Akanji, Stones and Bernardo return for Spurs clash | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has made three changes from the side beaten 2-1 by Brighton last time out.

Manuel Akanji, John Stones and Bernardo all return to the starting XI, with Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes all making way.

Nathan Ake, Jack Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne are all named on the subs' bench.

Line-ups

CITY: Ederson, Walker (C), Stones, Akanji, Gvardiol, Lewis, Gundogan, Bernardo, Savinho, Foden, Haaland

Subs: Ortega, Ake, Grealish, De Bruyne, Nunes, Wright, Simpson-Pusey, O'Reilly, McAtee

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: To follow...

WATCH: Memorable moments: Spurs at home

Formation & possible tactics

Who gets the midfield anchor role this afternoon will be interesting.

Ilkay Gundogan looks favourite, but Rico Lewis and Bernardo are other options Pep might consider.

The four defenders in front of Ederson should be Kyle Walker and Josko Gvardiol as full-backs with Stones and Akanji in the centre.

A midfield trio of Lewis, Gundogan and Bernardo looks likely, with Savinho and Phil Foden supporting Erling Haaland up front.

Stopping Tottenham's rapid and regular counter-attacks won't be easy, and with some key defenders missing, it's likely their best option will be to attack.

You'd imagine there will be goals in this game...

WATCH: Watch: 90 minutes of great City Premier League goals

BLUES LOOK FOR 'MANAGER BOUNCE'?

In football, often when a new manager comes in, the team in question hit some kind of form.

Players eager to impress lift their levels, results improve and in many cases, a feelgood factor kicks in.

Pep Guardiola has faced questions from the media all season regarding his future and whether he would look to extend his current deal.

Thankfully, the boss has penned a two-year extension and. with any uncertainty removed, could City benefit from this fantastic news?

With four losses in succession going into this evening's game,  the feelgood factor around the Club is likely to give our players an additional fillip against Spurs. - one that could be crucial in such a vital game - and with Rodri celebrating his Ballon d'Or success (albeit in the Manchester rain) on the pitch ahead of kick-off, the atmosphere should be electric.

Injuries clearing up?

Though Mateo Kovacic has been ruled out for up to a month, several of our injured stars have been passed for for today's game.

It's been many years since the Blues had a list of missing players as long as we had before the international break, so to see so many back is a huge boost in itself.

Grealish, Ake, Akanji and Stones are all back today, with others closing in on potential returns.

With so many big games coming up - not least Liverpool next weekend - it's crucial City get back to winning ways as quickly as possible and to do that, the strongest team available is a must, as well as the option to rest and rotate certain players as and when needed.

WATCH: Pep Guardiola: Every Trophy Won (so far!)

Stats & MilestoneS

City have won just three of their last 10 Premier League games against Tottenham (D2 L5) and are looking to win consecutive meetings with them for the first time since April 2019.

Tottenham have scored at least twice in each of their last three Premier League away games against City, winning 3-2 in 2021-22, losing 4-2 in 2022-23 and drawing 3-3 last season.

No team has ever scored multiple goals in four consecutive Premier League visits to the Citizens.

City have lost each of their last four matches in all competitions. It’s Pep Guardiola’s longest losing run in his entire managerial career, while the Blues last lost more consecutively between March and April 2006 under Stuart Pearce (6 – the fifth game of which was against Tottenham).

Though they’re the only team to have scored in every Premier League game so far this season, City have lost their last two (1-2 vs Bournemouth and Brighton). They last lost three in a row in the competition in February/March 2016, a run which included a home defeat to Tottenham.

Tottenham have won just two of their last 11 Premier League away games (D2 L7), winning just once in five on the road this term. Since the start of this spell in March, no side have lost more Premier League away games than Spurs (7).

As a team, Tottenham have made more off the ball runs into the box than any other side in the Premier League this season (612), with Dominic Solanke having the most among players (138).

Spurs have also had the most shots inside the box of any Premier League side this term (134).

Tottenham have played more passes/crosses into the opposition box than any other side in the Premier League this season (429). There are 10 players in the division to have made 70+, with Spurs having three of those (Pedro Porro 96, James Maddison 77, Dejan Kulusevski 72).

Under Pep Guardiola (since 2016-17), Manchester City have lost more Premier League games (6) and conceded more Premier League goals (22) against Tottenham Hotspur than they have vs any other opponent.

No player has had more shots without scoring in the Premier League this season than Man

City’s Bernardo Silva (17), while teammate Savinho has accumulated the highest xG of any player without a goal so far (1.7).

No player has created more chances either overall (30) or from open play (25) in the Premier League this season than Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski