High-flying Manchester City host Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday late kick-off on what guarantees to be an entertaining encounter. Manchester City secured a record breaking 15th successive Premier League win in midweek and have dropped just two points all season, which leaves them on 49 points in 1st place 11 points ahead of Manchester United in 2nd.
Pep Guardiola is without Benjamin Mendy, John Stones and Vincent Kompany for the welcome of Spurs. Leroy Sané, Gabriel Jesus and Kyle Walker could all come into the XI, though Guardiola may persist with Aguero given his fine record against Tottenham (10 goals in 11 matches against the North London club).
Tottenham moved back into the top half of the table with a 2-0 win over Brighton and look to have shaken themselves out of a rut to land back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time since October. Spurs are unbeaten in their last two visits to the Etihad Stadium and may fancy their chances against an injury hit defence. They have a decent away form (4-1-3) and could fancy their chances against City. Spurs have won more away Premier League games at Manchester City (10) than they have at any other club.
Davinson Sanchez serves the final match of a three-game ban, while Toby Alderweireld and Victor Wanyama again miss out through injury. Mauricio Pochettino could bring Mousa Dembele, Dele Alli, Kieran Trippier and Ben Davies back into the first team fold, with Moussa Sissoko, Erik Lamela, Serge Aurier and Danny Rose all dropping out of the XI despite fine displays at Wembley in their 2-0 win versus Brighton.
Team Tactics
Probable lineup 4-3-3: Ederson; Delph, Otamendi, Mangala, Walker; D. Silva, Fernandinho, De Bruyne; Sané, Aguero, Sterling.
Probable lineup 4-3-2-1: Lloris; Davies, Vertonghen, Dier, Trippier; Winks, Dembele, Eriksen; Alli, Son; Kane.
Players to watch:
Sergio Aguero has scored 10 goals in 11 matches against Spurs. He has 99 goals in 133 appearances for Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, scoring 70 in the Premier League. The South American has scored 35 goals in 52 Premier League games against “big six” opposition.
Harry Kane has scored seven goals in seven Premier League away matches for Spurs this season. The Englishman has a ridiculous goal tally this year, having scored 33 goals in 33 appearances and needs four more goals to break Alan Shearer’s record (36 goals in 1995).
Belgian wizard, Kevin De Bruyne, has been involved in 13 goals (5 goals, 8 assists) in 14 Premier League games this season, whilst his compatriot, David Silva, has been involved in 13 Premier League goals in 17 appearances (5 goals, 8 assists) which is already more than he had in 2016/17 season. Unreal improvement. He scored a brace in City’s 0-4 rampant win against Swansea on Wednesday.
Prediction
Manchester City have scored at least 2 goals in their last 10 Premier League games, and in 6 of their last 7 games against Spurs at the Etihad. With Manchester City’s attacking quality and Pep Guardiola seeking to extend City’s winning streak to 16, the Citizens have enough to end Spurs’ reviving form. Spurs have lost to Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United this season. Manchester City 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur.
Article By: Clinton Samuel, @cleanthing_
