Tottenham will aim to avoid a fourth consecutive league defeat when they face the formidable Manchester City at the Etihad.
Manchester City, who face Tottenham Hotspur this weekend, have not been at their absolute best this season, as there have been a few slip ups along the way. Last weekend, the reigning Premier League champions conceded another late goal in a top-four clash, as Trent Alexander-Arnold brought Liverpool level at the Etihad to earn a point for the Merseysiders.
The result allowed Arsenal to capitalise with a late victory over Brentford to go top of the table. Manchester City will now aim to keep pace with the Gunners if the leaders win their clash against Wolves on Saturday. Now, Pep Guardiola will want his side to take three points against bogey team Tottenham at the Etihad to keep hold of second spot potentially.
Guardiola’s side could come under pressure with another underwhelming result on Sunday. They must keep up the pace with Arsenal, with Liverpool lurking behind closely. A win over Tottenham would improve their momentum heading into a tough week of action when they face Aston Villa in midweek.
As Manchester City continue to remain in tight contention for the title, Tottenham’s challenge has unravelled in an untimely manner. Three consecutive defeats in the Premier League have seen Spurs drop down to fifth on the table, as there are calls for Ange Postecoglou to change his methods amid some horrific results on board.
The Chelsea game visibly changed the dynamics for Spurs, as they lost two of their key performers, Micky van de Ven and James Maddison, to significant injuries. Since then, the depleted squad with other missing personnel has not coped with the pressure in the following two games.
An unfortunate late defeat away to Wolves added to their woes. But last weekend’s loss at home to Aston Villa may have sent warning signs. A fourth consecutive defeat will be unprecedented for Tottenham’s hope of challenging for the title, as it could also put a dent in their top-four credentials.
Team News & Tactics
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola will be delighted with the fitness update of his squad, with the manager close to having a near-full set of players at his disposal. Kevin De Bruyne remains absent and is not expected to return until the new year. John Stones is close to making his comeback, but Sunday’s clash will come too soon.
😁😁😁 pic.twitter.com/q4KRkz8HKG
— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 1, 2023
Summer signings Mathues Nunes and Mateo Kovacic are also absent from action, as they have been for the last few weeks. The latter is at least closer than the former over his return, as the Portuguese international is some weeks away from getting back on track.
Rodri and Manuel Akanji will maintain their recent midfield partnership, with Bernardo Silva playing further ahead. Julian Alvarez should replace Rico Lewis to play alongside the Portuguese midfielder, while Jeremy Doku might replace Jack Grealish on the left-hand side.
Phil Foden will remain on the right wing to help Erling Haaland in the leading striker role. At the back, Nathan Ake might come in for Josko Gvardiol on the left side of the back three. Ruben Dias and Kyle Walker will retain their spots, and further behind them, Ederson should replace Stefan Ortega in goal.
Probable Lineup (3-2-4-1): Ederson; Walker, Dias, Ake; Akanji, Rodri; Foden, Alvarez, Silva, Doku; Haaland
Tottenham
Rodrigo Bentancur became the latest player to join those already in the treatment room. But the situation with the Uruguayan was rather stark. The midfielder was only making his first start in nearly half a year after recovering from a knee problem, as he tore ankle ligaments after a strong challenge by Matty Cash. He is now set to miss at least three months of action.
Richy stepping up his rehab ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/KskYvLV0ME
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 30, 2023
Cristian Romero will serve his suspension and should return for the midweek clash against West Ham United. With Micky van de Ven also missing, Ange Postecoglou might resist the temptation of recalling Eric Dier in central defence as he could stick with Emerson Royal and Ben Davies in the middle. Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro should continue in the full-back roles.
Pape Matar Sarr is still a significant doubt for Spurs ahead of the game on Sunday. Giovani Lo Celso, who scored upon his first start in a long while, could keep his place with Yves Bissouma returning to the lineup. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg remains an option for Postecoglou. But only time will tell whether the manager prefers the Dane in his setup against Manchester City.
There are also injuries to many of their attacking players, with Richarlison the closest to making a return. The Brazilian might not play a part on Sunday, meaning Bryan Gil could once again start on the left-hand side. Brennan Johnson could begin on the right, with Dejan Kulusevski taking up the central attacking role. Son Heung-min remains Tottenham’s best option to lead the line.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Porro, Emerson, Davies, Udogie; Bissouma, Lo Celso; Johnson, Kulusevski, Gil; Son
Key Stats
- Manchester City are undefeated in 27 of their last 30 matches in the Premier League.
- Since Guardiola’s arrival, Manchester City have lost more games against Tottenham than any other opponent.
- Man City have won nine of their last 13 games against Tottenham at the Etihad in the Premier League.
- Tottenham have lost their last three Premier League games.
- Tottenham are only one of the two teams to win at the Etihad since November 2021.
Player to Watch
Son Heung-min
🤍 @Sonny7 pic.twitter.com/0gVDqo5aBW
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 2, 2023
What this game represents is openness in the field, something that would benefit both teams in the process. Spurs have come to be known for their fast starts and chance creations early in games, something they will look to replicate against Manchester City.
As the game progresses, Manchester City could dominate proceedings, but Spurs, with their counter and pace, can still create clear-cut chances. In such scenarios, Son Heung-min must take his chances and score, as he will be Tottenham’s most important star and hope they harbour ambitions to take something out of the Etihad.
Prediction
Manchester City 4-1 Tottenham
It is a bold prediction for Manchester City to score as many goals or even more, but Ange Postecoglou suggested he may not change his approach for any opponent. Hence, Pep Guardiola could look to exploit Spurs in the best ways possible and even with ease at times.
Manchester City are under pressure to get a win, as are Tottenham. But with home advantage on their side, Guardiola’s side could have a field day against an open team like Spurs. Hence, the scoreline might have a heavy look on the home side, as the North Londoners could succumb to their fourth successive defeat in the Premier League.
