Manchester City Have An Immediate Opportunity To Put Their UCL Defeat Behind Them With A PL Lunch Time Crack At Tottenham! Team News. Manager Comments. Stats, And Prediction.
By: Marc Gingell
With Fernando Llorente’s UCL tie winning goal for Tottenham Hotspur, still being debated, the two teams are preparing for a PL Saturday lunchtime battle that could see Manchester City return to the top of the table. Or Tottenham consolidate their chances of finishing 3rd.
| 20-04 | Etihad Stadium | Manchester City (2) | v | Tottenham Hotspur (3) |
| KO:12:30 | REF: M Oliver | |||
Manchester City – PL Perfect Ten?
Manchester City have won their last 9 PL games most, if not all, in total cruise control. They’ve scored 23 goals, which includes six against Chelsea, but against Fulham, Cardiff, and Crystal Palace they scored early and just seem to take their foot off the gas as they cruised to victories without breaking a sweat.
During that run they’ve only conceded three goals, one each against Arsenal, Watford, and Crystal Palace, which is as many as Tottenham scored in Wednesday’s epic battle.
Fernandinho Missing!
During City’s last six PL games Fernandinho came on for 15 minutes against Fulham, played 90 in the game after that against Cardiff, and that’s it. He missed the Crystal Palace game and the assumption could have been that Pep Guardiola had decided to rest him for the UCL game against Tottenham. But he didn’t make an appearance in that game until the 63rd minute.
If he’s missing again for this game City could struggle.
Tottenham Hotspur Squad Fatigue?
For Tottenham, the big question has to be how they handle another massive game without adequate recovery time? They also have six players in the treatment room with only Eric Dyer and Erik Lamela looking like they have a chance of making the starting 11.
Heung-Min Son
Heung-Min Son stepped up to the plate the last time Harry Kane took a break due to his ankle injury. Against Huddersfield, with Kane out and Son rested, Lucas Moure became the main man with a hat-trick. But this is Manchester City and Son, if he’s recovered enough, will be needed.
Manchester City Team News
- Unknown Return Date: Claudio Bravo Achilles injury.
- 75% Chance of Playing: Oleksandr Zinchenko Muscle injury
Tottenham Hotspur Team News
- Unknown Return Date: Serge Aurier Hamstring injury. Harry Winks Groin injury. Harry Kane Ankle injury.
- 50% Chance of Playing: Moussa Sissoko Groin injury.
- 75% Chance of Playing: Erik Lamela Hamstring injury. Eric Dier Hip injury
Opta Stats
- Manchester City have won each of their last three Premier League games against Tottenham Hotspur, the Citizens are looking to equal their competition best run of four successive wins versus Spurs.
- Tottenham have only won one of their last eight visits to the Etihad (W1 D1 L6), conceding 23 goals in this period (2.9 per game).
- Tottenham are looking to become the first team since Liverpool in 2008-09 to win away in the Premier League against both Manchester clubs in the same season.
- None of Manchester City’s last 25 Premier League games have ended level, the longest current run in the competition. The Citizens have won 21 of those 25 games (L4), including each of the last nine.
- No side has won more points in Premier League games between the ‘big six’ this season than Man City (19), while only Manchester United (6) have won fewer points than Spurs (7).
- Tottenham have lost each of their last four away league games, conceding two goals each time. They last lost more in row on the road in the top-flight between March-May 2004 under David Pleat (6).
- Mauricio Pochettino has only tasted victory in one of his five Premier League trips to the Etihad (W1 D1 L3), a 2-1 win in February 2016 against Manuel Pellegrini’s Man City.
- Man City striker Sergio Aguero has failed to score in each of his last six Premier League appearances against Tottenham after scoring 10 in his first seven.
- Sergio Aguero has scored 19 Premier League goals for Man City this season – one more will see him become just the second player to score 20+ Premier League goals in five consecutive campaigns, after Thierry Henry (between 2001-02 and 2005-06).
- Tottenham have won all five of their Premier League games without Harry Kane this season. They last lost without the England striker taking part against Man Utd back in October 2017.
Prediction
There were many talking points from Wednesday’s game with quite a few comments related to this being one of the best games of all time! But to expect them to do that again is a big ask. Fernandinho could make a difference to City.
Manchester City 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1
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