Back on the turf where the initial wounds of a bruising season were inflicted and Manchester City set about cleansing some of the scars.

It was here in Tottenham in the Carabao Cup in autumn that Pep Guardiola’s team swallowed their first defeat, which somehow turned into five in a row, culminating in a 4-0 hammering by Spurs at the Etihad Stadium.

That sequence was extended to just one win in a dozen. That rattled confidence and that in turn appears to have heralded the end of an era. And maybe even terminated one or two City careers. What happens between now and May will determine the extent of the damage.

There is an FA Cup and Champions League qualification to chase, and victory in north London brought some relief for Pep Guardiola, three days after the pain of losing to Liverpool, the team who look set to succeed his as champions.

Erling Haaland settled the contest. Back in the team and back in the goals inside 12 minutes, taking him to 28 for the season in all competitions.

He thought he had number 29 in stoppage time, only for it to be ruled out for handball after a long VAR check. Haaland had barrelled through challenges from Archie Gray and Kevin Danso as the ball bounced around at chest height.

Erling Haaland scored the only goal of the game as Manchester City beat Tottenham 1-0

Pep Guardiola’s side leapfrogged Chelsea back into fourth in their hunt for Champions League

Tottenham, meanwhile, were unable to find the back of the net after beating City 4-0 in the reverse fixture

It might have hit him on the upper arm. It might not. The footage was inconclusive but, ultimately, City did not care. ‘We won it doesn’t matter, I didn’t see it, it was not clear,’ shrugged Guardiola, who was more concerned by the way his team lost control after the interval.

‘The game was open in the second half because we didn’t close it in the first. We should have closed it. There’s always a lesson. Never ever forget to play because when you do the opponents will make a step up.’

For an hour it was like watching vintage City. The final half hour was more like the new, erratic City and they had to defend for their lives as Tottenham detected an equaliser and gathered momentum kicking towards the South Stand.

Ederson made a fine late save from Son Heung-min and Spurs were still pressing for an equaliser in the final seconds, after the handball fiasco, when Pape Matar Sarr headed the last chance over from close range.

‘Disappointing to lose but we looked more like us,’ was Ange Postecoglou’s verdict. ‘First half, we were too eager to get forward, really wasteful and allowed City to get into the rhythm of their game.

‘Second half, we dominated the game and the territory. Relentless, aggressive football against a good opponent and we never tapered off. We got stronger if anything. Just missing a goal.’

In truth, anything but a win would have been harsh on City, such was their superiority in the first half, and Jeremy Doku in particular, who excelled on the left wing, tormenting Pedro Porro, who could not work out whether to stand off or engage his winger.

Whichever Porro chose to do, seemed like the wrong option as Doku skipped past or shaped crosses around him and he created the goal with a low cross deflected to the feet of Haaland, who finished with a simple side footer at the near post.

Pape Matar Sarr missed a golden opportunity to equalise in the final few moments of the game

Haaland thought he had scored a second for City, but for it to be ruled out for a handball

The forward was, though, back in the team after missing the Liverpool defeat through injury