PREVIEW: Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur – where to watch, key players and kick-off time | OneFootball

Thomas Frank and his Spurs team travel to the indomitable Etihad Stadium on Saturday to face Manchester City, with sights set on continuing their perfect start to the Premier League season, after a Richarlison brace put The Lilywhites on course to dispatching newly promoted Burnley 3-0 at the weekend.

They face a Manchester City side who also got off to a convincing start on Saturday thanks to an Erling Haaland brace and goals from new boys Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki, making light work of Wolves among the backdrop of a powerful tribute to Diogo Jota.

After one of the strangest seasons ever from a Premier League team, Spurs began this campaign with a new manager and new ambitions. Spurred on by the performances of new signing Mohammed Kudus and starting striker Richarlison, Frank will want to correct the horrendous league form into which the side sunk in the latter half of last season under Ange Postecoglu.

Travelling to the Etihad will provide a stern test for the new boss however. Pep Guardiola and his wealth of new signings shone at Molineux, as midfielder Reijnders ran the show with a goal and assist while the inevitable Haaland started in typical fashion by netting a brace.

Pep Guardiola’s City

Guardiola will be looking to banish any notion of City falling behind the leading pack of Liverpool and Arsenal this campaign, having spent big in the summer. It’s another season of change for The Citizens, who have welcomed new arrivals in every area of the pitch. Early signs are positive, with goalkeeper James Trafford proving a strong contender for the starting spot between the sticks, while Rayan Aït-Nouri seamlessly slotted in at left back against his former club. The return to the central partnership of John Stones and Rúben Dias also helped City to a clean sheet in that first game, and if they can continue to find the defensive solidity which helped them to four consecutive titles, a resurgent Spurs attack could have a tough time finding the net.

Following such a dominant display at Molineux with another win against Spurs will surely perk the ears of City’s doubters and put to bed some notions of unrest. Guardiola will also be bolstered by new signings at the top of the pitch: the additions of Cherki and Reijnders, along with January signing Omar Marmoush, could make this the most balanced City team since the treble winning side in 2023. Only time will tell if they’ll scratch the levels of success seen there.

Thomas Frank’s Spurs

One thing no team wants to face is a confident Haaland, and he will no doubt provide a tough test for newly promoted captain Cristian Romero and his defensive partner Micky van de Ven who, after starting only 11 games in the league last season, will be crucial to the success of the early days of the Frank era.

In front of them in midfield lies the future of this Spurs team in the form of young superstars Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray. The pair will be eager to cement their place in such a contentious area of the pitch for Spurs, but a battle against the likes of Reijnders and January signing Nico could prove challenging. As a result, Frank may opt to deploy more experienced heads in João Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur in their place.

It’s this tactical tactical flexibility that fans will look for throughout this season, with their predictability being their undoing last season under Postecoglu. Frank has already shown his ability to switch things up as the occasion demands, playing a 3-5-2 against PSG in the UEFA Super Cup which resulted in them taking a 2-0 lead before a spirited comeback snatched the trophy from under their nose.

Key player: Tijjani Reijnders

After producing one of the better debuts in recent Premier League history, City’s new star Reijnders made the ‘best league in the world’ look effortless on Saturday. With a man of the match performance alongside a goal and an assist, the Dutchman’s link up with the ever-proficient Haaland could be a problem for many sides in the division.

Arriving from AC Milan for a reported £46.3m fee, the midfielder has already shown shades of the great Kevin De Bruyne in his playing style and suave attacking approach.

Spurs’ midfield will prove a sterner test for him, with Palhinha potentially being used to disrupt his game. Reijnders will have to leave no room for error during a game which may be won in the midfield. His partnerships with Bernardo Silva and Nico may prove too high in quality for Spurs.

During a summer where all the transfer talk has surrounded the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal, City’s recruitment has quietly gone under the radar and players like Reijnders and Cherki could prove to be the biggest successes of the summer if they can continue this start to the campaign.

When is kick off?

Manchester City against Tottenham Hotspur kicks off at 12:30 BST (13:30 CEST) on Saturday 23rd August.

Where can I watch the game?

The match will be available on TNT Sports and Discovery+ in the UK, whilst DAZN Spain and NBC Sports will be picking up coverage in Spain and the US respectively.