Focus Fixture: Can Spurs defy injury crisis to beat Man City

Another weekend and another big fixture for Manchester City as they look to bounce back from last week’s draw against Liverpool that saw them surrender top spot in the Premier League. They face a Tottenham side that have suffered three consecutive defeats and dropped out of the top four when they were beaten by Aston Villa last weekend.

The Form

Manchester City are unbeaten in their last eight matches in all competitions. Their last defeat came at the Emirates at the start of October but they’ve dropped points in their last two Premier League matches and surrendered 1st place as a result.

Pe Guardiola’s side were in control for large periods of their match against Liverpool last weekend. They had the lion's share of possession and managed twice the amount of shots as Jurgen Klopp’s side. However, they were pegged back thanks to a marvellous strike by Trent Alexander-Arnold relatively late in the game. They failed to conjure up many clear-cut opportunities despite marginally deserving the victory and Pep will no doubt want to see more cutting edge from his side this weekend.

As you’d expect, Manchester City’s home form is sublime. Guardiola’s men have played 41 matches at the Etihad in all competitions since the start of last season and have suffered just one loss over that period. That solitary defeat came against Brentford last November. Throughout this frightening home run, City are scoring 3.17 goals and conceding 0.68 per game.

 Tottenham were the league leaders before losing to Chelsea just a few weeks ago. Since then they have been beaten by both Wolves and Aston Villa and the poor run of form has seen them slip outside of the Champions League places. Another defeat here would likely see them drop to 6th in the table.

Despite recent difficulties, Ange Postecoglou has done a sterling job since taking over as Tottenham manager. He has implemented a clear style of play and his unwavering set of principles have made the team a joy to watch. Spurs are committed to an attack approach, which has meant their games have seen an average of 29.68 shots per game; the 2nd most in the Premier League.

Spurs have a real menace about them despite losing Harry Kane on the eve of the season and that is a testament to Postecoglou's work. The likes of Heung-min Son and James Maddison have flourished so far but an injury to the latter has certainly blunted Tottenham’s attacking output.

Tottenham have a fantastic record against Manchester City. They have won three of their last four matches against the side that has dominated English football in recent years. However, they have won just one of their last 10 matches at the Etihad and lost seven in that period.

The Runners and the Riders

Manchester City lost Kevin De Bruyne to a long-term injury earlier in the season and he remains sidelines here. Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes complete a trio of midfield injuries but there is no side in world better equipped to deal with injuries than City.

Tottenham have an extensive injury list coming into this one and it is part of the reason for their poor form. The loss of James Maddison is a huge blow but they are also missing Ivan Perisic, Manor Solomon and Richarlison in attack. They also have problems in other areas of the pitch. Cristian Romero is suspended for this one and Bentancur is injured. Pape Matar Sarr is also out.

What They Said

Pep Guardiola was complimentary of Spurs in the build-up. He said “(it’s an) incredible advert for our sport. Two teams, go forward, always nice things to watch. (It’s) impossible not to see an interesting game when both teams want to do it.”

Postecoglou confirmed that Sarr won’t be available for this clash. He also confirmed Bentancur wouldn’t be back until next year. When asked about whether or not he has dealt with an injury crisis like this before, he said “To have this much (injuries) in such a short space of time, is probably the first time and that’s what you love about football. There’s always something new to deal with.”

Bet Builder Tip

I’m backing Heung-min Son to have a shot on target and Manchester City to come out on top with both teams finding the net as my bet builder tip for the focus fixture.

Son has had a shot on target in his last four matches against Manchester City and he has taken on an even more central role in the Spurs attack since Harry Kane left for Bayern Munich. The South Korean is averaging 2.5 shots per game in the Premier League this season and an average of 1.3 on target. He is set to start as Tottenham’s focal point in attack and his pace should prove to be a real asset against Manchester City’s high defensive line.

While I expect Ange Postecoglou’s side to have some success, I’m betting on Manchester City returning to winning ways in the Premier League. They come into the weekend a point behind Arsenal and will want to ensure they stay in touch with Arteta’s men. Moreover, their recent woes against Tottenham will ensure they are well-prepared for this clash.

Manchester City have won eight of their nine home matches this season and are averaging 2.11 more goals per game over that period. They came from 2-0 down to beat RB Leipzig midweek and their attack should have some joy against Tottenham.

Spurs rank in the bottom half of the table in terms of xGA but they have also been scoring plenty of goals. They have found the net in their last three matches despite losing. Son had a shot on target in two of those matches.

We can back Manchester City to win, both teams to score and Heung-min Son to have a shot on target at odds of 3.95.

Recommend Bet

Manchester City to win, both teams to score & Son to have a shot on target at 3.95