Masterclass in dark arts sets standard for rest of Spurs' season

Classic Conte display in manager's absence opens up top-four race

- Dan Kilpatrick

Tottenham 1
Kane 15 

Manchester City 0

FOR the first time this season, Tottenham produced a complete and classic Antonio Conte performance albeit without Antonio Conte.

Watching from his home in Italy, where he is recovering from surgery, Conte must have been proud of the way his players executed their game plan, combining thrilling counter-attacking with bodies-on-the-line defending and no shortage of the dark arts.

"Whenever you haven't got your coach there, it's never easy," said Harry Kane, whose 267th Spurs goal earned a 1-0 win over Manchester City and took him past Jimmy Greaves as the club's alltime top scorer. "We showed today we're a unit, a team. I'm sure he was watching proud."

Conte's assistant, Cristian Stellini, deserves plaudits for deputising so effectively in the past week and replicating his boss's energy on the touchline, although this type of contain-and-counter approach against City is second nature for Spurs.

They have now beaten Pep Guardiola's side in similar fashion with five different coaches in the dugout: Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo, Conte and Stellini, who has won all five matches at Inter Milan and Spurs when Conte has been absent.

"It was the type of performance where we knew what we had to do," added Kane. "It wasn't going to be easy at times. We had to dig deep and really suffer and be together. Throughout the whole team everyone showed 110 per cent commitment. I'm sure the gaffer was proud and we can be proud of that."