Manchester City's losing streak stretched to five games in all competitions as Tottenham stunned the Premier League champions with a 4-0 win at the Etihad Stadium.
On his 28th birthday, James Maddison scored twice in the opening 20 minutes as Ange Postecoglou's visitors caught their hosts on the counter-attack.
Maddison was found unmarked at the far post by Dejan Kulusevski for his opener, then exchanged passes with Son Heung-min and achieved a fine finish above Ederson for his second.
City continued to dominate possession but struggled to find a great pass, and their hopes of a second-half battle were dashed when Pedro Porro – who spent three years as a City player between 2019 and 2022 – asked completed another lightning strike in the second half. .
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— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 23, 2024
Erling Haaland got the bar but that was as close as City got to making the league competitive, with Brennan Johnson completing the rout after fine work from Timo Werner as the worst run of Pep Guardiola's managerial career continued.
Second-placed City could now be eight points behind the top after Liverpool's trip to Southampton on Sunday.
Tottenham, meanwhile, climbed to sixth place, four points behind City.
Data debrief: uncharted territory for Pep
City have now lost five games in a row in all competitions, including two against Tottenham, after also being beaten in the EFL Cup last month.
They are the first reigning English champions to lose five games in a row since Chelsea did so in March 1956.
This is the worst losing streak of Guardiola's stellar managerial career, with City last losing six in a row under Stuart Pearce in 2006.
If their dismal run at Liverpool continues in eight days' time, their title defense could be in tatters before the festive season has even started.
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