VAR chalks off City's last-minute winner, helps Spurs steal point

Pep Guardiola must be flabbergasted.

In what surely feels like a case of deja vu, a last-gasp VAR ruling thwarted Manchester City's bid to sink Tottenham on Saturday. After last season's infamous offside call against Raheem Sterling saw the Citizens bounced from the Champions League, this year's edition cost the reigning Premier League champions two points.

Despite dominating proceedings at the Etihad - City outshot Spurs 30-3 - the home side could only come away with a 2-2 draw after Gabriel Jesus' 92nd-minute tally was chalked off following a video review.

Replays showed the ball deflected off the arm of defender Aymeric Laporte prior to the goal. Though the contact wasn't intentional, a rule change heading into the campaign meant the tally was called back.

"Any goal scored or created with the use of the hand or arm will be disallowed this season even if it is accidental," reads the new handball regulation.

But Saturday's one-sided contest should have been decided well before the mayhem in the waning seconds.

City dictated the match, twice taking the lead. Kevin De Bruyne, who looked back to his very best after last year's injury issues, set up a pair of goals in the opening half, with Sterling and Sergio Aguero both finding the net.

But each time Guardiola's men got in front, Spurs hit back, making their rare forays forward count.

Erik Lamela's low effort canceled out Sterling's opener, and Lucas Moura - who'd only stepped onto the pitch 15 seconds prior as a second-half sub - nodded home from a corner to equalize again after Aguero's goal.

"We're always going to have these (kinds) of situations in the season. It is what it is," Guardiola said after the draw. "We played incredible. One of the best games we've played in our time together. We played good, but unfortunately we could not win. We'll recover, train, and prepare for the next game."

Spurs are just the second team to take points off Manchester City at the Etihad since the start of last season, joining Crystal Palace.