Robbie Keane had put the visitors in the 32nd minute by clipping a left-footed shot past Joe Hart.

However, just before the hour Stephen Ireland poked home from close range before Nedum Onuoha’s powerful header clinched a first victory since the Manchester derby on February 10.

Ireland’s strike ended a six-hour 14-minute goal drought stretching back to that success over United and provided the catalyst for a much-improved display from Sven-Goran Eriksson’s previously struggling side.

It was City’s first win in six home matches and their first victory over Tottenham since April 2003.

For Spurs, however, the result capped a miserable week which saw them dumped out of the UEFA Cup on penalties by PSV Eindhoven.

It had all begun so well for the visitors as Keane went close to opening the scoring in the fourth minute as, after exchanging passes with Aaron Lennon, he turned Onuoha close to the byline but curled a shot with the outside of his right foot narrowly wide of the far post.

Benjani Mwaruwari and Nery Castillo then combined down the right before the Zimbabwe international was muscled out by Jonathan Woodgate at the expense of a corner, which came to nothing.

Richard Dunne, playing his 250th league match for City, fouled Dimitar Berbatov in the eighth minute but Jermaine Jenas curled the 30-yard free-kick straight into the arms of Hart.

Benjani and Castillo linked well down the right but when the former crossed low Michael Dawson prevented Michael Johnson getting a shot in.

City had a shout for a penalty when Johnson’s shot struck Dawson, although television replays showed the ball came off his chest.

The rebound dropped to Elano, playing in an unfamiliar left wing position, and he curled in a cross which Benjani headed with little conviction, enabling Dawson to clear off the goalline.

Spurs finally made the breakthrough in the 32nd minute after Vedran Corluka’s mistake on the halfway line set Pascal Chimbonda racing down the left.

His perfectly-weighted through-ball found Keane and the captain clipped a left-footed shot past Hart.

City’s response was for Johnson to set Castillo free on the right but with no-one in support his shot from a narrow angle found the side-netting.

Elano’s left-footed strike then forced Paul Robinson into a diving save as the hosts stepped up the tempo as the half drew to a close

Castillo had a chance seconds before the break when he burst clear of the defence but delayed his shot and the chance was lost.

Spurs made a change at the start of the second half with Tom Huddlestone replacing Lennon, meaning Jenas moved to right midfield.

City began where they left off before the interval and an incisive move involving Dunne, Elano and Ireland set up Benjani on the edge of the penalty area – but just as he was about to shoot Woodgate dived in to block.

Castillo then had a chance from close range but a combination of Dawson and Robinson charged down his effort.

Tottenham’s first effort of the second half saw Huddlestone drive straight at Hart from 30 yards.

The pressure was building on the visitors and City equalised in the 59th minute, ending that long drought.

Benjani’s left-wing cross was messed up by Castillo at the far post but Elano nodded the ball on to Ireland, who looked offside as he converted from close range.

It was a timely intervention as the midfielder was just about to be replaced by Darius Vassell – a substitution City immediately decided against.

Ramos sent on Jamie O’Hara for Malbranque and, somewhat controversially, Darren Bent for Keane in a 66th-minute double substitution.

It was not a move which pleased the Republic of Ireland international, who hurled his tracksuit top to the floor as sat down on the bench.

Vassell finally got his chance in the 71st minute, replacing Castillo, and his first touch won City a corner.

It was a telling contribution as from Elano’s outswinging cross Onuoha outjumped the static Chimbonda to head powerfully past a helpless Robinson.

Bent had the ball in the net with five minutes to go but Berbatov was flagged offside before it even went in.