Harry Kane Blows The Title Race Wide Open

The Premier League title race regained it's intrigue after the striker's stellar performance against City.

[SWIFT KICKS] We likely won't see many better center forward performances this season than Harry Kane's against Manchester City. The English captain left the Etihad Saturday with a brace and having producing a stunning pass in the build up to Spurs' early opener from Dejan Kulusevski.

Kane drifted into menacing areas all game, and was often picked up by nobody. Kulusevski and Son Heung-Min gleefully accepted his precise through balls. This was Harry Kane at his match winning best.

Put simply, City didn’t know how to stop him.

He’s not had the best season. We've all watched in agony some matches as he seemed to meander around the pitch. We've been the first to question whether or not he could even come back to the form he's shown in the past.

Kane knows he hasn't done well too. But all top strikers are prone to going through a rough patch in their careers. It appears though now, that Kane is on the up and up.

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The striker's performance also seems to have lifted the spirits of manager Antonio Conte.

In an interview with Sky Sports Italia released earlier in the week, Conte said his team wasn't good enough to qualify for Europe, and that they had been wakened on paper during the January transfer window.

After the City victory though, Conte beamed: "Honestly this is one of the best group of players I've worked with in my career. I consider at this moment that City are the best team in the world. This type of performance has to give us confidence. We showed that we are working very well, that we are creating a stable team. When you have this kind of performance against City after three defeats, it means we are starting to be stable."

Stable wasn't exactly the word we'd use for Conte after Kane headed home the 95th-minute winner, just moments after Riyad Mahrez equalized from the spot.

By the way - check the fourth official's reaction to Kane's winner... sketchy much?

While Conte may be hoping this is a sign of a turnaround and a push for the top four, Pep Guardiola must be hoping this isn't a sign of a disaster in the making.

Manchester City’s 12-point lead is down to six which means that if Liverpool win their game in hand midweek against Leeds, and if Liverpool win at the Etihad Stadium in April, the two clubs could be level on points.

City are still in the better position, especially since they haven't lost a league game at home against Liverpool under Pep Guardiola.

"I never said the title race was over." - Pep Guardiola

The title race is now similar to the 2018-19 season. Liverpool drew four games in six matches from the End of January to the start of March, leaving them vulnerable to a surging City. Liverpool won their last nine league games that season but couldn't get past City who won their final 14.

Guardiola is well aware of the potential for twists in this season, telling reporters after the Spurs defeat: “We have to fight for every game and every game we are going to win we will be closer. I said weeks ago we have to make a lot of points to be champions and this is what we will try to do."

Pep added: "I never said the title race was over. It’s normal. In January and February the teams at the bottom won their games because everyone fights for everything. It will be difficult. We know it. But it’s happened. We lost a game. We will recover with training sessions and prepare for the next game.”

We've gotta say, Pep seems a little on edge. And that's all because of Harry Kane's performance this past weekend.

So here's to him for making this title race potentially much more exciting. And for giving us a great game to watch on Saturday.