Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City

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Saturday 13th February 5.30pm
Premier League
City of Manchester Stadium​

It was another poor result against Everton, but the performance provoked a mixed reaction.
Some enjoyed the more positive approach and the goalscoring, while others felt we were far too open.
However you feel about it, it seems highly unlikely that we'll approach this match in the same way.
Our hosts are top of the league and on a very long unbeaten run, going back to the last time we met.
Can Mourinho pull off an unlikely victory in Manchester or will Guardiola carry on winning?

City had what most teams would describe as an excellent season last year, but it wasn't for them.
They never looked like retaining the league and crashed out of the Champions League to unfancied Lyon.
Winning the League Cup again and finishing 2nd were plusses, but they also blew the FA Cup.
Failing to score against a poor Arsenal side in the semi-final must've mystified the manager.
His job was never under threat though, of course.

They've started this campaign a lot more impressively, only having two defeats in all competitions, so far.
A ludicrous performance against Leicester saw them lose 5-2 at home, while they also lost at our place.
They're still in the FA Cup, the Champions League and the League Cup, facing us in the final in April.
The 5 point gap at the top with a game in hand makes them firm favourites to win the league again, too.
The £140m they spent in the summer has clearly had an impact.

The match at our ground earlier in the season was one of those hailed as a classic Mourinho performance.
We took the lead early on, as Son beat the offside trap and steered the ball past a poorly placed Ederson.
City dominated possession and territory from then on and they thought they'd equalised in the first half.
Laporte put it away, but VAR spotted a handball in the buildup from Jesus and it was rightly chalked off.
Lo Celso was thrown on after the hour and had an instant impact, scoring from Kane's pass to kill it off:

Our trip to their place near the start of the last campaign saw them have a lot of the ball, but still draw.
The hosts capped a lot of early pressure with a headed goal from Sterling to go ahead.
Lamela levelled almost instantly from virtually nowhere, shooting from 25 yards out while virtually unmarked.
Aguero put them ahead again before the break and they looked like they'd push on and win.
Moura headed us level again, then City had a moan about VAR, as a late winner was chalked off for handball:

Lo Celso and Reguilon are still out, but Aurier and Bale may return.
De Bruyne, Ake and Fernandinho are out for the hosts and Aguero is a serious doubt.
Neither side has any suspensions.

Lineups for each side's last league game:

Spurs: Lloris; Aurier, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Davies; Hojbjerg, Ndombele; Lamela, Moura, Son; Kane.
Subs: Hart, Doherty, Dier, Rodon, Sissoko, Bergwijn, Bale, Vinicius, Scarlett.
League form: DWLLLW.

City: Ederson; Cancelo, Dias, Stones, Zinchenko; Silva, Rodri, Gundogan, Mahrez, Foden, Sterling.
Subs: Steffen, Laporte, Garcia, Mendy, Fernandinho, Doyle, Bernabe, Torres, Jesus.
League form: WWWWWW.

Ref: Paul Tierney. VAR: Craig Pawson.

TV: Sky Sports.

How would you like to line up for this one and what would you change from the Everton game?
Would you stick with much of the same lineup, make a few changes or go for a wholesale switch?
Which system and tactics would you use and what are you expecting City to go with?

 

Paul Stewart....

and hiding behind the sofa.

 

O

Oi, get off my patch !!

 

Can Spurs return Bale to RM early?

 

Think Liverpool being battered by city is good for JM cos even a big thumping will be seen in that context.
Could remove the pressure from him and the team.
Can't see anything but an.easy City win
Coys

 

I’ll take a 10-0 loss tomorrow if it guaranteed a win in the cup final against them.

Though with our defence at the moment, it’ll probably be two 10-0 losses against them.

 

Tbh I genuinely fear they will do to us what they did to Arsenal in the League Cup final a couple of years ago...even worse.. do what they did to Watford in that season's FA Cup final

 

I can`t see anything other than a bending v £ity, sadly.

 

We'll win it then.

 

My tenner says not...

 

For some reason Twitter is talking about how ben Davies is the solution for defensive problems

...oh, right, the other Ben Davies

 

You are not our most positive supporter at the moment

 

The striker for Grimsby?

 

On paper it looks a certain home win, however Jose has beaten City twice as Spurs boss, plus the champions league tussles from a few years ago, it’s one game where I wouldn’t be surprised to see Spurs win regardless of City’s form.

 

My comment was tongue in cheek, but as you say it's football all results are always possible.

 

Are we going to see a Jose mastercraft this evening with around 20% possession and simply defend attack after attack?

I'm not sure my heart could take it.

 

today we have to be a bit pragmatic

opening up against City is suicide

If Everton can slap 5 past our defence whilst we play an open brand of football I hate to think what City can do.

 

I agree to an extent but the best form of defence is to attack. We need some balance rather than focus solely on defending because we are going to need to score a goal or two on the counter.