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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

Follow live coverage as Manchester City face Tottenham Hotspur today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.

The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola's side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United's latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year - yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.

Meanwhile, it's Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:

Ange Postecoglou knows the next month will be “significant” for Tottenham, but is confident they will improve and not be mid-table at Christmas.

Spurs travel to Premier League champions Manchester City on Saturday reeling from a disappointing home loss to Ipswich before the international break.

The club’s problems have multiplied during the past fortnight with midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur handed a seven-match domestic ban on Monday and Cristian Romero (toe) joining a lengthy list of absentees.

However, 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.

“At the end of that period we could be in a decent position for a strong second half of the year, so for us it is an important period.

“You know there’s no more international breaks, so the full focus is here. You can build some momentum through that, or if things don’t go well you could get yourself into a bit of a grind.

“Of course if we had beaten Ipswich, we’d be third and I reckon this press conference would be much different wouldn’t it?

“I’m not going to let my life be dictated by one result, I’m sorry. I take a wider perspective on these things because I know how fickle it can be, but we need to address our position for sure.

“And if we’re 10th at Christmas, yeah it won’t be great. There’d be a lot of scrutiny and probably a lot of scrutiny around me, which is fair enough, but that’s not where I plan for us to be.”

Tottenham’s immediate efforts to move up the table will require them ending City’s two-year unbeaten home run in the Premier League.

The champions have lost their last four matches in all competitions, but have some key personnel back for Saturday’s clash and will aim to toast Pep Guardiola’s new contract with a victory.

Postecoglou was pleased to see Guardiola commit to a further two seasons in England, adding: “I love the fact that there’s a massive target out there that can seem insurmountable.

“I look at it the other way. I go, ‘imagine if you knock him off, that’d be something’.

“I’m at the stage of my life where I’d rather have the chance of knocking him off than missing that opportunity.

“When greatness is around, you want to be around it. And hopefully it challenges you to be like that as well.”

Saturday’s fixture will be Postecoglou’s 50th league game in charge of Spurs and he knows what is required to bring up three figures.

“I took over a club that finished eighth,” Postecoglou said.

“No European football, significant player turnover, change of playing style. Where did I think we’d be after 50 games? God knows.

“It could have been a whole lot worse, but when you look at it in the current prism of we’re 10th, you’re going ‘it doesn’t look good’ and I understand that and we have to improve that.

“But over the 50 games, I think there’s enough there that shows we are progressing as a team and we are developing into the team we want.

“The key is the next 50 games, if they can be in totality better than the first 50? First, that means I’m here but second, I think we’ll be in a good space.”

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been hit with a seven-game ban over controversial comments made towards teammate Son Heung Min on Uruguayan television.

Bentancur apologised in June for appearing to say all South Korean people “look the same” during an interview.

The 27-year-old conceded it was “a very bad joke,” with Son later expressing his “love” for his teammate.

The host of a Canal 10 show asked Bentancur to display the shirt of a Spurs player, with the former Juventus star replying: “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”

Bentancur was then charged by the Football Association in September for “misconduct in relation to a media interview”.

Despite the apology, Bentancur will now be unavailable for Ange Postecoglou’s side due to being found guilty of an “aggravated breach” by an independent regulatory commission panel.

Bentancur will miss games against Man City, Fulham, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Southampton, Manchester United and Liverpool before returning in the league against Nottingham Forest. The Uruguayan is free to play in the Europa League against Roma and Rangers.

“[Sonny] brother! I apologise to you for what happened, it was just a very bad joke!” Bentancur said on Instagram during the summer. “You know I love you and I would never disrespect you or hurt you or anyone else! I love you brother!”

While Tottenham also released a statement at the time and included quotes from Son.

“I’ve spoken with Lolo. He made a mistake, he knows this and has apologised,” said the South Korea international. “Lolo would not mean to ever intentionally say something offensive. We are brothers and nothing has changed at all.

“We’re past this, we’re united, and we will be back together in pre season to fight for our club as one.”

Tottenham added: “Following a comment from Rodrigo Bentancur in an interview video clip and the player’s subsequent public apology, the club has been providing assistance in ensuring a positive outcome in this matter.

“This will include further education for all players in line with our diversity, equality and inclusion objectives.

“We fully support that our captain Sonny feels that he can draw a line under the incident and that the team can focus on the new season ahead.

“We are extremely proud of our diverse, global fanbase and playing squads. Discrimination of any kind has no place at our club, within our game or within wider society.”

Alessia Russo scored after 63 seconds to set Arsenal on their way to a 3-0 north London derby victory at Tottenham.

Russo’s early finish - the Gunners’ second fastest goal in Women’s Super League history - was added to by Frida Maanum and Stina Blackstenius to continue interim boss Renee Slegers’ impressive short-term reign.

Slegers, who replaced Jonas Eidevall on a temporary basis following his resignation in October, led Arsenal to a notable 4-0 win over Juventus in the Champions League on Tuesday before another dominant showing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Mariona Caldentey was at her creative best with two assists, the first coming in the opening exchanges. Spurs had hardly managed a touch before a cute pass between the lines by the Spain international was smashed home first-time by Russo into the bottom-left corner.

The visitors, who went into the game unbeaten since defeat to champions Chelsea in October, continued their positive start and added a second before Tottenham had managed an attack of their own.

England skipper Leah Williamson threaded a ball to Kim Little in space, and after the Gunners captain picked out Maanum inside the area, the forward made no mistake to double her side’s lead.

Arsenal began to turn the screw after the break. Spurs had been second-best all match and could not deal with Arsenal‘s intensity, with a third goal putting the match beyond reach.

Caldentey produced the pass of the match with a first-time clipped ball to send Blackstenius through one-v-one with the goalkeeper and she poked her attempt in at the near post.

That goal summed up the gulf in class between the two clubs as Arsenal claimed a much-deserved three points over a Tottenham side who have now won once in their last seven in the league.

PA

The new Women's Super League marks the start of a new era for reigning champions Chelsea, with long-serving boss Emma Hayes having departed in summer to start a new adventure with the USA Women's team.

Last year they just about did enough to claim the title on goal difference ahead of Manchester City, while Arsenal will again hope to make it a three-horse race for the WSL title. Meanwhile Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham will hope to progress after further rebuilding this summer.

Two of those sides meet in the north London derby on Saturday, with Spurs sat seventh in the table ahead of kick-off and Arsenal in fourth - but in good form since the sacking of Jonas Eidevall and under the caretaker guidance of Renee Slegers.

Follow the live action below as Tottenham Hotspur face Arsenal today in the WSL:

Kieran McKenna toasted a “special” first Premier League win for Ipswich in 22 years following a superb 2-1 victory at Tottenham, joking the pink kit designed by watching shareholder Ed Sheeran must have brought his team luck.

Singer-songwriter Sheeran was present to watch his boyhood club win in the top flight at the 11th attempt this season after first-half goals by Sammie Szmodics and Liam Delap.

Rodrigo Bentancur reduced the deficit for Spurs with 69 minutes played, but they could not muster a grand finale as Ipswich, wearing the pink third kit designed by lifelong supporter Sheeran, defended resolutely to ensure it was a day to savour for their fans.

“It’s a really significant moment and a day to cherish in the recent history of the football club,” McKenna said, before revealing Sheeran visited the dressing room after the match.

“You look at the journey the club has been on in the last 22 years, the ups and downs, some heights but some of the depths as well… I think for the supporters to see their club win in the Premier League at a club like Tottenham, a fantastic club in a stadium like this against a team like that, is a massive day for them.

“For us who have been involved in the journey for the last couple of years, it’s a really significant day as well.”

On Sheeran, McKenna said: “Yeah, he popped in and it was nice to see him. He congratulated the boys and we had his designed kit on, so maybe it brought us a bit of luck!

“And everyone knows he’s been an important part of the club in the last few years with the support he gives us, so nice for him to be here.”

Before Ipswich went ahead in the 31st minute, Szmodics had been denied and Dara O’Shea and Cameron Burgess had gone close with headed chances from corners.

The breakthrough arrived when Jens Cajuste’s cross was sent up in the air and Szmodics was first to react with a fine overhead-kick from close range.

It was 2-0 just before half-time when Szmodics was played in and his cross managed to find its way to Delap to fire home on the line after poor Tottenham defending.

Bentancur pulled one back for the hosts, after VAR had ruled out Dominic Solanke’s close-range effort at the start of the second half for handball, but Arijanet Muric was only required to block from Solanke late on as Ipswich claimed a long-awaited Premier League win.

It carried extra significance for McKenna, who spent 14 years at Tottenham as both player and coach after he first moved to England in 2002.

McKenna added: “I come to this club as a 14-year-old, I left home and I never went back. So, yeah it’s nice to do it here, there is no doubt about that.

“My father was in the crowd and lots of people will be very proud.

“It’s nice to do it here, a club where I have got a great affinity for but also it’s good to do it against a really good team.

“Tottenham are a fantastic team, playing really well at home, amazing atmosphere in the stadium so to come here and do it, it is more special for everyone.”

Spurs could have moved into the top four with victory, but are 10th.

“We gave ourselves too much of a deficit to try to overcome,” head coach Ange Postecoglou said.

“That’s my responsibility. The inconsistency we’re having this year, ultimately it comes down to me and my approach and something I need to try and fix and see if I can help the players in that area.”

Follow live coverage as Tottenham Hotspur face Ipswich Town today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.

The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola's side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United's latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year - yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.

Meanwhile, it's Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:

Hugo Lloris has revealed that the gift of a watch engraved with the words “Champions League finalist” from Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy made him question if the club “really want to win”.

Lloris spent 12 years in north London, including a long stint as club captain, but failed to help Spurs to a trophy during his tenure.

His time at Tottenham included two League Cup final defeats and a 2-0 loss to Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League decider, with Lloris beaten from the penalty spot early on after a controversial Moussa Sissoko handball.

But the Frenchman had been left unsettled ahead of kick-off by a presentation from Levy to the playing squad simply celebrating the side for reaching the final.

And Lloris feels it perhaps betrayed a problem with the club’s mentality that their long-serving chairman appeared happy with second best.

“Four days before the final, Daniel Levy called us all together to announce that, with the support of a sponsor, we would each receive a luxury aviator watch from the club,” Lloris recalls in his forthcoming autobiography Earning My Spurs, as serialised by The Guardian. “At first, we were excited to see the elegant boxes. Then we opened them and discovered that he’d had the back of each timepiece engraved with the player’s name and ‘Champions League Finalist 2019’. ‘Finalist.’

“Who does such a thing at a moment like this? I still haven’t got over it, and I’m not alone. If we’d won, he wouldn’t have asked for the watches back to have ‘Winner’ engraved instead.

“I have considerable respect and esteem for the man and all he has done for the club as chairman – I got to know him – but there are things he is simply not sensitive to. As magnificent as the watch is, I have never worn it. I would have preferred there to be nothing on it. With an engraving like that, Levy couldn’t have been surprised if we had been 1–0 down after a couple of minutes: so it was written.

“At the post-match reception at the hotel, I had the impression that some people from the club and certain players were not sufficiently despondent at having lost. I would have liked people to come up to me and say, ‘Don’t worry, Hugo. Never again. We’ll give you the means for a comeback.’ But when I returned to my room on the night of the final, I think I had the same feeling as Mauricio [Pochettino] and Harry {Kane]: does the club really want to win? Real Madrid would never have celebrated a lost final, and we shouldn’t have either.”

Tottenham Hotspur resume their Europa League campaign on Thursday night and face one of their tougher tests with a trip to Galatasaray.

Ange Postecoglou watched his side pick up an impressive 4-1 win over Aston Villa at the weekend, with big-money signing Dominic Solanke scoring twice, but consistency has been the biggest problem for Spurs and he will want the side to maintain that level for the last couple of games before the international break.

Neither of these clubs have lost in the Europa League yet, Spurs winning all three and sitting second, while Gala have two wins and a draw to lie in fifth.

The Turkish team’s only defeats this season have come in the Super Cup and the Champions League qualifiers, leaving them on a run of 11 unbeaten in all competitions since then.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When is the match?

Spurs head to Galatasaray with kick-off set for 5:45pm GMT on Thursday 7 November.

Where can I watch it?

The match will be broadcast on TNT Sports 1 and subscribers can stream on discovery+.

You can purchase a TNT Sports subscription via discovery+ here, for only £30.99 per month. If you want to stream major sporting events while you are travelling or watching from abroad you’ll need a VPN. Get the best VPN deals in the UK. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.

What is the team news?

Galatasaray only have Ismail Jakobs missing but Okan Buruk has shifted his team from 3-4-3 to 4-2-3-1 depending on which attackers he wants on the pitch, so Mauro Icardi and Victor Osimhen may be battling for a single spot.

Spurs are without Richarlison, who went off injured at the weekend after assisting a goal, as well as Wilson Odobert, Micky van de Ven and centre-back partner Cristian Romero. Ange Postecoglou has tended to switch around his side significantly for Europa matches so the likes of Ben Davies, Timo Werner and impressive youngster Mikey Moore will all be hoping for game time.

Predicted lineups

GAL - Muslera, Ayhan, Sanchez, Bardakci, Kutlu, Torreira, Sara, Yilmaz, Mertens, Akgun, Icardi

TOT - Vicario, Gray, Dragusin, Davies, Udogie, Bentancur, Bergvall, Maddison, Moore, Solanke, Werner

Odds

Gala 13/10

Draw 3/1

Spurs 19/10

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Prediction

Galatasaray to just about edge victory in a tight game, mostly due to playing more senior starters. Galatasaray 2-1 Tottenham.

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