Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur: 2024 Premier League Preview

Tottenham Hotspur will travel to Etihad Stadium on Saturday to play Manchester City in the Premier League fixture, which resumes after the international break. Manchester City will work hard to end their recent streak of back-to-back losses. Tottenham has also lost their form as they have also failed to win their last two games before the international window began and will look to bounce back.

Match Details

Match: Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur

Stadium: Etihad Stadium

Date & Time: Nov 23, 2024 at 5:30 pm UK

Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur: Preview

Manchester City’s recent 2-1 loss to Brighton marked an unprecedented moment in Pep Guardiola’s managerial career, handing him his first-ever streak of four consecutive defeats. It also highlighted City’s worst run in all competitions since 2006, when they endured six straight losses under Stuart Pearce.

Successive Premier League setbacks, including a 2-1 upset against Bournemouth, have left City five points adrift of a surging Liverpool at the top of the table after 11 matches. While writing off the reigning champions at this stage would be premature, any further slip-ups could complicate their pursuit of a record-breaking fifth consecutive title.

Having endured four consecutive away defeats in all competitions, City will be relieved to return to the Etihad Stadium, where they boast an impressive 52-game unbeaten streak across all competitions. In the Premier League, their home dominance continues, with 35 matches unbeaten and 13 points collected from a possible 15 this season.

Tottenham, on the other hand, find themselves in stark contrast to their position this time last year. Under Ange Postecoglou’s remarkable debut season, Spurs were second in the league, trailing City by just a point. A year later, they sit in 10th place, 10 points behind City, after an inconsistent start to the campaign.

Notably, Spurs have scored at least twice in each of their last three visits to the Etihad, including an electrifying 3-3 draw last season. Achieving this again would make them the first team to score multiple goals in four consecutive Premier League trips to City.

Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur: Team News

Ballon d’Or winner Rodri will take center stage at the Etihad this weekend to showcase his prestigious accolade. However, the midfielder remains unavailable as he continues his recovery from an ACL injury, joining Oscar Bobb (leg fracture) on the list of long-term absentees.

There’s some good news for City fans, though. John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Aké, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku, and Matheus Nunes have all returned to training this week and will be evaluated ahead of the match. Erling Haaland, fresh off scoring four goals during Norway’s international fixtures, will almost certainly lead the line. In midfield, Ilkay Gündogan and Bernardo Silva are strong candidates to feature.

For Tottenham, Rodrigo Bentancur is unavailable after being handed a seven-match ban by the FA for comments made about teammate Son Heung-min earlier this year. Spurs have appealed the suspension’s length but will have to manage without him for now.

Injuries continue to trouble the squad, with Micky van de Ven, Richarlison, and Wilson Odobert all sidelined with hamstring problems. Van de Ven remains weeks away from returning. Additionally, Cristian Romero, whose wife recently gave birth to their baby daughter, is doubtful due to a foot injury.

Predicted Lineups

Manchester City: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Akanji, Gvardiol; Lewis, Gündogan; Bernardo, Foden, Savinho; Haaland

Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario; Porro, Drăgușin, Davies, Udogie; Kulusevski, Bissouma, Sarr; Johnson, Solanke, Son

Conclusion

The match promises to be entertaining as both the teams hope to end their recent streak of losses and restore themselves from the undesired situation. Some players, like Erling Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne and many more elites, can prove themselves as decisive athletes if they win the match and put their team in a better position. Tottenham needs much improvement as they sit in the middle of the table, which is far below their historical standards.