Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart produced an outstanding display to deny Tottenham victory at White Hart Lane.

Hart saved acrobatically from Jermain Defoe, Tom Huddlestone and Benoit Assou-Ekotto as Spurs started strongly.

The excellent Gareth Bale struck the foot of the post with a rasping drive as a misfiring City were overwhelmed.

City did improve after the break and Shaun Wright-Phillips was denied by a last-ditch tackle, but Hart twice kept out efforts from Roman Pavlyuchenko.

And for all City's spending in the close-season, more than £100m on five new signings, it was Hart - brought back to the club after a season-long loan with Birmingham - who was their most valuable asset.

His magnificent interventions in the first half prevented the home side racking up a score that would have left City's embarrassment of riches simply embarrassed in the opening game of the new Premier League season.

While Tottenham immediately resumed their excellent form from last season, helped by lining up with ex-City man Vedran Corluka as their only change from the side that beat City 1-0 to book their spot in the Champions League play-offs, the visitors looked every inch the team of strangers that they are.

Debutants Yaya Toure, David Silva and Aleksandar Kolarov made little impression, with the latter taken off at half-time, and City boss Roberto Mancini looks set to face a difficult challenge in how to give his side the right balance.

The visitors also had no time to settle in the opening half, as Tottenham played with a fast tempo and produced fluent, attacking football that deserved reward.

Only a brilliant save from Hart, diving to his left, kept out Defoe's volley - the 23-year-old England keeper quickly justifying his selection ahead of Shay Given.

Hart made another fine stop to keep out Huddlestone's 25-yard effort and, later, produced an ever better one to claw away an Assou-Ekotto shot that was headed for the top corner.

With Bale in particular proving a menace, giving right-back Micah Richards a torrid time, Spurs attacked at will.

Bale was denied a penalty after falling under Richards's challenge and the left winger was then extremely unlucky to see his low, angled shot come back off the post with Hart for once beaten. Defoe returned the rebound but Vincent Kompany blocked the effort.

Tottenham striker Defoe was again denied soon after when the advancing Hart prevented him slotting home from Huddlestone's excellent pass over the top.

City carried little attacking threat as their midfield - packed with holding players - failed to retain the ball and lacked creativity.

In their only half-chances of the opening period, skipper Carlos Tevez hesitated in the box and was dispossessed and shots by Yaya Toure and Kolarov were wayward, and with Emmanuel Adebayor on the bench, City looked light up front.

But the visitors gave a better account of themselves after the break following what was likely to have been been a stern talk from manager Mancini - the Italian had almost lost his voice at the end of the game.

Possession and territory was more evenly split between the sides, and it was City who threatened first.

Yaya Toure looped a ball over the top for Wright-Phillips, who could not quite bring it under control and was robbed by an excellent tackle from Assou-Ekotto.

Another scooped pass from Yaya Toure played in Silva but his shot was blocked by Ledley King and Tevez wasted a half chance on the follow-up.

Yaya Toure's influence on the game was much greater now and Spurs could not dominate as they had done.

However, Spurs boss Harry Redknapp's side still looked dangerous and created chances to win the game.

A fast break from the home side gave substitute Pavlyuchenko two chances to test Hart and the goalkeeper was again equal to the challenge.

City brought on Adebayor to give them extra presence up front, but it was their defence that was almost exposed as the ball dropped to Bale in the box. He should have scored, but sliced his right-footed shot wide.

It proved to be the last chance of a game that Tottenham will feel they should have won after a sublime first-half display.

City will be heartened that they hung on when on the ropes and they come away with a rare point, having stopped a run of six straight league defeats at White Hart Lane.