In the end, it was job done, but Manchester City should count themselves lucky that they are entering the final day of the Premier League season with a two-point advantage. Pep Guardiola's side may have secured a 2-0 victory against Tottenham on Tuesday, but this was a decidedly clunky display - which will have made the result even harder to digest for the hundreds of thousands of Arsenal fans tuned in around the world. City's job is now simple: win against West Ham on Sunday and a fourth-straight Premier League title will be theirs.
Perhaps it was the cricket-like atmosphere or maybe Ange Postecoglou's unexpected, striker-less formation, but the visitors looked well off it in the first 45 minutes. Tottenham put them under sustained periods of pressure and even forced Ederson into action once or twice, dispelling any notions that they would roll over to avoid handing Arsenal a boost in the title race.
City did come closest to opening the scoring before the break, though, with Guglielmo Vicario pulling off a superb, reaction save to deny Phil Foden and Radu Dragusin diverting Bernardo Silva's effort away with his head when it appeared certain to fly in.
The tension that had been building in the first half was soon punctured after the restart, though. Kevin De Bruyne was the architect, fizzing a wicked ball across the penalty area where Erling Haaland was lying in wait to tap home.
The goal drastically changed the atmosphere in the stadium, but it wasn't all plain sailing for the reigning champions. With a little over 20 minutes of normal time remaining, Ederson had to be replaced by Stefan Ortega and the German was immediately called into action, just about smothering Dejan Kulusevski's point-blank effort to keep his side's slim advantage intact.
City had an even shakier moment before the full-time whistle mercifully blew too, with Son Heung-min bursting through on goal after Manuel Akanji dithered on the ball. Ortega was equal to the challenge again, though, with his manager collapsing in a heap on the floor as the dust settled.
Spurs were quickly punished for this missed opportunity too, with Pedro Porro fouling Jeremy Doku in the box in the final minute of the 90, and Haaland duly stepped up to seal an ugly, but vital three points.
GOAL rates City's players from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium...