It may be too early to class Sunday’s clash between Tottenham and Manchester City as a head-to-head for the Premier League title, but with the sides currently occupying the top two places in the league the result could prove to be an important one ahead of the international break.
While Pep Guardiola’s men will remain top regardless over the weekend, sitting four points clear at present, a win for either side on Sunday would be a real statement.
For Spurs, who are the only other unbeaten team in the top-flight, it would go a long way to proving that they will be competing for the title once more. Meanwhile, a seventh consecutive league victory for City would only strengthen the assumption of many that they are geared up to win the crown with some comfort, despite Celtic ending Guardiola’s 100% start at the club in midweek.
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In terms of team news, there is a key man missing for either side, though the hosts seem better quipped to deal with the absence of Harry Kane right now then the visitors can without Kevin De Bruyne. Indeed, where the Tottenham striker - last season’s top scorer in the Premier League - was enduring a tough start to the campaign prior to injury, the Belgian had been in scintillating form.
Indeed, De Bruyne is the highest rated player in the Premier League to have featured more than three times this season (8.16), and it seems little coincidence that City failed to win in his absence at Celtic Park. They routinely struggled following an injury to the former Chelsea man in the second half of last season, though admittedly they are already performing to far greater standards under the new regime.
There is, however, one player with a higher rating than the Belgium international if you remove the aforementioned appearance filter. Heung-Min Son has revitalised a Tottenham career that seemed set to be snuffed out following the arrival of Moussa Sissoko in the summer, grasping at a rare opportunity to have a run in the side with both hands to claim a league rating 9.20 so far.
A current streak of five consecutive starts for the club in all competitions is his longest since a move to the capital, and should only be extended with Kane set for a spell on the sidelines. The South Korean is in superb form at present, with 5 goals in as many games, and he, rather than summer signing Vincent Janssen, looks likely to be the man that the City defence will really need to get to grips with if they are to avenge defeats in both fixtures with Spurs last season.
.jpg "In form forwards in focus as Tottenham host Man City")
That said, despite sitting second there’s a sense that Pocchetino’s men are yet to really hit their stride. The absence of last season’s highest rated player Mousa Dembele certainly seems to have been a key factor in that regard, though it’s true that the players that really shone for the club last season are yet to reach the same standards. While Kane is the most obvious culprit, the likes of Eric Dier (6.72 rating) and Dele Alli (6.91) also appear jaded following a dismal Euro 2016 with England, while Christian Eriksen is only now beginning to find his feet.
The return to form of the Dane could be crucial this weekend, having played a decisive role in both victories against City last season, and the 24-year old has an impressive record against this weekend’s opponents in general. Including his time at Ajax, with whom he faced the Manchester outfit twice in 2012/13, Eriksen has scored three goals against the Citizens - a joint-high in his career against English oppositions.
That, however, pales in comparison to Sergio Aguero’s exploits against the Londoners. Though the Argentine failed to score in either match against Tottenham last season, he has 10 goals in 9 appearances against them in total - his best record against any current Premier League side. With 11 goals for the club in all competitions already this season, the 28-year old will provide the sternest test yet to the Premier League’s best defence (3 conceded).
Factor in the form of Raheem Sterling, who looks a completely different player this season under Guardiola and also has previous against Spurs - scoring in two of his last three visits to White Hart Lane - and even the absences of Kane and De Bruyne shouldn’t detract too much from what promises to be a hugely exciting spectacle.
With 44 goals in the last ten meetings between Tottenham and Manchester City, we should be in for a real treat. The visitors have won seven of said encounters and another would stretch their lead at the top to a minimum of five points ahead of the international break. If Spurs could close the gap to one, though, with a third consecutive victory over Sunday’s opponents, then the outlook upon the Premier League’s return in a fortnight will be very different indeed.
Who do you think will come out on top when Spurs host City on Sunday? Let us know in the comments below
