Everyone knows he’s quality: Harry Kane winner was no surprise to Pep Guardiola

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says Harry Kane did not need a match-winning performance to prove his quality after firing Tottenham to a memorable 3-2 victory.

Kane scored twice to remind City exactly what they missed out on when they failed to make a sufficient bid for him in the summer and blow the Premier League title race open.

Guardiola openly admitted to trying to sign Kane, but City never got anywhere near a valuation that even got Spurs interested in selling their top man.

The England captain put on a show at the Etihad Stadium, playing his part in Dejan Kulusevski’s opener and putting Spurs back in front following Ilkay Gundogan’s equaliser with a sublime finish before delivering late drama.

Riyad Mahrez’s stoppage-time penalty had looked like stealing City a point but Kane, who also had a goal ruled out by VAR, had other ideas, heading home an even later winner in the fifth minute of time added on.

Guardiola said: “It was never an option. Everyone knows we were interested but it was not an option. Forget it, it’s in the past.

“It’s not necessary to show the goals he scored tonight to show his quality on the ball, all the UK knows it.”

Spurs have caused City problems in the past and did so again, ending their 15-game unbeaten run on a day when Liverpool, who have a game in hand on the leaders, cut the gap to six points.

Not many people would have seen this one coming, given Spurs had lost their last three Premier League games.

But the Spaniard was perhaps one who was wary.

“I felt it yesterday. I had the feeling that they have fantastic players, a fantastic manager. We knew after three defeats they would be back,” Guardiola added.

“There was practically no space. After that they could keep the ball and with