Squawka
·21. November 2024
In partnership with
Yahoo sportsSquawka
·21. November 2024
Faltering Manchester City will be desperate to get their title challenge back on track following the international break with victory over Tottenham at the Etihad on Saturday.
Man City (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Walker, Akanji, Gvardiol, Lewis; Kovacic, Gundogan; Bernardo Silva, Foden, Savinho; Haaland
Tottenham (4-3-3): Vicario; Porro, Dragusin, Davies, Udogie; Kulusevski, Bissouma, Sarr; Johnson, Solanke, Son
Pep Guardiola’s men are five points behind leaders Liverpool after suffering defeat at Brighton – their fourth straight loss in all competitions – and now they host a Tottenham side (kick-off 17:30, live on Sky Sports Main Event) that has slipped to 10th after they were surprisingly beaten at home by Ipswich last time out.
City’s poor run of form has allowed Liverpool to move clear at the top but Guardiola will hope his side emerge from the other side of the international break ready to reassert themselves in the title race.
An unprecedented run of four straight defeats, which has coincided with a serious injury crisis, has cast major doubt over whether the champions can make it five title wins in a row this season.
But news that Guardiola has agreed a contract extension has brought some much-needed positivity and City will hope that timely development, plus the return to fitness of some key players, can be the launchpad for an improved run of form.
Tottenham must also try and respond to their shock home defeat to Ipswich and Ange Postecoglou’s side have already got the better of City once this season when they inflicted the first loss of that four-game sequence upon them in the League Cup at the end of October.
City have been boosted in the build up to the Spurs clash as key men Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Manuel Akanji, all of whom did not feature for their countries during the break, were pictured in training.
Ruben Dias and Matheus Nunes are among the other players Guardiola will hope are fit to face Spurs. However, the hosts are still set to be without Jeremy Doku (thigh), Nathan Ake (hamstring) and John Stones (knock), while Oscar Bobb (leg) is out long term and Rodri is unlikely to play again this season due to his serious knee injury.
Jahmai Simpson-Pusey is tipped to drop out of the side with Akanji and possibly Dias available, while Kyle Walker, Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland are all set to start.
Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur is banned, with Yves Bissouma expected to replace him, while Richarlison and Wilson Odobert remain out with hamstring injuries.
The visitors have problems in central defence as Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are both unlikely to be fit in time to face City so Ben Davies is poised to partner Radu Dragusin at the back.