London: Tottenham scored three goals in seven minutes late in the second half to beat Manchester City 3-1 Sunday, ensuring runaway leaders Manchester United can wrap up the Premier League title on Monday.
Gareth Bale, back from an ankle injury, sealed a rousing comeback by Spurs with a chipped finish in the 82nd minute after goals by Clint Dempsey and substitute Jermain Defoe left second-place City stunned at White Hart Lane.
Samir Nasri gave the visitors a fifth-minute lead but the champions' late collapse gives United the chance to take away the title from their neighbors' grasp by beating relegation-threatened Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Monday. United need three points from their last five games.
Spurs stayed fifth but closed in on London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea in the race for Champions League qualification. Bale has been Tottenham's inspiration all season and he sparked the revival with a sublime cross that Dempsey tapped in at the far post in the 75th minute.
"As soon as that went in, the crowd lifted, we lifted and we showed the character that the team has got," said the Wales forward, whose shift to the right wing in the second half caused City all sorts of problems.
Defoe cut inside and fired a powerful shot into the corner in the 79th and Bale added further gloss by running in behind the City defense and producing a deft chip to beat goalkeeper Joe Hart.
"It's massive," Bale said. "The club is moving forward every year and all us players want to be playing in the Champions League week in, week out, playing against the best teams. We will be pushing until the end of the season to get in the top."
A win for United over Villa will clinch the title for Alex Ferguson's team with four matches to spare. It's a far cry from the tense finish to the championship last season, when City scored two injury-time goals in their final match to pip United to the title.
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