Will Pep Guardiola’s team finally secure a league victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?
This question looms large as we anticipate the Premier League showdown between Tottenham and Manchester City on Wednesday night.
Join us as we delve into our Tottenham vs Manchester City prediction and preview, analyzing the potential outcomes of this eagerly awaited match.
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Tottenham vs Manchester City: Match Preview
In the upcoming Premier League clash between Arsenal and Manchester City, Arsenal will be relying on a significant favor from their north London rivals, Tottenham. Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions are the frontrunners to reclaim the top spot in the league, with a 58.7% chance of victory according to Opta’s data-led season simulations. This puts them ahead of Arsenal, who currently hold a 41.3% chance after their recent 1-0 win against Manchester United.
Following their victory at Old Trafford, Mikel Arteta’s team has moved one point clear at the league summit. However, Manchester City still have a game in hand, which they will play at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
While Manchester City may seem poised for victory, it’s not a certainty, especially considering Tottenham’s recent track record. Tottenham has won their last four Premier League home games against Guardiola’s side without conceding a single goal.
Tottenham’s momentum was further bolstered by their recent 2-1 victory over Burnley. This win not only relegated Burnley but also marked Tottenham’s continued success, with Micky van de Ven’s late curler securing a crucial home win after Pedro Porro had earlier canceled out Jacob Bruun Larsen’s opener.
Ange Postecoglou’s team currently sits fifth in the league standings, trailing Aston Villa by five points following Villa’s thrilling 3-3 draw with Liverpool on Monday night. Tottenham still harbors hopes of UEFA Champions League qualification, but failing to secure a win in their upcoming match against City will confirm Villa’s fourth-place finish.
With Richarlison ruled out for the remainder of the season, Son Heung-min is expected to lead the attack once again, supported by Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski on the flanks. Kulusevski, particularly, has a strong track record against City, being directly involved in five goals across his four Premier League encounters with them—more than against any other opponent in the competition (three goals, two assists).
City’s goalkeeper, Ederson, will aim to thwart the attacking trio of Spurs as he gears up for his 250th appearance for the club in the competition. He boasts an impressive record of 112 clean sheets so far, trailing only Petr Cech (127) and Pepe Reina (119) in clean sheets recorded in their first 250 matches.
In City’s recent 4-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage, Ederson had little to do defensively. Guardiola humorously praised Josko Gvardiol as “the best winger on the planet” after his unexpected double, while Phil Foden and Julián Álvarez also found the target.
In the previous encounter with Spurs this season, Foden found the net, as did Jack Grealish, who is expected to return from illness for Tuesday’s match. Only three players have scored home and away against Spurs in a single Premier League season for City: Sergio Agüero (2013-14 and 2014-15), Ilkay Gündogan (2017-18), and Raheem Sterling (2017-18).
Guardiola’s primary concern is maintaining City’s control over the title race, regardless of who scores the goals. City’s current unbeaten run in the Premier League stands at 21 games (W17 D4), second only to their 30-match streak between April 2017 and January 2018.
However, City have stumbled in their final away league game in the last three seasons, contrasting with their dominant performances in previous years. This trend may be attributed to the fact that they had already secured the title in those seasons, as evidenced by defeats against Brighton in 2020-21 and Brentford last season.
Regarding City’s lineup, Nathan Aké is the sole injury concern after sustaining a foot injury in the first half against Fulham.
In contrast, Spurs face a more challenging situation on the injury front, with several key players sidelined. Ben Davies, Manor Solomon, Timo Werner, Fraser Forster, Ryan Sessegnon, and Destiny Udogie are all unavailable, in addition to Richarlison’s calf strain.
Tottenham vs Manchester City: Head-to-head
In clashes between Tottenham and Manchester City, City has suffered six top-flight losses, more than against any other opponent during Guardiola’s tenure. This string of defeats explains why only Birmingham City (with seven losses at Old Trafford) have played more Premier League games at a specific stadium without ever scoring than Man City’s four visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
However, City did manage to break their goal drought at this venue in January, with Aké’s last-minute strike securing a 1-0 victory and propelling Guardiola’s team into the FA Cup fifth round.
Earlier in the season, the two teams played out a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Etihad Stadium. In that match, Son scored an own goal to give City the lead, but he quickly redeemed himself by scoring at the right end, along with Giovani Lo Celso, to put Tottenham 2-1 up. Foden and Grealish then put the hosts ahead, only for Kulusevski to salvage a 90th-minute equalizer.
Tottenham vs Manchester City: Recent Form
Tottenham’s decision to celebrate victory over Burnley with a lap of honor raised some eyebrows, especially considering they still have one more home game to play on Tuesday. However, there may be a strategic reason behind it, given that Spurs have lost their final home league game in two of the last three seasons (with only one win), matching the number of losses they had in their previous 17 campaigns (with 13 wins and 2 draws).
In contrast, City has been in formidable form on the road, winning their last four Premier League away games. Their dominance is further underscored by the fact that they’ve won each of their last three away matches by a combined scoreline of 10-0. These victories include convincing 4-0 wins against both Fulham and Brighton, along with a 2-0 triumph at Forest.
City’s recent away form is historically significant, as they’ve only achieved such a feat once before in their league history, back in March/April 1903 in the second tier. A victory in their upcoming match would almost certainly secure the title for them.
Tottenham vs Manchester City: Team News and Predicted Line-up
In team news for the upcoming clash between Tottenham and Manchester City, there are some notable updates.
Tottenham: Team News
Tottenham faces a fresh injury setback ahead of tonight’s clash with Manchester City, as Yves Bissouma is ruled out with a knee injury sustained in the weekend victory over Burnley.
Rodrigo Bentancur is the likely candidate to fill Bissouma’s role in midfield, although Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could also be considered.
In the absence of Bissouma, Oliver Skipp is expected to continue at left-back, but Micky van de Ven could slot in if needed, especially after his impactful late goal-scoring cameo against Burnley. If Van de Ven starts on the left, Radu Dragusin would likely step in at center-half.
An additional blow comes with Richarlison’s confirmation to miss the remainder of the season and the Copa America with Brazil due to a calf injury. Consequently, Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson, and Heung-min Son are expected to maintain their positions upfront, with James Maddison operating as No. 10.
Ben Davies, Destiny Udogie, Ryan Sessegnon, Fraser Forster, Timo Werner, and Manor Solomon remain sidelined due to their respective injuries.
Injuries/Doubts: Richarlison, Bissouma, Forster, Solomon, Sessegnon, Davies, Udogie, Werner
Tottenham Predicted Starting XI:
- Goalkeeper: Vicario
- Defenders: Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Skipp
- Midfielders: Bentancur, Sarr, Maddison
- Forwards: Kulusevski, Johnson, Son
Manchester City: Team News
Nathan Ake remains Manchester City’s sole injury concern as they gear up for a crucial Premier League encounter against Tottenham tonight.
The defender’s participation is in question after he lasted only 22 minutes in Saturday’s significant 4-0 win over Fulham, briefly propelling Pep Guardiola’s side to the top of the table before Arsenal’s victory over Manchester United added pressure on the champions ahead of their visit to north London.
City has faced difficulties at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, having lost every league game without scoring since its opening in 2019. However, their current season’s form is formidable, with six consecutive wins under their belt. Additionally, City secured a 1-0 victory against Spurs in the FA Cup earlier this season.
Jack Grealish missed the Fulham game due to illness, but Guardiola has reassured fans that the England international is “fine” and expected to return to the squad tonight.
Guardiola stated to reporters on Monday, “Jack has recovered from illness and Nathan was much better yesterday. Now we are going to train, and we will see if he can train later today.”
Injuries/Doubts: Nathan Ake
Manchester City Predicted Starting XI:
- Goalkeeper: Ederson
- Defenders: Walker, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol
- Midfielders: Rodri, Kovacic, De Bruyne
- Forwards: Silva, Foden; Haaland
Tottenham vs Manchester City: Match Prediction
Despite the speculation surrounding Spurs’ intentions in the title race, the players and manager will undoubtedly be focused on securing a win. Postecoglou’s firm stance on this matter was evident in his recent press conference.
While Spurs have enjoyed success against City at home in recent years, winning every league encounter without conceding since moving to their new stadium, their inconsistency in recent weeks contrasts with City’s prolific goal-scoring form. Therefore, City is expected to have little trouble securing victory tonight.
Prediction: Man City to win, 3-1.
Can Tottenham Halt Manchester City and Boost Arsenal’s Title Aspirations?
Ange Postecoglou’s squad finds themselves in a pivotal position as they only need a draw against Manchester City to significantly impact Arsenal’s title aspirations heading into the final day of the season on Sunday. Consequently, there’s heightened scrutiny on how Spurs will approach the upcoming match.
Arsenal is reliant on Spurs disrupting City’s seven-game winning streak to bolster their own title chances. A draw for City would propel Arsenal to the top spot, setting them up for a crucial home fixture against Everton, where they largely control their destiny. With a plus-3 goal difference advantage, Arsenal’s fate would be firmly in their hands. However, City, who faces West Ham at home, still has the opportunity to outscore them in their final game to snatch the title. Conversely, if City suffers a defeat on Tuesday, Arsenal would hold complete control over their destiny.
