MY ACCOUNT
– City have scored a massive 31 goals in nine home Premier League games
– Tottenham have been a bogey team for City but arrive at the Etihad in poor form
– Recommended bet: Manchester City to win and both teams to score
Last weekend’s derby defeats for Manchester City and Tottenham make this a massive clash, with Spurs plunged into crisis mode after another painful defeat to their local rivals and City struggling to keep up with Arsenal at the head of the table.
Pep Guardiola cut a frustrated figure after defeat at Old Trafford and understandably so. Not for the first time this season his team were slightly under par, but City were leading until a highly debatable refereeing decision turned the match on its head.
As was also the case against each of Newcastle, Aston Villa and Everton, City found a way to slip up when they were in a strong position, and these careless dropped points are starting to show in the title race.
For Tottenham, last weekend’s defeat followed an all-too familiar formula — start poorly, concede from an error, rally but fall short. It is the same pattern seen in both defeats to Arsenal as well as in losses to Newcastle, Aston Villa and Liverpool.
Spurs supporters are not sure where to direct their ire. Established players are making match-losing errors — with captain Hugo Lloris the chief culprit — while Antonio Conte’s managerial methods are not working and the owners are failing to lead from the front.
It all means that defeat for either team in this crucial clash could have massive repercussions.
Manchester City vs Tottenham (Thursday, 8pm)
Team news
City centre-back pair Ruben Dias and John Stones are both in contention after making their way way from respective hamstring and fitness issues, while Kevin De Bruyne is also available.
Antonio Conte saw attackers Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison return against Arsenal at the weekend and midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has a chance of returning from an adductor injury that has kept him out since the World Cup.
Lucas Moura is Conte’s only confirmed absentee.
The stats
Tottenham have been something of a bogey team for City in recent years, beating them home and away last season and losing only one of their last six league meetings — as well as knocking them out of the Champions League in 2018-19.
However, Spurs’ record this season against the top teams has been dire — in six meetings with the traditional big six and Newcastle they have lost five times and claimed just one point thanks to a 96th-minute equaliser against out-of-form Chelsea. In the first halves of those six matches, Conte’s men conceded eight goals and scored just one.
City have not been as ruthless as they were last season and have struggled for consistency on the road. However, at home they have scored a massive 31 goals in nine league matches — averaging 3.44 goals per game — and they thrashed Manchester United 6-3 at the Etihad in October.
Guardiola’s men are also fast starters on home soil, leading at half-time in six of their nine home league games.
Prediction
While City’s flagging title challenge owes as much to bad luck as poor performances, Tottenham’s struggles are genuine — they are a club in crisis with problems evident on the pitch, in the dugout and at boardroom level.
Supporters are starting to give up hope in the big matches after watching Spurs concede the opening goal in all six meetings with the big six and Newcastle, which makes the Manchester City/Manchester City half-time/full-time double result a sensible addition to Bet Builder combinations.
An impressive recent record against City may give Tottenham some hope of registering a shock success and Spurs certainly have every chance of getting on the scoresheet given they have netted eight goals in their last five trips to the Etihad Stadium.
However, the sheer firepower available to Guardiola against a Tottenham defence that looks bereft of confidence should prove too much — back Manchester City to win and both teams to score, available at 7/5 with LiveScore Bet.
