It was an extraordinary finale and, amid all the drama and utter confusion, spare a thought perhaps for those Manchester City supporters who had happily left the stadium, believing they had just seen their team score a dramatic and joyous stoppage-time winner.

What they had not accounted for was VAR concluding, after what felt like an age, that the shot from Gabriel Jesus had been preceded by a handball from Aymeric Laporte. Jesus had danced in front of the supporters, wriggling his hips, samba-style. Pep Guardiola and Sergio Agüero, who had fallen out so publicly earlier in the second half, had made up with a touchline embrace. The scoreboard had pronounced it was 3-2. And the Spurs players had all retreated before the signal came that the goal could not stand. And, suddenly, there was a tinny roar from the away end.

Pep Guardiola says VAR decisions could do with ‘a little more consistency’ Read more

For City, that was an excruciating moment of deja vu bearing in mind the influence of VAR when these sides met in April’s Champions League quarter-final. The shot-count in their latest encounter was 30-3 in favour of the home team and, in corners, 11-2. Guardiola described it as one of the more illuminating performances of his three-year reign. What City could not do, ultimately, was make the game safe after Raheem Sterling and Agüero had put them in front, twice.

Play Video 0:58 'It was déjà vu' says Pep Guardiola after VAR rules out late goal against Spurs – video

Spurs duly nabbed a point courtesy of equalising goals from Érik Lamela and the substitute Lucas Moura, only 19 seconds after coming on, as well as some splendid goalkeeping from Hugo Lloris and various moments of fortune when City, inspired by the brilliance of Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva, threatened to overwhelm them.

Nobody should be too harsh on City because they had played stylishly and fully warranted Guardiola’s compliments. That, however, made it an even more painful occasion for the champions because, if there is one lesson to be had from last season, it is that a draw these days is a bad result for a team with title aspirations.

This one ended a 15-match winning sequence, going back to January, and the spat between Guardiola and Agüero was probably a measure of their frustrations. It was not the first time the two have clashed and, for an uncomfortable amount of time, Guardiola could be seen flapping his arms and covering his mouth so nobody, bar Agüero, could make out the precise words. Suffice to say, it didn’t look like a “well done”.

Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur: Premier League – live! Read more

For Spurs, it was a tough, obdurate performance, albeit one that must have reminded them they are still a considerable distance behind City in terms of pure skill. Not that they should worry too much about that after ending a run of six successive away defeats. If that had extended to seven, it would have equalled their worst run since August to December 2000, when George Graham was in charge.

To make matters worse for City, they could legitimately argue they ought to have been awarded a penalty in the first half because of Lamela’s manhandling of Rodri at a corner. The referee, Michael Oliver, evidently did not think a player being grappled to the floor was worthy of being penalised. Neither did the VAR officials, which was mysterious when this was precisely the sort of oversight they should be trying to put right.

Amid all this controversy, it also now transpires that Sterling is capable of scoring the kind of expertly placed header that has never previously been listed among the skills of a player who stands at 5ft 6in. Though it helps when De Bruyne is capable of swinging over the kind of beautifully weighted delivery that led to the opening goal.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Raheem Sterling scored a goal to make it 1-0. Photograph: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

The cross was sumptuous, spinning high in the air before arcing towards the back post. Sterling had turned his body position so when the ball connected with his forehead it went back across Lloris before nestling just inside the side-netting. It was placed to perfection. And, in that precise moment, the television cameras caught Guardiola looking at his coaching staff as if he was a little surprised, too.

Their lead lasted three minutes before Lamela strode through the middle to place a left-footed shot past Ederson. Laporte had committed the classic defensive error of turning his back as his opponent shaped to shoot. Twenty yards out, Lamela curled a low effort into the bottom corner.

City took the lead for a second time when Agüero darted forwards to turn in another of De Bruyne’s right-sided deliveries and, as a snapshot of how the game was going, how about the moment late in the first half when Bernardo was boxed in by three opponents but gave them all the slip? The olés were memorable as Bernardo eluded Tanguy Ndombele, Danny Rose and Lamela.

The problem for City was turning their superiority into more goals and that left them vulnerable to the kind of sucker punch Moura delivered after his 55th-minute introduction for Harry Winks. Lamela swung over the corner from the right. Moura’s header flashed past Ederson and Spurs held on, courtesy of a correct, though late, VAR decision and more evidence of how the sport is changing.