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Manchester City host Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League as Pep Guardiola faces the unprecedented scenario of attempting to end a four-game losing run in all competitions.
The champions were stunned by Brighton before the international break to leave City trailing Liverpool by five points. Guardiola’s side have also lost to Bournemouth and Sporting, in an extraordinary spell of results that began with defeat against Tottenham in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup last month.
Guardiola’s decision to sign a new two-year contract has lifted the mood, but Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs will be looking to deepen the sense of crisis at the Etihad. Tottenham are under pressure to secure a result themselves, having been beaten by Ipswich before the international break.
It continued Tottenham’s inconsistent season, so what version of Tottenham will turn up as they take on the champions away from home? Follow live updates from Manchester City vs Tottenham in our live blog, below.
Man City vs Tottenham LIVE
We have Richard Jolly at the game today. Ahead of kick-off, here are his thoughts:
“Tottenham came to the Etihad last season without their first-choice centre-backs and got a 3-3 draw. Now they return without their first-choice centre-backs but with Ange Postecoglou recalling James Maddison in midfield. Pep Guardiola, however, does have some centre-backs who are fit to return, with John Stones and Manuel Akanji back. It looks as though Rico Lewis is starting in midfield.”
Karl Matchett23 November 2024 17:25
Dejan Kulusevski’s record against Manchester City
Dejan Kulusevski has been Tottenham’s player of the season so far, and the Sweden international has a brilliant record against today’s opponents as well.
He has scored on all three of his visits to the Etihad, including his first for the club in a 3-2 win there in February 2022 as well as last season’s late equaliser to rescue a 3-3 draw.
Kulusevski has had a hand in more Premier League goals against Man City (five – three goals, two assists) than he has against any other side, scoring or assisting five of our last nine league goals against Pep Guardiola’s team.
Jamie Braidwood23 November 2024 17:20
Man City vs Tottenham: Pre-match stats
Manchester City risk losing three consecutive league fixtures for the first time under Pep Guardiola. It last happened in February to March 2016 during Manuel Pellegrini’s reign, and included a home defeat against Tottenham.
But Guardiola has lost six Premier League games versus Spurs and conceded 22 goals – more than against any other opponent. In fact, Tottenham have scored at least twice in each of their past three top-flight games at the Etihad Stadium.
Jamie Braidwood23 November 2024 17:10
Ange Postecoglou relishing Tottenham’s key run of fixtures before Christmas
Ange Postecoglou knows the next month will be “significant” for Tottenham, but is confident they will improve and not be mid-table at Christmas.
Postecoglou remains bullish about Tottenham’s progress and acutely aware of the scrutiny set to come his way if they stay 10th.
“Christmas is a joyous occasion, irrespective, and I think it should be celebrated. If we’re still 10th then people won’t be happy, I won’t be happy, but we might not be 10th,” Postecoglou pointed out before nine games in 30 days.
“Certainly for us I think it’s a significant period because you look at those games and we’ve got the league where we’ve got to improve our position and a couple of important European fixtures that can set us up for the back half of the year, also a Carabao Cup quarter-final.”
Ange Postecoglou relishing Tottenham’s key run of fixtures before Christmas
Spurs went into the international break in 10th position, but could have been third with a win over Ipswich.
Jamie Braidwood23 November 2024 17:00
Pep Guardiola sure 75 per cent of Premier League clubs want Man City relegated
Pep Guardiola claims three-quarters of the Premier League want to see Manchester City relegated over financial irregularities.
But the City boss has vowed to stay on and lift the club back to the top even if they are sent all the way down to the National League.
Guardiola ended speculation over his immediate future this week by extending his contract, which had been due to expire at the end of the season, through to the summer of 2027.
That has given the club some stability at a time of great uncertainty as they fight 115 charges related to alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations.
City have denied all wrongdoing but their punishment if found guilty could be severe, with demotion even a possibility.
Pep Guardiola sure 75 per cent of Premier League clubs want Man City relegated
The City boss has vowed to stay on and lift the club back to the top if they are sent down the divisions.
Jamie Braidwood23 November 2024 16:45
Ange Postecoglou does not believe Spurs are ‘down in dumps’ ahead of City test
Ange Postecoglou insists his Tottenham squad will not be “down in the dumps” ahead of Saturday’s trip to Manchester City despite Rodrigo Bentancur being the latest player to join the list of absentees.
Bentancur has been given a seven-match domestic suspension by the Football Association for the use of racist language during a media interview earlier this year and while Spurs have appealed against the length of ban, the Uruguay international will definitely sit out the Etihad Stadium clash.
“It’s really important when they come back here again we move on pretty quickly,” Postecoglou reflected, with reference to the 2-1 home loss to Ipswich before the international break.
“They understand we still have to do our review and we did that. We looked back at the areas we need to be better, but I don’t get the sense the lads are down in the dumps in any way.”
Ange Postecoglou does not believe Spurs are ‘down in dumps’ ahead of City test
Rodrigo Bentancur is the latest absentee after he was given a seven-match domestic ban on Monday.
Jamie Braidwood23 November 2024 16:35
Man City v Spurs - live
Teams are in!
Man City - Ederson, Walker, Stones, Gvardiol, Lewis, Akanji, Savio, Foden, Gundogan, Silva, Haaland
Spurs - Vicario, Porro, Dragusin, Davies, Udogie, Sarr, Bissouma, Kulusevski, Maddison, Solanke, Son
Karl Matchett23 November 2024 16:29
Worry for Tottenham as defensive injuries hit
Tottenham will face Manchester City and Erling Haaland without their first-choice centre-back partnership, with vice-captain Cristian Romero forced to return early from national team duty due to his ongoing toe issue which will rule him out of the fixture against Pep Guardiola’s side. It adds to Micky van de Ven’s absence, with the defender sidelined for another couple of weeks.
Jamie Braidwood23 November 2024 16:13
Managerial godfather Pep Guardiola is about to accept his greatest challenge yet at Man City
It could seem a rare vote of confidence when a club on a record losing run gives a manager a new contract. Then again, when the manager is Pep Guardiola, his longest sequence of defeats only stands at four; so does his unique chain of English league titles.
So if it is a vote of confidence, it is by Guardiola in Manchester City and not vice versa. There were reasons for the manager to walk away; some would say, 115 of them. Guardiola’s decision to commit himself to the club for a further year, until 2026, and, with a one-season option on top of that, seems to reflect a belief that City will emerge completely or relatively unscathed from the hearing into the Premier League’s century of charges.
Guardiola has tended to be bullishly outspoken in the club’s defence, even though he is not in the dock personally and most of the alleged offences predate his arrival. Guardiola said in September the rest of football wanted City to “disappear off the face of the earth”. A new deal nevertheless indicates he does not expect next autumn’s fixture list to contain Plymouth and Preston, let alone Braintree and Boston.
Building Man City 3.0 will be Pep Guardiola’s greatest challenge yet
The Premier League champions need a rebuild and their masterful manager is set to stay to oversee it after agreeing a new one-year contract, writes Richard Jolly
Jamie Braidwood23 November 2024 16:00
Pep Guardiola promises to stay with Man City even if they are relegated
Pep Guardiola has stated his determination to lead Manchester City back to the top even if they are relegated to the National League over alleged financial irregularities.
The City manager this week ended speculation over his immediate future by extending his contract with the club he has guided to six Premier League titles through to the summer of 2027.
The news has given the champions a lift at a time of huge uncertainty off the field. The club are currently battling 115 charges of alleged rule-breaking following an investigation into their financial affairs.
City deny all wrongdoing but, if found guilty, they could face a severe punishment, including the possibility of relegation.
Guardiola, who revealed his contract negotiations were concluded in two hours, said: “I said six months ago, not because now I’ve extended my contract.
“I said when all the clubs accused us of doing something wrong, (and people asked) what happens if we are relegated, (I said) I will be here.
“Next year, I don’t know the position of the Conference they are going to (put) us, (but) we are going to come up and come up and come back to the Premier League. I knew it then and I feel it now.”
Jamie Braidwood23 November 2024 15:45