Pep Guardiola insisted Manchester City will be a Premier League force again in the future after Erling Haaland sealed a 1-0 win at Tottenham.
Haaland's clinical finish in the 12th minute bolstered City's bid to qualify for next season's Champions League as they moved into fourth place. Battling to finish in the top four is a significant letdown for City after they won the last four Premier League titles to make it six in seven seasons for Guardiola.
But in the longer-term, the Spaniard remains convinced City can be restored to their former glory despite a team ageing in some positions and lacking Premier League experience in others.
The good and bad sides to City's spluttering team were on full display in north London as they started brightly but wasted a series of chances to increase their lead before clinging on under heavy pressure after the interval.