Tottenham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is a setback but we are still there,” Guardiola said. “There are 14 games to go and a lot of points. We will see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Arsenal, a 4-0 winner at Leeds on Saturday, might not have a better chance to end its league title drought stretching back to 2004.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Villa played for more than half the match with an extra man after Brentford winger Kevin Schade\u2019s straight red card for kicking out at Matty Cash in the 42nd minute after they had challenged for the ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the first minute of first-half stoppage time, Dango Ouattara escaped down the right and scored at the second attempt for what proved to be only goal as Brentford weathered a second-half onslaught.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
United squandered a two-goal lead earned by goals from Casemiro and Matheus Cunha, with Raul Jimenez \u2014 via a penalty \u2014 and Kevin scoring to bring Fulham briefly level at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was still time for Bruno Fernandes to send over a cross that was controlled by Sesko before he swiveled to curl home a finish in front of the Stretford End.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the best feeling, I have to say,\u201d Carrick said about the kind of late winners United scored so often under his old manager, Alex Ferguson. “People leave here with more than just, \u2018United won today.\u2019 It\u2019s layers on top of that, the emotion and the feeling, and it\u2019s why we all love it so much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The match took place after a protest by around 500-600 United fans unhappy at the ownership of the 20-time champions, but the team is finally in a decent league position \u2014 fourth place \u2014 in its bid to return to the Champions League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
United is five points behind Villa with 14 rounds remaining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n