Pep Guardiola and Manchester City trying to resolve Tottenham riddle within the absence of Antonio Conte

After a glut of Cup fixtures, the Premier League comes roaring again to life this weekend with Manchester City taking up Tottenham within the showcase match.

The two groups are assembly once more after their first conflict of the season simply over two weeks in the past the place Manchester City got here from 2-0 behind to blow away Spurs 4-2 after the mud had settled. However, the first-half efficiency of the defending champions left so much to be desired that day, making Tottenham, a staff that has had its personal share of issues, appear like the higher staff.

City discovered their second wind after the break as World Cup winner Julian Alvarez and purpose machine Erling Haaland helped them draw stage with objectives within the 51st and 53rd minute, two quickfire blows from which Spurs couldn’t recuperate. Riyad Mahrez would then add the proverbial ultimate nails to Spurs’ coffin with a brace to place an ideal bow on the scenario.

This time round, City are coming into the match with a morale-boosting FA Cup win over Premier League title rivals Arsenal whereas Spurs themselves have put 3 objectives previous Preston in their very own cup tie. But each groups have at the least an enormous identify lacking from their midst.

For Spurs, they’ll be with out their talismanic coach Antonio Conte, somebody whose techniques City boss Pep Guardiola has had problem adapting to, having misplaced their final three away video games within the Tottenham Stadium. Interestingly, in these 3 matches, the free-scoring City aspect didn’t handle to search out the web even as soon as.

This time, nonetheless, on account of Conte’s absence on account of gallbladder surgical procedure, assistant supervisor Cristian Stellini will likely be on the helm. And he has fairly the duty at hand on account of Spurs’ sloppy residence type this season. In their final 5 Premier League residence video games, the Lilywhites have shipped in at the least 2 objectives in every match in addition to conceding first each time. With City making use of their classic excessive press, the Tottenham defenders could have their arms full in neutralizing them.

Tottenham’s Son Heung-min. (AP)

The enormous miss for City will undoubtedly be left again Joao Cancelo, who after a reportedly unstable bust-up with coach Guardiola, left for Bayern Munich on mortgage within the winter switch window, a deal which more and more seems to be prefer it’ll be made everlasting in the summertime until one thing drastically adjustments.

Netherlands’ Nathan Ake has, nonetheless, made Cancelo’s spot his personal for the reason that World Cup, relegating the Portuguese to the bench, even scoring the one purpose within the FA Cup win over Arsenal. But with Harry Kane and Son Heung-min’s counterattacking prowess, he could have his work lower out for him.

With each groups vying for the elusive Champions League spot and in City’s case bridging the hole between them and league leaders Arsenal, this one has all of the potential to be an explosive encounter.