“Tottenham Urged to Offload Struggling Star Following Draw with Man City”

Tottenham Hotspur wrapped up the Premier League weekend on Sunday night with a thrilling home encounter against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. For long stretches, defeat seemed inevitable, but a spirited second-half comeback from Spurs ensured the points were ultimately shared in north London.

City looked in complete control after first-half goals from Rayan Cherki and January signing Antoine Semenyo. However, Tottenham showed resilience after the interval, fighting back to frustrate Guardiola’s title contenders and deny them a crucial win.

The visitors struck early, asserting dominance just after the ten-minute mark. Bernardo Silva threaded a clever pass to Erling Haaland, who resisted the urge to shoot and instead squared the ball to Cherki. The Frenchman shifted onto his right foot and fired a low shot into the bottom-left corner, beyond Guglielmo Vicario’s reach.

Spurs struggled to find their rhythm and were punished again just before half-time. Sustained City pressure paid off when Semenyo reacted quickest in the box to score and double the lead, leaving Tottenham with a daunting task at the break.

There was a moment of hope when Dominic Solanke appeared to pull one back after neat footwork in the City area, but the goal was officially recorded as an own goal by Marc Guehi after a deflection wrong-footed Gianluigi Donnarumma. Even so, the strike injected belief into a Spurs side that had looked flat before the interval.

Seventeen minutes later, Tottenham were level. Solanke made amends in spectacular fashion, producing an improvised scorpion-style finish that looped over Donnarumma and into the net, sending the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium into celebration. Momentum swung firmly in the hosts’ favour, but despite late pressure from both sides, neither team could find a winner.

Before the comeback, however, Tottenham’s performance had been underwhelming. The midfield partnership of Conor Gallagher and Yves Bissouma lacked urgency and control, frequently conceding possession cheaply.

Solanke was often isolated up front, while Vicario struggled to command his area.
The spotlight, though, fell most heavily on Radu Dragusin. Signed from Genoa in January 2024 as a long-term prospect, the Romanian centre-back has endured a difficult spell at Spurs and remains behind Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero in the pecking order under both Ange Postecoglou and current manager Thomas Frank.

In two years at the club, Dragusin has made just 39 appearances, totalling 2,610 minutes, mostly as a substitute. Recently returning from a cruciate ligament injury in December, he had played only six minutes of Premier League football before City’s visit. With Van de Ven unavailable, Frank handed him his first league start in over a year.

City’s attacking trio of Cherki, Haaland and Semenyo relentlessly tested Spurs’ defence, exposing any rust in Dragusin’s game. His timing, positioning and confidence were repeatedly challenged by Guardiola’s aggressive attacking patterns.

Context is important. Tottenham were without 12 players through injury, leaving Frank with limited options. Dragusin had barely played competitively for months, and throwing him into a match of this intensity was always going to be risky.

Nevertheless, his display has intensified speculation about his future. Roma have been strongly linked with a move for the Romania international, initially exploring a loan deal until the end of the 2025/26 season. His agent, Florin Manea, has previously expressed a desire to push through a transfer, though the clubs have yet to reach an agreement.

Among Spurs supporters, there is a growing belief that Dragusin might benefit from a fresh start. Following Sunday’s match, online fan reaction was brutal, with many blaming him for City’s goals and questioning his quality.

While some of the criticism may be harsh, it highlights the pressure surrounding the defender’s situation in north London.
Beyond Dragusin’s struggles, Tottenham’s wider challenge is clear. With Champions League football not returning until March, Frank’s side must now focus fully on domestic competition. Sitting 14th in the Premier League, Spurs urgently need consistency, stability and points to avoid being dragged into a relegation battle and to climb back toward the top half of the table.

For a club with European ambitions, survival cannot become the narrative — and performances like the first half against City show just how fragile Spurs still appear.