The Independent

Manchester United play host to Tottenham in today’s lunchtime kick-off with Michael Carrick hoping to maintain his perfect start to life as interim boss at Old Trafford.

Carrick is coming off three wins on the bounce since being appointed last month - a feat Ruben Amorim only achieved once during his 14-month reign - though was fortunate to escape dropped points against Fulham last Sunday, requiring the stoppage-time heroics of Benjamin Sesko to claim victory.

He’ll nevertheless strive to make it four in a row against the team he joined United from as a player in 2006, with the prospect of a relegation fight more than non-existent for Tottenham.

Thomas Frank perhaps survived another close shave with the sack last weekend, with Spurs salvaging a 2-2 draw against Manchester City despite putting in a lifeless first-half performance, but the Dane will need to keep the good results coming if he is to survive long in the Spurs hot seat.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When is Manchester United vs Tottenham?

Manchester United’s clash with Tottenham kicks off at 12:30pm GMT on Saturday 7 February at Old Trafford.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the UK can watch the game on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Ultimate, with coverage starting at 11am. Subscribers can also stream the match on discovery+.

Team news

United should welcome back Mason Mount after taking a knock in training ahead of the Fulham clash. Patrick Dorgu and Matthijs de Ligt remain sidelined.

Frank will hope to welcome back Micky van de Ven, who missed the City draw with a minor problem, and Dominic Solanke is expected to be fit despite being withdrawn early in that game with a rolled ankle. Mohammed Kudus, Ben Davies, James Maddison and Rodrigo Bentancur are among those out with longer-term injuries, while Saturday will come too soon for the returns of Richarlison and Pedro Porro.

Predicted line-ups

Manchester United XI: Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Diallo, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo.

“Sometimes a cup competition can hide the fact you’re still struggling,” said Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2021, the Manchester United manager playing down the importance of trophies as a marker of his team’s progress.

“Sometimes it’s more of an ego thing from other managers and clubs to finally win something”, added the Norwegian, who preferred to focus on league position as a yardstick for how his side were progressing.

Whether or not you agree, it would certainly be interesting to see what Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou think. The first quote did not apply to either manager, with their runs to the final of the Europa League last season failing to mask the obvious struggles at United and Tottenham Hotspur.

But Postecoglou got the chance to boost his ego with a trophy, Spurs’ 1-0 win in the Europa League final providing the chance for a turnaround, United seemingly doomed to mediocracy or worse. It certainly felt like that in the stands of the San Mames and on the streets of Bilbao.

There were plenty of parallels between the clubs at the time, from the obvious struggles on the pitch to their runs to the final and questions over the managers. But while the United hierarchy came under the microscope, less was made of Tottenham’s struggles in the boardroom. After all, a trophy after 17 years is surely a success. Perhaps we all fell for the facade that winning a trophy can provide.

This moment was Tottenham’s to enjoy. At the time, Postecoglou suggested the Europa League win “accelerates the opportunities to build a team who can be successful”. He was right on paper, though he added that he felt that while there was a lot of work to be done, it was “not as much work as people may think”. He was not correct in this assertion.

Of course, Postecoglou was sacked 16 days after the final, a Premier League season with 38 points proving that Solskjaer’s first theory can only go so far.

Thomas Frank is now the man under the microscope in the Tottenham hotseat, the Dane facing a seemingly impossible task in getting the club to compete both domestically and in Europe.

The parallels with United remain, though there are some important differences. While both clubs invested heavily over summer, United’s ability to spend over £200m on a new frontline alone – even without any European football – puts them in a place that it’s difficult for Spurs to compete with. In terms of league performance, Tottenham are languishing in 14th in the Premier League, 12 points behind United as they visit Old Trafford for Saturday’s early kick-off.

The boardrooms remain eerily similar, however. Daniel Levy’s exit last year was a surprise given his role in transforming Tottenham into the latest of the ‘top six’ clubs, but as has been the allegation against United, it was suggested that there was too much of a focus on business rather than “sustained sporting success”.

As with United, plenty of change has been promised at Tottenham, the usual PR speak included in statements that promised “more wins more often” in this “new era” for the club. Tottenham sporting director Johan Lange even recently revealed “big ambitions” for the club in this summer’s window.

United fans can sympathise with their Spurs counterparts when it comes to this sort of empty statement. Not every trophy offers the opportunity for a rebuild, but the Europa League does – with suggestions Spurs have already earned over £70m so far from the competition this season – and given the size of the club, Tottenham should have the ability to capitalise.

This is obviously where the frustration stems from. Fans see a state-of-the-art stadium, reports of over £600m in revenue – ranking them in the top 10 clubs in the world – and a summer spend of £170m, but a team in 14th.

It was not necessarily the wrong decision to hire Frank. He has a record of sustained success at Brentford and managers don’t become ‘bad’ overnight, while injuries have played a huge part in the derailment of Spurs’ season, with 11 potential absentees for the United game, at least six of whom would be regular starters.

Rather, like United, Spurs’ on-pitch struggles remain a reflection of problems in the hierarchy. Many of those issues relate to recruitment, with little evidence of the ‘right’ people in the key positions related to transfer dealings.

The list of sub-par signings Tottenham have made in recent season makes for worrying reading. Richarlison, Mathys Tel, Brennan Johnson, Guigliemo Vicario, Yves Bissouma and Wilson Odobert arrived for a sum approaching £200m, and at the very least all would need to be replaced before the club could have a chance of challenging for a title.

There have been some successes – Maddison, Kulusevski and Micky van de Ven among them – but some of the decisions have been staggering. The club must have had enough evidence to steer clear of the likes of Randal Kolo Muani, while they even had six months of evidence regarding Tel before deciding to sign him for £30m and then omitting him from the squad for the Champions League.

To make matters worse, the hierarchy are not taking any responsibility, as alluded to by captain Cristian Romero, who said it was “disgraceful” that the club only had “11 players available” for the draw with Manchester City last week. Romero’s comments were met with the statement from sporting director Johan Lange instead, in a week where reports suggest their captain could leave at the end of the season.

So Solskjaer’s comments are relevant once again, this time for Spurs as they visit Old Trafford. The relative success in Europe has not been enough to distract from their league form, the ego boost of winning the Europa League now replaced with a harsh reminder of where the club stands. No matter what you’ve won in the past, the results in the last few weeks are always the most important.

However, while Frank may pay with his job, the cycle at Spurs looks set to continue. United fans know better than anyone that most problems at a club can be traced back to the hierarchy, with their own board needing to get everything right in a vital summer if they want to get closer to challenging again.

And it is here where the two clubs share the most important parallel of all. Both have plenty of ambition, but is either boardroom competent enough to deliver?

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Thomas Frank responds to Romero’s criticism of Spurs squad depth

George Sessions

Friday 06 February 2026 08:32 GMT

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero posted on Instagram, stating he played through illness against Manchester City and criticised the squad's depth, calling it "disgraceful" that only 11 fit players were available.

Manager Thomas Frank addressed the incident, confirming it was handled internally but sidestepped questions regarding any disciplinary action or fines for Romero.

Frank acknowledged Romero's passionate nature and ambition but stated he personally would not have made such comments publicly.

The manager also noted the club's limited transfer activity since signing Conor Gallagher on 14 January and the loss of nine players to injuries since the start of 2026, which exacerbated the situation.

Frank confirmed that Romero is expected to be available for the upcoming match against Manchester United, along with Micky van de Ven, who returns from injury.

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero has said it was “disgraceful” that the club only had “11 players available” for this weekend’s visit of Manchester City in an apparent dig at the Spurs hierarchy.

Romero was replaced at half-time of the clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium due to illness, with his side at that point completely lifeless and without much hope of turning around a two-goal deficit.

That they managed to do after the restart with Dominic Solanke’s double - which included a scorpion kick - salvaging a point for Thomas Frank’s struggling side.

Romero has nevertheless taken to social media to seemingly voice his displeasure with the state of affairs at Tottenham, something he has done previously this season.

“Great effort from all my teammates yesterday, they were incredible,” Romero wrote on Instagram. “I wanted to be available to help them even though I wasn’t feeling well, especially since we only had 11 players available — unbelievable but true and disgraceful.

“We’ll keep showing up and taking responsibility to turn this around, working hard and staying together. All that’s left is to thank all of you for being there and for always supporting us, the fans.”

It comes less than a month after the Argentinian took aim at key figures at Tottenham after the club’s 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth.

The World Cup winner questioned why “other people” at the club are not speaking, but claimed that “has been happening for several years”, adding that they have “only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies”.

He later deleted the post and re-uploaded it without the line about “lies”.

Romero also previously pointed out “the many obstacles that always existed and always will exist” when he paid tribute to sacked Ange Postecoglou in June.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has voiced strong criticism of refereeing standards, asserting that officials "have to be neutral" following a contentious decision during Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham.

The Spanish international specifically targeted the allowance of Spurs’ first goal, which he believes was a clear foul.

City had initially established a commanding two-goal lead in the first half through strikes from Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo, positioning themselves to narrow the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal to four points.

However, Tottenham mounted a spirited comeback, with Dominic Solanke credited for both of their goals, including a spectacular backheel in the 70th minute.

It was Solanke’s initial goal, scored eight minutes into the second period, that ignited fury from both Rodri and manager Pep Guardiola.

The incident saw Tottenham forward Solanke appear to kick through the back of Marc Guehi’s leg to score.

Despite a VAR review, the decision stood, with officials deeming no foul had been committed.

This latest incident follows a series of VAR decisions that have gone against City in recent matches, including fixtures against Newcastle, Manchester United, and Wolves, leading Rodri to question the fairness of officiating.

Speaking to Australian broadcaster Stan Sport, Rodri stated: "I know we won too much and the people don’t want us to win but the referee has to be neutral and for me honestly, it’s not fair. It’s not fair because we work so hard in these situations and now to make these decisions, we have to move on."

He continued, expressing his frustration: "Of course you need to come back but at the end, when everything is finished, we are frustrated because it’s so clear the foul. He kicked the leg and of course with the push of the action on the ball, the ball goes in.

“We have to pay attention to these little things otherwise it’s going to be difficult for everyone because this league is like this – it’s about small details and everything counts, so I think today is a very tough day for us in this sense."

The midfielder also recalled other recent decisions, including a disallowed goal by VAR in their 2-0 Carabao Cup victory over Newcastle, and Diogo Dalot avoiding a red card during City’s Manchester derby loss.

Last weekend, referee Farai Hallam had declined to award City a penalty against Wolves, despite being advised to review the incident on the pitchside monitor.

Reflecting further after seeing replays, Rodri added: "I don’t know how to feel. Now I see the images. On the pitch you don’t see. It’s a clear foul in the first action of the goal. It’s a clear foul and VAR is (there) for a reason.

“These small details make the difference. We’re trying to do our best, it’s the first goal they scored and maybe if they don’t score the goal, we win the game."

He concluded with a rare public critique of officials: "It’s one game and another game and it’s not possible. And honestly I never speak about referees, I respect their job massively, but they have to pay attention to these things.

“He’s kicked the leg. It’s so clear, it’s so clear. He anticipated the leg of Marc and it’s a clear foul, but it’s not today, it’s two or three games in a row and I don’t know why, honestly."

A statement from the Premier League Match Centre on Sunday clarified the decision: "The referee’s call of goal was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the challenge by Solanke on Guehi deemed not to be a foul as Solanke played the ball. The goal accreditation panel has adjudged the goal to be a Solanke goal."

Pep Guardiola was visibly irate with the referee’s decision not to overturn Tottenham’s first goal for a foul on Marc Guehi as Manchester City surrendered a two-goal lead to drop valuable points in north London.

City were cruising at half-time with Spurs’ spirit badly bruised, leading thanks to goals from Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo.

After the break, however, the hosts found a way back into the game out of almost nothing, with Dominic Solanke forcing the ball over the line in the 53rd minute to half the deficit.

The goal was not without contention, with Solanke appearing to kick through the back of Guehi’s leg to score, but VAR did not intervene.

When asked by Sky Sports what he thought of the officiating, Guardiola was reluctant to answer and instead questioned the interviewer on whether he thought it was a foul.

"Once again... Have you seen it? Nothing,” he said, before appearing on the verge of walking out of the interview.

“It's happened once again. What can I say? Marc has the ball, he's been kicked from behind, and it's a goal. Nothing. One more."

Speaking to BBC Sport, Guardiola added: "Well, if you do it to a striker it would be a penalty. I'm not a referee.

"Fascinating in the Premier League."

The Premier League Match Centre explained the decision by deeming that Solanke had played the ball, accrediting the goal to the Spurs striker rather than ruling as a Guehi own goal.

The goal sparked a comeback from Spurs that saw them hold City to an unlikely draw, with Guardiola’s failing to keep pace with Premier League leaders Arsenal in the title race.

The Cityzens now sit six points adrift of the Gunners, but Guardiola is insistent that this is not the decisive blow in their season.

He said: "We are playing in a high, high level. Of course we don't have the consistency to win the games. But 14 games, a lot of points to play for. Onto the next one."

A rip-roaring second-half from Tottenham saw them fight back from two goals down to claim a 2-2 draw at home to Manchester City and boost fierce rivals Arsenal’s title bid.

City looked set to cruise to another victory after first-half goals from Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo put Pep Guardiola’s men in control.

Spurs had been booed off at half-time, but a controversial 53rd-minute own-goal by Marc Guehi gave Thomas Frank’s misfiring team a lifeline before Dominic Solanke’s sensational back heel levelled the scores after 73 minutes.

There was still time for either team to find a winner, but the spoils were shared and Manchester City are now six points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal.

It was a timely comeback for under-fire Frank, who has struggled to win over the Spurs fanbase and although this made it only two wins in 15 league fixtures, it prevented another defeat at home.

Arsenal’s 4-0 win at Leeds on Saturday increased the pressure on City, but they faced a depleted Tottenham with 11 players absent, including central defender Micky van de Ven.

It meant Radu Dragusin was handed a first start in 12 months following his recovery from a serious knee injury and within 11 minutes the home side were behind.

Not long after Semenyo had tested Guglielmo Vicario, City won the ball back from Yves Bissouma and within seconds Erling Haaland had released Cherki, who worked a yard of space on Dragusin and rifled into the bottom corner.

It was too simple from a Spurs point of view, but the dream start for Guardiola’s men and they could have made it 2-0 seven minutes later only for Haaland to lob the ball over the crossbar.

Home fans were already restless when Cherki’s twinkle-toes got him into the area and past a hapless Dragusin tackle, but his firm 23rd-minute effort was brilliantly tipped wide by Vicario even though a goal-kick was awarded.

Frank’s team did finally show some attacking intent when Solanke teed up Xavi Simons but his shot was blocked, and yet a minute before half-time City made it 2-0.

Dragusin’s chipped pass was intercepted by Rodri, who picked out Bernardo Silva and he teed up Semenyo to curl home.

Boos followed at the break and Frank was now without captain Cristian Romero with Pape Sarr introduced, but in a 4-2-3-1 system, Tottenham improved.

Conor Gallagher fired over before Destiny Udogie was superbly thwarted by fellow Italian Gianluigi Donnarumma.

A Spurs goal was coming and it arrived in controversial circumstances in the 53rd minute when Simons produced a wonderful pass into Solanke, who turned Abdukodir Khusanov and kicked through the back of Guehi’s leg to make it 2-1.

VAR checked for offside and a foul, but Guehi’s own-goal stood and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was alive as Guardiola received a booking from referee Robert Jones.

Frank sensed the momentum with attackers Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel introduced in the 68th minute and three minutes later Solanke caused the stadium to erupt.

Gallagher burst forward down the right and crossed into the penalty area where Solanke produced a sensational back heel finish over the scrambling Donnarumma to make it 2-2.

It was all Spurs now as Simons played in Odobert, but Donnarumma made a vital save before Simons let fly and forced a sprawling save from the City goalkeeper.

Second-placed City did up the ante late on, with Tijjani Reijnders squandering two chances before Tottenham substitute Sarr thwarted efforts by Guehi and Haaland to ensure the points were shared.

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Liveupdated

Tottenham vs Manchester City live: Pep Guardiola’s side seek to keep pressure on league leaders

City come into the weekend second in the table just four points behind the Gunners

Manchester City make the trip to Tottenham this afternoon with the aim of maintaining the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal.

The Gunners lead at the top of the table is seven points following their win over Leeds United on Saturday and City have the chance to close the gap should they defeat Spurs in the late kick off.

Pep Guardiola must navigate a growing injury crisis which worsened during the week when Jeremy Doku was subbed off in the 2-0 Champions League win over Galatasaray. Ruben Dias, John Stones, Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic and Savinho are all sidelined while Oscar Bobb has completed a move to Fulham.

For Spurs, Thomas Frank is trying to ease the pressure on his job with a run of solid performances but the spotlight is shining on how Tottenham compete against City. Spurs sit 14th in the league and will need to show they have the ability to propel themselves up the table if Frank is to hold on to his role as manager.

Follow all the action from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with our live blog below:

Bernardo Silva blends Manchester City past and present to raise one Pep Guardiola question

It might have been a scene from a training session over any of the seven seasons they were teammates. With a change of pace, Bernardo Silva darted past Ilkay Gundogan.

This time, it was on the Etihad Stadium pitch. Manchester City captains past and present are two of Pep Guardiola’s favourite ever players, a pair with the technical skills and footballing intellect to appeal to a manager who is both purist and theorist.

Silva’s blend of Manchester City past and present raises one Guardiola question

Silva, out of contract in the summer, has been a key figure in Manchester City’s evolution

Mike Jones1 February 2026 14:30

Nottingham Forest sign Manchester City’s forgotten goalkeeper

Nottingham Forest have signed goalkeeper Stefan Ortega after agreeing a deal with Manchester City.

The German moves to the City Ground on a free transfer, though the transfer could net City £500,000 if clauses are triggered.

Ortega is set to be Forest’s back-up goalkeeper to Matz Sels after John Victor was ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Will Castle1 February 2026 14:15

Jeremy Doku’s early exit against Galatasaray hits Man City with fresh injury blow

Manchester City were dealt a fresh injury blow as Jeremy Doku was forced off during their Champions League clash with Galatasaray at the Etihad Stadium.

Doku had impressed during the first half in which City took a two goal lead over their Turkish opponents but with 10 minutes to go until the break he fell to the ground and had to be subbed off.

Jeremy Doku’s early exit against Galatasaray hits Man City with fresh injury blow

The winger picked up a knock in the first half of their Champions League tie with Galatasaray

Mike Jones1 February 2026 14:00

Is this boom or bust for Thomas Frank?

Even after delivering the club a top-eight finish in the Champions League last week, you have to feel Thomas Frank is still clinging onto to his Tottenham job by the skin of his teeth.

Spurs required last-gasp heroics from captain Cristian Romero to salvage a draw against relegation-threatened Burnley last week, coming a week after the club were beaten at home by relegation strugglers West Ham - their third home defeat in four games.

That loss coincided with the atmosphere turning hostile towards the Dane as supporters chanted for his sacking, and while back-to-back European wins have so far done enough to spare Frank his dismissal, another damning Premier League loss could prove the final straw for the Spurs hierarchy.

Will Castle1 February 2026 13:45

Pep Guardiola misses Man City press conference for ‘personal matter’

Pep Guardiola missed Manchester City’s press conference for personal reasons on Friday, a day after he spoke at a charity event in Barcelona in support of Palestinian children.

The City boss was due to hold a lunchtime press conference to preview Sunday’s Premier League game against Tottenham but assistant boss Pep Lijnders took his place.

Pep Guardiola misses Man City press conference for ‘personal matter’

City have not provided details of Guardiola’s absence, but on Thursday he spoke at a charity event in Barcelona in support of Palestinian children.

Mike Jones1 February 2026 13:37

Man City's early team news

For City, Jeremy Doku will likely miss this match after being forced off in the first half against Galatasaray, though the extent of his problem is not yet clear.

Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic are the long-term absentees, though John Stones, Ruben Dias and Savio won’t be returning until later next month.

Predicted Man City XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Reilly; Rodri; Cherki, Silva, Foden, Marmoush; Haaland.

Mike Jones1 February 2026 13:30

Early team news for Tottenham

Thomas Frank’s main concern is the fitness of Micky van de Ven, who missed the game against Frankfurt and will face a late fitness test.

James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Ben Davies, Lucas Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski are all sidelined for the foreseeable future for Spurs, and while Richarlison and Pedro Porro are nearing returns, they won’t be back until later in February.

Predicted Tottenham XI: Vicario; Spence, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie; Gray, Palhinha; Odobert, Sarr, Simons; Solanke.

Mike Jones1 February 2026 13:23

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the UK can watch the match live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event, with coverage starting at 4pm. Subscribers can also stream the action online via NOWTV.

If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.

Mike Jones1 February 2026 13:15

When is Tottenham vs Man City?

The match will take place on Sunday, 1 February at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with kick-off set for 4.30pm.

Mike Jones1 February 2026 13:07

Tottenham vs Manchester City live

Tottenham Hotspur host Manchester City in the Premier League tonight, with Pep Guardiola’s side looking to stay within touching distance of league leaders Arsenal this weekend.

Guardiola’s men are hoping for a big result against a struggling Spurs side ahead of matches against Liverpool and Newcastle in coming weeks.

While Spurs are currently languishing in 14th in the table, they have consistently been a bogey side for Guardiola over the course of his time in England, and while the visitors will head in as heavy favourites, Spurs’ 2-0 win in the reverse fixture proves that they are capable of denting City’s title hopes this afternoon.

Mike Jones1 February 2026 13:00

Tottenham Hotspur host Manchester City in the Premier League tonight, with Pep Guardiola’s side looking to stay within touching distance of league leaders Arsenal this weekend.

The Gunners’ 4-0 hammering of Leeds yesterday means that City begin the day seven points behind Mikel Arteta’s side, with Guardiola’s men hoping for a big result against a struggling Spurs side ahead of matches against Liverpool and Newcastle in coming weeks.

While Spurs are currently languishing in 14th in the table, they have consistently been a bogey side for Pep Guardiola over the course of his time in England tenure, and while the visitors will head in as heavy favourites, Spurs’ 2-0 win in the reverse fixture proves that they are capable of denting City’s title hopes this afternoon.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match.

When is Tottenham vs Man City?

The match will take place on Sunday, 1 February at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with kick-off set for 4.30pm.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the UK can watch the match live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event, with coverage starting at 4pm. Subscribers can also stream the action online via NOWTV.

If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.

Team news

Thomas Frank’s main concern is the fitness of Micky van de Ven, who missed the game against Frankfurt and will face a late fitness test.

James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Ben Davies, Lucas Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski are all sidelined for the foreseeable future for Spurs, and while Richarlison and Pedro Porro are nearing returns, they won’t be back until later in February.

For City, Jeremy Doku will likely miss this match after being forced off in the first half against Galatasaray, though the extent of his problem is not yet clear.

Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic are the long-term absentees, though John Stones, Ruben Dias and Savio won’t be returning until later next month.

Predicted line-ups

Tottenham XI: Vicario; Spence, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie; Gray, Palhinha; Odobert, Sarr, Simons; Solanke.

The pressure will be back on Tottenham boss Thomas Frank on Sunday when they face Manchester City at home in the late kick-off (4:30pm, live on Sky Sports).

They might have qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League with a 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt and finished fourth in the league table, but in the Premier League, they sit 14th, and the fans are less than impressed.

The reaction to Frank has been toxic at times as he struggles to win over the Spurs faithful, but maybe a win over City could help?

Despite all the speculation and pressure on Frank, he is not the favourite with the football betting sites to be the next manager to lose his job; that honour goes to Liverpool boss Arne Slot, who is 4/6 while Frank is 2/1.

City also made it through automatically to the knockout stage with a 2-0 win at home to Galatasaray, to join Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea safely through.

Neither side is going into the game in the best of form domestically, and City have won just one of their last five games in the league and that came last time out against the bottom side Wolves.

Before that, they lost to Manchester United and drew with Sunderland, Chelsea and Brighton. What will be the most frustrating fact for manager Pep Guardiola is that despite that form, they are still only four points behind the leaders, Arsenal.

Had they been more ruthless in front of goal, that league table could look very different right now, and they are as low as 5/2 in the Premier League odds to win the title.

Spurs go into the game without a win in their last five in the league and just two in their last 14, and they came against Brentford and Crystal Palace.

They have only won seven games all season in the Premier League, and just two of those have come at home, that one against the Bees in December and a 3-0 win over Burnley in their opening game of the season when hopes were so high.

Frank currently has the worst points per game at home of any Spurs boss in Premier League history at just 0.82.

Tottenham vs Manchester City betting: Pressure to mount on Frank

In fact, August started well for Spurs, who followed up that win over the Clarets with a 2-0 win over City at the Etihad when first-half goals from Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha secured the win.

That was their second successive win at City after James Maddison scored twice last season to help the side to a 4-0 win.

They have lost their last two league meetings at home, though without scoring a goal. Erling Haaland scored the only goal of the game last season, and he scored twice the season before to secure a 2-0 win.

One surprising statistic is that Pep Guardiola has lost more league games against Spurs than any other opponent in his managerial career, going down eight times against them so far across the league, FA Cup and League Cup.

This could be the perfect game for City to get their title push back on track, and the football betting sites seem to agree and have them as favourites.

Five of the last six meetings between the two sides have been won to nil, and although City haven’t looked at their best at the back, the arrival of Marc Guehi has come just at the right time.

Tottenham vs Manchester City prediction 1: City to win to nil - 23/10 BetVictor

Tottenham vs Manchester City prediction: Haaland to punish Spurs

We have already mentioned Haaland’s record against Spurs, and after he finally got back among the goals on Wednesday, it would be silly not to back him again.

His goal after just 10 minutes ended a five-game goalless run and was his first from open play in 10, and took his tally for the season to 40 goals in 48 games for club and country.

For City, he has 27 so far and just two fewer in the league than he managed in the whole of last season, with 20.

Betting sites are offering just 10/11 on him scoring at any time, but you can get 16/5 on him scoring two or more, which he has already done 12 times this season.

Tottenham vs Manchester City prediction 2: Haaland to score two or more - 16/5 BetVictor

Tottenham vs Manchester City team news:

Tottenham vs Manchester City predicted lineups:

Tottenham: Vicario, Danso, Romero, van de Ven, Bissouma, Gallagher, Porro, Spence, Simons, Kudus, Muani

Manchester City: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Reilly, Rodri, Silva, Foden, Doku, Cherki, Haaland.

Coral are offering new customers the chance to claim £50 in free bets by signing up online and betting on Tottenham vs Manchester City.

To unlock this free bet offer, new users must use the link below before creating a Coral account. After that, deposit £10 and then bet £10 on any Tottenham vs Manchester City market with odds of 1/2 or greater.

Once your qualifying bet has settled, you’ll receive £50 in free bets to use on the sportsbook. Free bets are active for seven days.

When having a bet, it’s vital to practice responsible gambling.

Betting can be addictive and it’s important to stay in control of your betting. Never treat gambling as a way to make money, never bet more than you can afford and when the fun stops, stop.

Gambling sites offer punters tools, like deposit limits, profit and loss trackers and self-exclusion options, to help them stay in control.

But if you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don’t hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below.

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