Manchester City 1 - 2 Tottenham Hotspur

Bent stars amid reds galore

Updated: November 9, 2008, 12:33 PM ET

Harry Redknapp has lifted Tottenham and Darren Bent in particular - and they made it five matches unbeaten under his stewardship with a 2-1 victory at Manchester City on Sunday.

• Under-fire Hughes set to meet City owner

Spurs moved off the bottom of the Premier League in the process, thanks to two goals from a revitalised Bent in a fixture which City finished with nine men - by which time Tottenham themselves were one down too.

Bent built on his midweek hat-trick against Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Cup to help his side record their first away win in the league this season.

City were left cursing their luck, having taken the lead through Robinho. They lost the advantage, after having Gelson Fernandes sent off 10 minutes later for two yellow cards.

Then captain Richard Dunne was also dismissed by referee Mike Dean, as was Tottenham's Benoit Assou-Ekotto.

City made the breakthrough in the 16th minute, thanks to Robinho's eighth goal of the campaign.

The Brazilian scored with a spectacular effort against FC Twente in the UEFA Cup, but this one was fairly routine.

He found the target from close range, after Darius Vassell's effort had been parried - with Shaun Wright-Phillips also playing a part in a swift counter-attack.

Robinho then picked out Stephen Ireland, but his effort was beaten away by Heurelho Gomes in the 24th minute.

The match took a significant twist in the 26th minute when Fernandes was sent off for two bookable offences - the first on Luka Modric, the second on David Bentley.

Modric almost pulled Spurs level two minutes later, only to be denied by a splendid block from Joe Hart.

They did not have long to wait for the equaliser, however, Bent providing an assured finish in the 29th minute.

He gave Hart no chance, after defender Dunne had failed to cut out a long ball from Modric.

The home side still looked vulnerable, and Dunne failed to clear a cross from Assou-Ekotto in the 41st minute - but the ball was eventually scrambled away.

Bentley was having a lot of possession but was wasteful a minute before half-time when he found space on the right only to loft his effort over the bar.

City were exposed in the 52nd minute when Modric was allowed to find space in the six-yard box but drilled a shot straight at Hart.

Modric was at the heart of every Spurs move and tried his luck on goal five minutes later but saw his shot blocked by Javier Garrido.

City responded, and Wright-Phillips used his pace to get beyond Ledley King. But his effort carried little weight, and Gomes was able to make a comfortable save.

Dunne almost put the hosts ahead again in the 61st minute when he got on the end of an inswinging free-kick from Garrido - but Gomes reacted superbly to block the captain's header.

Spurs went ahead in the 65th minute when Tom Huddlestone picked out Jermaine Jenas in the area.

He laid the ball off into the path of Bent, who rattled a shot in off the post.

City suddenly picked up the pace, despite being down on numbers, and Benjani headed wide in the 72nd minute following a cross from Garrido.

Three minutes later Robinho saw his effort turned around the post by Gomes, and the goalkeeper continued his good work in the 77th minute when he blocked Ireland's effort from an acute angle.

City were reduced to nine in the 83rd minute when Dunne was given a straight red card, after referee Dean adjudged he had hauled back Bent as he homed in on goal.

Tottenham then found themselves down to 10 on the stroke off full-time, Assou-Ekotto red-carded for a challenge on Pablo Zabaleta.

Under-fire Hughes set to meet City ownder

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes spoke of his frustration at referee Mike Dea's dismissal of Fernandes and Dunne.

Hughes said: ''The referee should have been prepared to take the conditions into account but he was not prepared to do that.

''I thought Gelson's second yellow card was harsh as the referee should have given him the benefit of the doubt. It has hurt us badly.

''As for Dunne's sending-off, it was a coming together of bodies and you hope common sense would prevail given the difficult conditions. But again Mr Dean was not prepared to do that.''

Harry Redknapp said of Assou-Ekotto's dismissal: ''You see three red cards given and think it was a kick-up. But it was not like that. There was not really a bad tackle in the game.''

City have now lost three league games on the trot and won only one of their last seven outings.

However, Hughes has been heartened by a meeting with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.

The Welshman is also scheduled to fly out to Abu Dhabi to meet owner Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Hughes said: ''I have had some great meetings with the chairman. He was at my house last night and we had discussions about the future and where we want to take the club. It was very positive.

''He understands the situation we are in at the moment. He is realistic. He knows injuries and suspensions have played a part. The key is to be stronger in future.

''I may well go out this weekend (to meet the owner). If it is not a time where diaries are open, I may go out on another date. But there is no rush.''

Redknapp, meanwhile, was just delighted to see his side move off the foot of the table and Bent take his tally to 11 goals in all competitions.

''A few weeks ago we had only two points and that was scary, '' he said. ''We could have been cast adrift.

''But the whole league is so close apart from the top four, who are clearly the best teams.

''We have some good players and Bent is in great form. He is showing a lot of confidence and it is fantastic for him he is already on 11 goals.''