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

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

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

City's chairman Khaldoon al Mubarrak and chief executive Garry Cook applaud from the stands as the players enter the pitch
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

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

The home side start brightly ... here, Carlos Tevez challenges Younes Kaboul for the ball
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Tottenham's Benoit Assou-Ekotto flies into Adam Johnson
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Welsh winger Gareth Bale volleys just wide for the visitors
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Mancini re-directs his charges as he senses that Spurs are beginning to assert themselves
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

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

Emmanuel Adebayor holds off Michael Dawson
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Gareth Barry limps off early in the second half, to be replaced by former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Peter Crouch eyes an opportunity as Kolo Toure lunges in to deny him
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Again, Crouch is in the thick of the action, this time rivalling Vincent Kompany
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

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

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

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

Redknapp implores his side to play it cool in the final minutes
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

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

Tevez trudges off - his hopes of returning to the Champions league with the blue half of Manchester having been shattered
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Tottenham's fans celebrate at the end having finally broken the top four monopoly
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

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