Sergio Aguero scored his 10th goal in seven games against Tottenham and closed in on the golden boot as the Lilywhites suffered a 1-0 defeat at White Hart Lane.

Spurs had lost their previous three games against City by an aggregate score of 15-2 so today’s result marks an improvement.

However, having made a bright start in a breathless first half and registered 21 shots on goal – five of them on target -- Tottenham will be disappointed to have lost the game.

The only goal came in the 29th minute as Aguero finished off a break while Spurs’ defenders were upfield, netting his 22nd league goal of the season – which puts him two ahead of Spurs’ Harry Kane in the battle for the golden boot.

There was one change to the Spurs side that had lined up against Southampton in their previous game, with Danny Rose returning from injury at left-back.

It was a breathless first half with chances at both ends. Tottenham started brightly and Nacer Chadli broke down the left before seeing his low ball across to the unmarked Erik Lamela blocked by the sliding Aleksandar Kolarov, and Eric Dier headed wide from the ensuing corner before Lamela freed Kane behind the City defence, only for the striker to drag his shot wide.

City responded, with Kolarov crossing for the unmarked Aguero, who lashed a thunderous volley just over the bar from 10 yards, while Hugo Lloris got down quickly to block James Milner’s dangerous cross into the goalmouth.

Kane shot wide from outside the box, while Spurs survived a scare as Lloris came out of his box and slipped. Aguero raced past Federico Fazio and seemed set to score into an open net, only to trip and go down in the box. There seemed to be contact from Fazio – leaving Spurs fans fearing a penalty and possibly a red card – but referee Andre Marriner waved away City’s appeals.

Spurs’ full-backs combined as the lively Danny Rose crossed for Dier, who arrived at the back post and volleyed goalwards, but Kolarov was there to block.

It was City who broke the deadlock though after a Tottenham set piece. Goalkeeper Joe Hart launched a counter-attack and, with Spurs’ centre-backs out of position, David Silva threaded the ball through to Aguero, who ran in behind Ryan Mason and finished past Lloris at the near post.

The visitors nearly got a second goal as Fernandinho’s low shot was deflected away by Rose, but Spurs were still threatening and Kane took advantage of slack marking to receive a routine throw-in, turn and volley straight at Hart.

Aguero was enjoying himself and he beat Mason and Fazio on the halfway line before shrugging off Nabil Bentaleb to ultimately set up a chance for Fernandinho, who shot wide.

Spurs nearly equalised before half-time though as Kane crossed for Mason, who was unmarked eight yards out and swivelled to shoot, only to be denied by Hart.

Kane and Aguero both went close in rapid succession around the hour-mark, with Kane again being foiled by Hart and Aguero latching onto Fernandinho’s chipped pass and going around Lloris, only to shoot into the side netting.

Substitute Roberto Soldado saw a shot blocked as time ticked away, while Lamela forced yet another save from Hart in the closing stages, but Tottenham could not find a leveller.

Tottenham: Lloris, Dier, Fazio, Vertonghen, Rose, Bentaleb, Mason (Paulinho 70), Lamela, Eriksen (Soldado 59), Chadli (Adebayor 84), Kane