On the 29th, Chelsea traveled to Leicester City and secured a 1-3 victory. Chelsea's goals were scored by Drogba, Terry, and Ramires, while Leicester replied with a goal by Albrighton.
Four days later, the Premier League resumed. In this round, Manchester City would face Tottenham at White Hart Lane, while Chelsea would host Crystal Palace.
"You all know how important this match is. It might be the toughest game among the ones we have left. So, let's win it," Pellegrini gave his final words before the match began. Kenneth and his teammates walked out of the dressing room and lined up in the tunnel.
In this match, Kenneth started after recovering from an injury. Other key players, such as Joe Hart, Silva, and Aguero, were also in the lineup. Unfortunately, Kompany and Yaya Toure were injured, so they were left out of both the starting lineup and the bench. Fernando replaced Yaya Toure, partnering with Fernandinho as a dual pivot.
Kane extended his hand with a casual nod. "Lee."
Kenneth gripped his hand firmly, meeting Kane's gaze. "Kane, you've been brilliant this season," he said, his tone sincere.
Kane's lips curled into a faint smile. "Yeah, you too. I hope you win the league... but we need this one," he replied, his voice carrying both respect and determination.
Tottenham had been a mixed bag in their last six Premier League outings, with two wins, two draws, and two losses. Their style of play had undoubtedly improved, but consistency remained elusive.
This inconsistency had become something of a trademark for Spurs—a team capable of toppling league leaders like Manchester City but prone to losing against relegation-threatened sides in the next fixture.
At this stage, Tottenham had amassed 58 points, level with Liverpool but sitting sixth due to an inferior goal difference. They trailed fifth-placed Manchester United by five points.
United, meanwhile, had been on a disastrous run since their draw against City. Three straight defeats—starting with Chelsea, followed by a 0-3 thrashing at Everton, and most recently, a shocking loss to WBA at Old Trafford on May 2nd—had derailed their campaign.
This poor form had left the door open for both Tottenham and Liverpool to battle for a coveted Champions League spot.
Kenneth released Kane's hand with a faint smile. "Yeah, let's just settle it on the pitch."
Kane chuckled lightly, nodding in agreement. "You're right."
As they walked back to their respective sides, the tension in the air grew palpable. Both players knew the stakes were high, and the outcome of this clash could shape the trajectory of their season.
Tottenham wasted no time, starting the match with fierce intensity. From the first whistle, they pushed Manchester City onto the back foot.
Ryan Mason spotted Bentaleb in space and sent him a sharp pass. Bentaleb took a moment to assess his options, his eyes locking on Chadli's darting run behind Zabaleta. With precision, he launched a perfectly weighted ball over the top.
Chadli burst forward, outpacing Zabaleta and reaching the ball near the byline. But just as he lined up a cross, Zabaleta recovered brilliantly, sliding in to block the low delivery.
The crowd roared as Tottenham earned their first corner of the match. Erik Lamela stepped up confidently, curling the ball into the heart of the penalty area. Eric Dier rose above everyone, connecting with a powerful header, but the ball sailed harmlessly wide. Spurs fans exhaled their disappointment.
Tottenham, however, were relentless. Their high press suffocated City, forcing Joe Hart to abandon any thoughts of playing out from the back. Instead, Hart opted for a long punt upfield.
The ball soared toward Aguero, but Jan Vertonghen was alert, rising to meet it and heading it down to Bentaleb. Before the Algerian could fully control the ball, Kenneth Lee pounced, tackling it cleanly and surging forward in one fluid motion.
Kenneth's burst of pace left Bentaleb trailing as he chased down the loose ball. With a quick glance to his left, he threaded a perfectly timed through ball to Milner, who was racing down the flank.
Milner, facing Federico Fazio instead of the rapid Kyle Walker, seized the opportunity to exploit the slower defender. He drove forward with purpose, edging past Fazio, but the Argentine made a desperate sliding tackle, poking the ball out of play just as Milner approached the penalty area.
Kolarov hurried to take the throw-in, tossing the ball to Milner, who was immediately pressed by Fazio. Calm under pressure, Milner nudged the ball back to Kenneth.
Surrounded by a swarm of Spurs players, Kenneth quickly assessed the situation. With a deft pullback and sharp turn, he created enough space to dribble away from danger, retreating toward his own half before delivering a composed pass to Mangala.
Moments later, Tottenham struck back. Eriksen dispossessed Fernandinho in midfield and spotted Kane making a run behind the City defense. With a perfectly weighted through ball, Eriksen sent Kane through on goal—but the striker's timing was off, and the flag went up for offside.
The game had barely begun, yet it already felt electric. Both sides were locked in a tactical battle, each probing for a breakthrough in a match destined to be decided by the finest of margins.
In the first 10 minutes, Tottenham relentlessly pressed City, forcing them to avoid risky passes. This made it difficult for City to break through Tottenham's defense.
The 12th minute showcased Manchester City's tactical finesse as they cleverly drew Tottenham's press forward, opening up space in midfield. Demichelis, calm under Kane's pressure, executed a precise pass to Kenneth Lee.
Kenneth controlled the ball beautifully with his chest, feeling the presence of Bentaleb closing in. Holding the ball for just a moment, he released it to David Silva with a smooth touch before turning on his heels and sprinting into space.
Kenneth quickly recognized Aguero's intent as the striker dropped deep to pull Vertonghen out of position. Silva, ever the magician, slipped the ball to Aguero, who wasted no time threading a perfect through ball into Kenneth's path.
The crowd's anticipation swelled as Kenneth darted forward, timing his run impeccably. As Eric Dier rushed to close him down, Kenneth unleashed a shot aimed toward the far post. The stadium held its breath, but the ball sailed agonizingly wide.
On the touchline, Ruben Cousillas sighed, shaking his head in quiet disappointment. "They've developed such a brilliant connection," he murmured, still marveling at the seamless interplay between Aguero, Silva, and Kenneth.
Pellegrini smiled faintly, his eyes following the players as they reset. "That's the beauty of football," he said softly. "Different ages, different nationalities, different religions—it doesn't matter. It all comes together on the pitch."
The game's intensity only grew.
Two minutes later, David Silva found himself brought down by Eric Lamela, earning City a free kick from a dangerous position about ten meters outside the penalty area. Silva stepped up, delivering a curling cross into the box, but Federico Fazio rose highest to clear it with a strong header.
Tottenham wasted no time transitioning into attack. Eriksen, ever the playmaker, gathered the ball and launched it forward to Nacer Chadli. The Belgian sprinted down the wing, his blistering pace leaving Zabaleta in his wake.
Chadli's clever cutback found Harry Kane near the penalty spot. Kane struck the ball cleanly with his right foot, but to the dismay of Spurs fans, it soared narrowly over the crossbar.
The momentum stayed with Tottenham as the 15th minute brought more drama. Fernando, under Eriksen's relentless pressure, rushed a pass to Fernandinho. The ball escaped Fernandinho's control, and Ryan Mason pounced, intercepting it with ease.
Mason quickly fed Lamela, who found himself tightly marked by Kolarov. Unable to turn, Lamela laid the ball off to Fazio, who whipped a cross into the box.
Harry Kane, determined to make amends for his earlier miss, met the cross with a thunderous volley. But once again, his effort veered wide, the ball skimming past the right post.
The Spurs fans groaned in unison, their team coming close but failing to capitalize. On the other side, City's defense regrouped, aware that their opponents were not backing down. The match was heating up, and the stakes were growing higher with every passing moment.