Manchester City usurped Arsenal at the top of the table after emphatically ending Tottenham's unbeaten Premier League run under Tim Sherwood.

As each match goes by, Manuel Pellegrini's men look increasingly capable of making a serious challenge at an unparalleled quadruple.

The 5-1 defeat of 10-man Tottenham was City's 18th win in a 20-match unbeaten run in all competitions, which started with City's 6-0 demolition of Spurs in November.

Spurs were on the end of another embarrassing hiding this evening as Sherwood tasted defeat for the first time in his seven Premier League games at the helm.

Just four minutes were on the clock when Sergio Aguero struck the post - a warning the hosts failed to heed as in the 15th minute he latched onto a David Silva through-ball to direct past Hugo Lloris.

Remarkably, it was the Argentina international's seventh goal in his five appearances since returning from a calf injury and one he looked likely to add to until he limped off late in the first half.

By that point, Spurs were in the ascendancy and thought they had levelled when Michael Dawson turned in a Christian Eriksen free-kick - only for the goal to be chalked off for offside.

Spurs had a further decision to rue moments into the second half, with Danny Rose controversially sent off by referee Andre Marriner for taking down Edin Dzeko in the box.

Yaya Toure slotted home the resulting spot-kick and City extended their lead in the 53rd minute, with Dzeko netting his sixth goal in as many matches against Tottenham.

Sherwood's men attempted to regroup and did pull one back through substitute Etienne Capoue, but City struck again through a replacement of their own, Stevan Jovetic, and captain Vincent Kompany to head into a tough-looking February top of the pile.