Premier League Preview: Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City
Kick-off: Saturday April 14, 19:45 Venue: Wembley Stadium Referee: Jon Moss
There was a time, not three months ago, when it looked as if Manchester City might last the whole season without suffering a single chink in their title-winning armour. Instead, they are heading to Wembley on the back of three successive defeats in all competitions.
At half-time of the Manchester derby, with his side 2-0 up, Pep Guardiola must have assumed they were champions. United have merely delayed the inevitable, but victory over Tottenham will not be enough to guarantee the trophy as of yet because the Red Devils aren’t in action until Sunday, when they face West Brom.
City were the last side to beat Spurs, who have gone on an incredible run since that game in December. In the wake of their 4-1 reverse at the Etihad, the Lilywhites have managed an impressive 14 league games unbeaten, winning 11 of them.
This is their final game against the big six this season and they will be buoyed by the knowledge that they beat City the last two times they came to White Hart Lane; in fact, it was Spurs who halted their unbeaten run in October of last season.
Guardiola will have pleasant memories of the national stadium, having won the Carabao Cup there with ease in February. His full attention will now be occupied by the Premier League after his side’s Champions League exit at the hands of Liverpool in midweek.
Team news
Kieran Trippier could miss out as he struggles with fatigue. Serge Aurier is likely to step in, while Harry Winks has still not recovered from an ankle injury. Kyle Walker-Peters (hamstring) and Danny Rose (calf) are both unfit.
In midfield, Manchester City are without the suspended Fernandinho, who is beginning a two-match ban for picking up 10 yellow cards. Benjamin Mendy, of course, remains out and John Stones is expected to be absent again with a groin injury.
Expected line-ups:
Tottenham: Lloris, Aurier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies, Dier, Dembele, Eriksen, Alli, Son, Kane
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Delph, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Silva, Sterling, Aguero, Sane
Did you know?
City’s expected line-up cost in the region of £357million, which is more than twice the sum of Spurs’ parts at just over £156million.
Nevertheless, since the takeover in 2008, City have a mixed record against Tottenham – they’ve lost eight, won nine, and drawn two of their 19 meetings.
Prediction:
The fear factor that surrounded the league-leaders has deteriorated a little in recent weeks and Spurs will sense an opportunity to consolidate their position in the top four; they head into the weekend 10 points ahead of fifth-placed Chelsea. If anyone can exploit Spurs’ potential vulnerability on the right, however, it’s City, and they simply tore Mauricio Pochettino’s men apart in December.
The north Londoners have failed to score just three times all season and two of those occasions came away from home. Only Swansea have successfully thwarted them at Wembley. Both sides undoubtedly have goals in them and while City want to wrap up the title sooner rather than later, they would probably take a point given their recent run. Tottenham 1-1 Manchester City
