Premier League: Sky Blue Test for Improving Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City

With back to back wins in their pockets Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs have finally awoken from their slumber, and now they have a real challenge in store when Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City is the big draw in North London.

Spurs have won three league games on the bounce and are looking upwards rather than over their shoulders, now sitting in 12^th place in the Premier League table and with the top half of the table coming into view. Tottenham come into the game on the back of a resounding 4-1 win away to Ipswich Town while Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have become embroiled in a real battle to earn a top four place. The Sky Blues were totally outclassed by Champions elect Liverpool on Sunday and that means they sit in fourth, ahead of Newcastle United on goal difference alone, and eighth placed Aston Villa are just three points further back.  

City beat the Magpies 4-0 in their previous league Premier League game but, on their last trip to North London they were spanked 5-1 by Arsenal. These are strange times at the Etihad Stadium and it will be fascinating to see how the Sky Blues shape up against a team rapidly growing in confidence.             

 

Talking Points

Maddison’s return gives Spurs wings

Spurs’ victory over Ipswich on Saturday was their third in a row for the first time since December 2023; and that lack of consistency cost the Whites a tilt at the title last term and a top four chance this time around. Postecoglou is an optimist by nature and his team’s recent form has given the likeable Aussie reason to smile, as has the return to fitness of England star James Maddison.

Spurs have been very unlucky with injuries to some of their very best players this season. Keeper Gugliermo Vicario’s injury coincided with Spurs’ losing run and centre back Micky Van de Ven has been out for lengthy periods. The gradual return of players has certainly lifted spirits at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but it is the return of Maddison which puts fear into opponents. Despite his lay-off the creative midfielder is Spurs’ joint top scorer on nine goals, alongside the excellent Brennan Johnson who scored a brace against the Tractor Boys. Postecoglou has been careful with Maddison as he needs his star man to be available for the run in. It could still be a relatively successful campaign for Tottenham who could sneak into the European places with a late run, eighth may be good enough to qualify. And they are going well in the Europa League, finishing fourth in the league table and with a Round of 16 tie against AZ Alkmaar up next.  

If Maddison, Van de Ven and Rodrigo Bentancur can stay fit for the next three months it could be an exciting time to be a Spurs fan.           

 

Pep is preparing for 25/26 

While Tottenham look like they may just be working their way out of the doldrums, Manchester City have been in an odd place since mid October and, while there have been signs that Pep Guardiola’s team were on their way back, the last couple of weeks have proved just how much work he has to do to climb back to the summit of Europe, and that will surly be his aim next season. The Sky Blues are out of the Champions League already and two losses in three games, to Arsenal and then Liverpool ended any slim hope of a late domestic title charge. 

This Manchester City team has dominated for almost a decade and some of the players are getting older together. Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, John Stones and Ederson, all huge players are all in their 30s. And the next generation, held together by the likes of Phil Foden, Josko Gvardiol and Erling Haaland, is still in its development stage. Guardiola has brought in some exciting players; Savinho has made as many assists (seven) as De Bruyne, and Omar Marmoush has already scored a hat-trick. But players often need a season to get up to speed in the Premier League so, with just the FA Cup and a Champions League place to play for, the manager can work with a keen focus on the future.             

 

History

With 31 wins to 23 Spurs are still in front in the head to head Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City results, despite the Sky Blues’ recent dominance. In fact the Whites have stretched their lead over the past few months, dumping Guardiola’s men out of the Carabao Cup before hammering them 4-0 on their own turf in the league.  

Recent form favours the North Londoners too. The hosts have won four and lost two of their last six while, after a brief recovery, the Citizens have won two and lost four from their last six.   

 

Betting Tip

Manchester City are odds on favourites to win this clash at a SBOTOP price of 1.94, with the hosts at 2.93 and the draw is available at 3.69. But while the Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City betting odds favour an away win I’m not so confident; but I do think there will be goals, as you’d expect in a Spurs game, and a fast start.  

   

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