Two of the Premier League’s best will go head-to-head for the first time this season as Manchester City make the trip to White Hart Lane.
Pep Guardiola is on course to make the Sky Blues strong title contenders and is yet to lose a game this campaign in all competitions. Spurs are also in the hunt to challenge for the title after coming extremely close to winning itin 2015-16.
This fixture has all the ingredients of a Premier League classic, that has produced 44 goals in the last 10 times that these two sides have met.
Big challenge for Tottenham
The Londoners have enjoyed a splendid start to the season, winning all but two of their games. Spurs only managed draws against Everton and Liverpool and will undoubtedly face their toughest yet test when Manchester City visit.
The Citizens are the only team who are doing better than Mauricio Pochettino’s at the moment after winning all of their opening six matches and already sitting four points clear of tomorrow’s opponents. City are also the league’s top scorers with 18 goals so far coming from seven different names, although Spurs have shown resilience in defence, a trait not too common in the 2016-17 campaign. Having kept the most clean sheets (3) as well, the Lilywhites have only conceded three times and have yet to let in more than a single goal during a match in the Premier league so far.
Better defensive performance expected from City
Manchester City will be keen to get back to winning ways after a shocking, yet entertaining, 3-3 draw with Celtic in the Champions League this week. It was only the first time that the Sky Blues failed to win a game this season and Pep Guardiola will be urging his team to come with a positive response against an impressive Spurs side.
Like most other teams in the league, City are yet to solidify their defence after managing just one clean sheet this season. Compare that to 2015-16, where they kept clean sheets in each of their opening five league games and one notices a problem. Vincent Kompany’s injury issues have been a major concern for the line, as they lack another authoritative figure in their back four.
Like every Guardiola team the Citizens too are heavily dependent on their attacking force to win their games, but will have to be more cautious against Premier League outfits like Tottenham. Celtic’s demolition of the City defence in midweek was only a glimpse of what could happen if they do not focus on these duties.
Kane and De Bruyne set to miss out
Both clubs will be without key players going into this game. Harry Kane is sidelined with an ankle injury with no specific date set for his return, while Kevin De Bruyne picked up a hamstring injury in their last game in the league against Swansea.
De Bruyne has been a driving force in City’s success this season and the visitors will be disappointed that the Belgian will not make the trip to North London, as Ilkay Gundogan is set to replace him.
Kane, on the other hand, has endured a difficult start to the season, although the England international started the last campaign in similar fashion and still went on to win the Premier League Golden boot. Spurs will have to rely on the rich form of Hueng-Min Son and new signing Vincent Janssen to produce the goals against City.
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