Football: Manchester City v Tottenham in pictures

A berth in next season's Champions League awaits one of these two sides and the following 90 minutes could determine which of them claims it. Tottenham's players, seen here warming up before kick-off, know that victory tonight will seal it for them. City, just a point behind Spurs in the Premier League table, will be desperate to prevent such an outcome Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk The City manager Roberto Mancini wears a strained expression ahead of a contest which has upwards of £30m riding on the outcome Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: Tom Jenkins/guardian.co.uk His opposite number, Harry Redknapp, accused City of bully-boy transfer tactics earlier this week. Mind-games, perhaps, before such a momentous encounter ... Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk City's chairman Khaldoon al Mubarrak and chief executive Garry Cook applaud from the stands as the players enter the pitch Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk The Tottenham captain Ledley King tries to inspire his team-mates with a pre-match huddle. It's almost 50 years since Spurs last played in Europe's premier club competition – not since the lasagne episode in 2006, when the team was struck by food poisoning ahead of a pivotal match with West Ham, have they been this close to qualification Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk The home side start brightly ... here, Carlos Tevez challenges Younes Kaboul for the ball Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Tottenham's Benoit Assou-Ekotto flies into Adam Johnson Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Welsh winger Gareth Bale volleys just wide for the visitors Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Mancini re-directs his charges as he senses that Spurs are beginning to assert themselves Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Peter Crouch cracks the post with a header midway through the first half as City's goalkeeper Marton Fulop watches helplessly. Shortly afterwards, Ledley King was denied a goal for leaning onto Gareth Barry before heading into the net Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Emmanuel Adebayor holds off Michael Dawson Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Gareth Barry limps off early in the second half, to be replaced by former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Peter Crouch eyes an opportunity as Kolo Toure lunges in to deny him Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Again, Crouch is in the thick of the action, this time rivalling Vincent Kompany Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Tevez is foiled by Ledley King, whose been outstanding at the centre of Tottenham's defence tonight. King is being watched by the England manager Fabio Capello, who'll be impressed not only by the performance but also by King's ability to play three successive games despite his recurrent knee problems Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Tevez is stopped by Assou-Ekotto. A draw would be a huge advantage to Spurs who face Burnley in the final game of the season this weekend. City have, thus far, been impotent and they now have just ten minutes to overhaul the visitors in this match ... Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk But Crouch is presented with an opportunity to score when a right-wing cross takes an awkward deflection, forcing Fulop to parry the ball straight to him ... and the lanky striker instinctively nods it home, sending Spurs fans into ecstasy Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Redknapp implores his side to play it cool in the final minutes Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk And they hold out to seal a top-four finish and a place in the Champions League qualifiers - much to Crouch's delight Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Tevez trudges off - his hopes of returning to the Champions league with the blue half of Manchester having been shattered Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Tottenham's fans celebrate at the end having finally broken the top four monopoly Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Conversely, City's fans hardly know which way to look. They'll be in the Europa League next season, but for Mancini that may prove an inadequate achievement Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk