Toure. Aguero. De Bruyne. Each laying off the ball wide to the other, a bit like Sherringham to Shearer in England's 4-1 win over Netherlands at Euro '96. 

Only this one goes on too long. De Bruyne is too far wide once the ball reaches him and Spurs survive again through another last-ditch block. 

Gabriel Jesus, the Brazilian 19-year-old forward, is warming up.

J Dizzle: Clear penalty. Hes gone through Sterling to get the ball.

Nikhil: Raheem Sterling should stop going down and shoot the ball once he's in the box, awful play great defending from Spurs.

City look to soak up some time. Claudio Bravo - not at fault for the goal this time - takes his time over a boot up the park that Dave Beasant would be proud of. 

Raheem Sterling and Danny Rose write the next installment of their ongoing battle in the Spurs penalty area, and Pablo Zabaleta's cross is pinged out for a City corner. 

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Etihad Stadium

Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo provided the pre-match narrative with his miserable record of conceding 14 goals from the last 22 shots on target against him.

And yet, with the irony football so often provides, it is a goalkeeper rated as one of Europe's finest who is left with his head in his hands.

Tottenham's Hugo Lloris will accept the blame for both of City's goals -  but suddenly Spurs are looking lively after Dele Alli put them back in  the game.

BBC Radio Manchester Sport

Former Manchester City player Paul Lake on BBC Radio Manchester: “The contact came before Danny Rose got the ball.

"For me that is a penalty."

Raheem Sterling pounds the turf in frustration after Danny Rose recovers brilliantly to slide in and prod the ball away, a golden chance for City lost again in the headlights.

And what a pass by Kevin de Bruyne to find him. You won't see a better weighted through-ball. 

Sergio Aguero - and Sterling too, probably - think it should have been a penalty. There was a lot of contact before Rose reached the ball, but you have to say, that's a proper tackle.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Radio Manchester Sport

Former Manchester City player Paul Lake on BBC Radio Manchester: "This is going to be a huge test of the concentration of Kolarov and Zabaleta now."

End-to-end. Sergio Aguero drives down Danny Rose's blind side, but the Spurs man just does enough to hold the City striker off.   

Then Son Heung-min runs clear and finishes into the net with the whistle already gone for offside, and gets a stern ticking off from the ref. 

BBC Radio Manchester Sport

Former Manchester City player Paul Lake on BBC Radio Manchester: “That is the quality of Tottenham. 

"You have got to say that cross was absolutely superb. 

"There was too much pace for Bravo to come and claim it and it evaded all of the defenders."

Peter Collins: I once said Lloris was prone to big game mistakes. I thought he'd moved on from it, but perhaps not. Two big errors

Rachel T: Not ever going to slate Hugo, he has kept us in more games over the years than I care to remember

Bob Moss: Stop it Lloris you are making Bravo look good.

What a truly bizarre few minutes. Out of nothing, City have stormed into a 2-0 lead. 

Tottenham's seven-match winning run looks certain to end with defeat. 

Can they produce something equally stunning in reply?

Image source, Reuters

Calamity. Spurs are opened up down the right and Raheem Sterling whips a cross into the box. The winger slumps as he sees Hugo Lloris dive to claim. 

But wait, the ball somehow, he won't know how, pops loose in Lloris' arms. And Kevin de Bruyne simply stabs in City's second. 

A terrible mistake. Is that the winner?

Image source, Reuters

Nicolas Otamendi goes in the book as he blocks Dele Alli trying to take a quick free-kick in the middle. 

And Alli then shoves the Argentina defender to the floor. Red cards have been shown for less. The Spurs man gets away with one.

Looks like Danny Rose is slipping into the back three, with Son Heung-min perhaps taking up Rose's spot at left wing-back. 

A slow restart. Both sides are still catching their break after that first 45.

A change for Spurs at the break, and on the surface it's an attacking one. 

Forward Son Heung-min is on to replace defender Kevin Wimmer. 

Let's see how they line up, as City get us under way again.

Half-time entertainment at the Etihad is a cosmopolitan affair. Act one, a martial arts display - a nod to Chinese New Year coming up next weekend?

Act two features some free-style football tricks. Kick-ups when you're sitting down. You know the sort of thing. 

- "Have it!"

Richard Morris: Sterling gets himself into great positions but then invariably makes the wrong decision. Very frustrating

Tom Miszkowski: A very unTottenham like half of football, surely they can't be that bad in the 2nd half

Liz Tray: City totally dominate, all over Spurs. Yet, finishing shockingly bad. Confidence rock bottom. Why?! Every chance missed 

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Etihad Stadium

Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino will be delighted to have survived until half-time with no harm done. Manchester City have been in complete control.

There will be frustration for Pep Guardiola, though. His team have been excellent in the first 45 minutes except in that one crucial area - taking their chances.