City Xtra

Manchester City return to domestic action on Sunday evening as Tottenham stand in the way of their hopes of three consecutive wins in all competitions.

Last time out, the Blues emerged victorious on the European stage, defeating Turkish outfit Galatasaray 2-0 thanks to goals from Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki at the Etihad Stadium, which earned them the right of passage to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.

The deadlock was broken after 11 minutes as City’s Norwegian talisman latched onto an inch-perfect through-ball from Jeremy Doku and dispatched it expertly by lifting it over Ugurcan Cakir to give the hosts a crucial lead.

City continued to dominate the ball from that point onwards, applying pressure to the visitors that eventually saw Rayan Cherki double the lead for Pep Guardiola’s side with 29 minutes on the clock.

Okan Buruk’s side went up a gear in the second period but still offered very little in regard to threatening Gianluigi Donnarumma’s goal, allowing City to ease their way to a rather simple yet crucial win, with the only downside being a calf injury sustained by Jeremy Doku prior to the interval.

The win saw Pep Guardiola’s side clinch automatic Round of 16 qualification with an eighth place finish in the group phase, narrowly escaping the Round of 32 play-off stage. The possible opposition on the horizon continentally for the Blues consists of any of the following teams: Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Bodo/Glimt and SL Benfica.

Now though, all eyes are on the Premier League for City as they are tasked with facing Thomas Frank’s Tottenham at a ground where they have historically faced severe adversity, scoring just five goals in all competitions since the north Londoners moved to their stadium in 2019.

Tottenham have faced troubled times in the English top-flight of late, with their last Premier Leagie victory coming in December 2025 at Selhurst Park.

This game is of immense importance for both sides as Manchester City need three points to keep pace with Premier League leaders Arsenal, whilst victory is also essential for Frank as his future as Tottenham manager very much hangs in the balance.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium-

Match Details

Thomas Frank and co welcome Manchester City to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday 1 February, with kick-off slated for 16:30 UK.

Match Officials

The Premier League have confirmed that Robert Jones – who officiated Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest in December – will take charge of the fixture.

Check out the full list of match officials below!

Team News

For the hosts, this match comes in the midst of an injury crisis as Dejan Kulusevski, Ben Davies, James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Richarlison and Pedro Porro will be unavailable for selection for Frank on Sunday.

Micky Van de Ven was also unavailable for the hosts in midweek but Frank is hopeful that the Dutch central defender may be able to make a return to start against City.

Furthermore, Yves Bissouma, Radu Dragusin, Conor Gallagher, Mathys Tel and Souza are available for Spurs after missing their win over Eintracht Frankfurt.

For City, the injury burden does not appear to be getting any lighter as the Blues remain without Ruben Dias, John Stones, Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic and Savinho for their visit to the English capital.

Jeremy Doku is also sidelined after picking up an injury to his calf against Galatasaray; the winger’s absence is not expected to rule him out for an extensive period of time, however. Dias is also expected to return to first-team training on Monday, with a view of marking his return to action against Liverpool at Anfield next weekend.

Press Conference Quotes

Pep Guardiola was unavailable for pre-match media duties on Friday as Manchester City assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders stepped in to address the media. Here’s everything he had to say!

On the January transfer window: “I think we did excellent business with Antoine (Semenyo), Marc (Guehi), and Oscar (Bobb) leaving, of course, but I think we added strength. What you always search for is to add somebody who can improve your first 11.

“If you can find players who can – and that’s not easy for Man City – improve your first 11, you do good business. I feel we’ve succeeded.”

On Jack Grealish’s foot injury: “I think Jack doesn’t have to prove anything, with what he did in the last years at Man City. Jack’s a player who, from each situation, can create chances. He’s had an excellent season.

“I’d be very disappointed because he made the move (to Everton) to play, always involved, and being injured – I don’t know how severe it is – hopefully he can come back, and hopefully for England he’ll be available because these players decide tournaments.”

On Oscar Bobb’s Manchester City exit: “At this age, to make a transfer like that, for that amount of money in the Premier League – I’m really happy for him! I think it’s a great step to go to Marco (Silva’s) team and the way they set up, they play with outside triangles, being flexible and they’ll feed him a lot of balls.

“I’m really happy for him, and it’s a big compliment for our academy because another player is making a big step who has the quality to play in the Premier League.”

On Tottenham: “We are really looking forward to this game. We have to be, for 95 minutes, really concentrated and think about how we want to play and how we want to do it, to show our mentality, our way. But we’re looking forward to going there.”

On Jeremy Doku’s injury: “It’s a similar injury to the last, only that time it was a little bit on the outside, the lateral side, and now it’s in the centre. Last time it took 18 days; I presume this will be a little shorter. But it’s in the middle, so we have to take time. But Jeremy is very robust, so let’s see.”

Head-to-Head

In the last encounter between the pair, Tottenham ran out 2-0 victors at the Etihad Stadium courtesy of goals from Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha as Manchester City were handed a sobering reality check on their first home game of the 2025-26 league campaign.

Historically, this has been a fiercely competitive fixture and in the 156 matches between Tottenham and Manchester City, the Blues have emerged victorious 62 times; whilst the Lilywhites have won 61, with the remaining 33 ending in a stalemate.

Statistics

Tottenham have completed the Premier League double over Manchester City nine times so far, more than they have over any other opponent. Meanwhile, only Chelsea (10) have done so more against the Blues.

City have won their last two away league games against Spurs, last winning three in a row between February 1973 and August 1974.

Tottenham Hotspur are winless in five Premier League matches (D3 L2), their fourth run of over five winless games in the last two seasons. They only had four runs of five or more winless games across their previous 12 seasons combined, between the 2012-13 and 2023-24 campaigns.

In the last two seasons, Manchester City rank sixth for points won away from home in the Premier League (46 in 30 games – an average of 1.53 per game). In the two seasons beforehand, City won the joint most away points (81 in 38 games, averaging to 2.13 points per game).

In the last two seasons, the only ever-present sides to pick up fewer Premier League points than Tottenham (66) are Wolves (50) and West Ham (63), with Spurs’ 31 defeats second only to Wolves (37) in that time.

Another defeat would mean Spurs have lost over 10 games for eight consecutive seasons since the 2018-19 campaign; in their eight seasons beforehand (2010-11 to 2017-18), this only happened twice.

City faced as many shots as they had themselves last time out against Wolves (11), the seventh time this season they’d either had fewer or as many attempts as their opponents in a Premier League game, the joint most in a season under Pep Guardiola.

They are only averaging 4.7 more shots per game than their opponents this season, their smallest difference in a season under the Spaniard.

How To Watch

For those in the United Kingdom, this match is available on Sky Sports from 16:30 UK.

For United States-based viewers, the game is available to stream on NBCSN and Peacock, with action getting underway from 11:30 EST.

Check out the full global TV listings HERE!

Manchester City are set to lose one of their leading officials to Premier League rivals Tottenham, it has been revealed this week.

Behind the scenes at the Etihad Stadium, City have undergone significant change over the last 18 months, with senior figures either departing or seeing responsibilities reshaped. While focus on the pitch has remained firmly on rebuilding elite performances, off-field hierarchy has also been evolving as City Football Group (CFG) continues to refine its global operation.

Those developments have not gone unnoticed, as City’s long-standing success has made their executive structure an attractive model for rivals seeking to modernise recruitment, operations, and long-term squad planning.

As such, senior CFG figures are increasingly viewed as prime targets for clubs aiming to accelerate their own rebuilds. Tottenham, in particular, have been assessing their football operations department as they look to strengthen decision-making across recruitment, contracts, and squad logistics.

And now, according to the information of The Athletic, City Football Group executive Carlos Raphael Moersen is now in advanced talks to take up the role of director of football operations at Tottenham Hotspur, with a deal expected to be finalised soon.

Moersen, widely known internally as ‘Rafi’, has spent close to a decade working across CFG clubs and is currently responsible for overseeing football transactions across the organisation.

His remit has included negotiating player contracts, managing transfers, and supporting Manchester City’s senior football leadership, with the Etihad Stadium side operating as the flagship club within the CFG model.

Following the departure of Omar Berrada to Manchester United in 2024, Moersen’s influence increased further, as responsibilities were redistributed across the global football and commercial arms, becoming a key figure supporting former sporting director Txiki Begiristain before the latter’s exit earlier this year, after which Hugo Viana stepped into the role.

For Tottenham, the appointment would represent a significant statement of intent, bringing in an executive with first-hand experience of elite squad building and long-term football strategy. For City, it marks another example of their influence extending beyond the pitch.

Manchester City could turn to North London and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as they seek out a new recruit in the right-back position, according to reports.

The Etihad Stadium hierarchy continue to map out medium and long-term solutions in a role that has become one of Pep Guardiola’s most carefully managed areas of the squad, and one that alludes them somewhat in recent markets.

Following Kyle Walker’s departure for Burnley in the summer, City have leaned on positional flexibility, with midfielders and centre-backs adapting to meet tactical demands, while recruitment staff assess the market both domestically and across Europe.

City’s approach has so far been defined by patience rather than urgency. While Matheus Nunes has impressed in spells and names like Feyenoord’s Givairo Read have been closely monitored, the club’s preference appears to be securing a proven, system-ready option capable of contributing immediately at elite level.

As planning intensifies ahead of 2026, Premier League experience, tactical intelligence, and familiarity with Pep Guardiola’s demands remain key criteria – qualities that naturally narrow the shortlist and elevate certain established names already known to the club’s leadership.

Now, according to the information of TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey, the camp of Tottenham right-back Pedro Porro have had preliminary talks with the North London side about a new contract with the club.

From the side of Spurs’ hierarchy, it is revealed that they have informed Porro that they should accelerate such talks in 2026, with his current deal due to expire in 2028 and the 26-year-old earning less than £100,000-a-week – due for a significant pay rise.

Interestingly, the report reveals that Pedro Porro’s former club Manchester City are keeping tabs on the player’s situation, and would be open to bringing him back to the Etihad Stadium. It is pointed out that sporting director Hugo Viana – who took the defender to Sporting and recognised his ability – remains a huge fan of the player.

With Manchester City very much in the market for a new right-back and Newcastle’s Tino Livramento ranking highly on their list, the report insists that Viana sees Porro as an option for the club heading into the new year.

Pedro Porro’s profile would align neatly with City’s requirements, having developed into one of the Premier League’s most effective attacking full-backs while maintaining the technical discipline demanded at elite level.

His ability to operate high and wide, invert into midfield, and contribute creatively mirrors many of the traits Pep Guardiola has historically prioritised in the role. Any potential return, however, would come with financial and strategic considerations.

Tottenham are expected to push hard for a new contract, while Porro’s importance to their system would likely inflate any future valuation. City, meanwhile, must weigh the cost against alternatives such as Livramento, who remains viewed as a long-term cornerstone option.

As 2026 approaches, City’s right-back planning appears increasingly defined by flexibility – balancing immediate reliability with long-term evolution. Whether Porro becomes a genuine target or remains a contingency option will depend on how negotiations perhaps unfold in North London and how the wider market develops over the next 12 months.

One of Manchester City’s competitors have intensified their interest in Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, whose £65 million release clause could be triggered in January 2026, as per a new report.

Since the Portuguese replaced Manchester City’s long-serving sporting director, Hugo Viana has openly scaled the transfer market for reinforcements in attack as the Blues look to rebuild their squad in the backdrop of a dismal, trophyless 2024-25 season.

City have turned a corner since their early season slump but Guardiola’s options in the final third appear narrow amid a worrying over-reliance on Erling Haaland to score and with Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki, Jeremy Doku and Haaland playing a large majority of games, particularly since September.

There are concerns over the fitness of those playing frequently and whether or not they will be able to maintain the demands of featuring in multiple games per week without sustaining an injury, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup also on the horizon.

As a result, City have monitored Semenyo for some time and are willing to pay the release clause, which is broken down as £60 million plus £5 million in add-ons. Plausibly, the Ghana international is believed to prefer staying in England, as opposed to moving abroad.

But Guardiola’s side face intensifying competition from Tottenham Hotspur, who are looking for a left winger despite being put off by the Cherries’ valuation in the summer that exceeded £70 million, according to Sky Sports.

Thomas Frank’s side appear more ready to pay what is required to land Semenyo, who has contributed nine times – six goals and three assists – across 13 appearances for Bournemouth so far this season.

Still, the winger has plenty of teams to choose from if all of them are to materialise their interest with a formal offer. Liverpool and Arsenal are equally attracted by the 25-year-old but it is thought that Spurs and City currently lead the running.

Liverpool, though they have underperformed massively so far this term, disbursed £446 million in the summer transfer window – which is the most ever spent by a Premier League club in a single transfer period – and Arsenal already have several players who can play on the left side of attack – making for an unnecessary deal.

Semenyo, whose nation will not travel to the Africa Cup of Nations later in December, has impressed with his pace, strength and attacking drive – which has sung the praises of coaches from all around the world, including Guardiola.

In the buildup to City’s 3-1 victory against Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium in November, the 54-year-old praised Semenyo as a ‘very good’ forward and an ‘extraordinary player’.

It is likely that Semenyo will be required if City want to challenge Arsenal for the Premier League title. A rocky start to the season saw the Blues fall behind Mikel Arteta’s side – who are yet to be knocked off the top-spot.

Recent lapses have given City’s opponents the chances to take advantage of poor offensive output but the inclusion of Semenyo will make the entirety of Guardiola’s attack much more lethal, which is needed if they want to grasp strong title credentials in the second half of this season.

Premier League giants Tottenham have confirmed the recruitment of a new Performance Director, hired from the ownership group of Manchester City.

The move marks the latest high-profile backroom addition at Tottenham, as the club continues its efforts to modernise player performance structures and off-field operations, becoming increasingly active in building a world-class performance department capable of supporting Thomas Frank’s long-term footballing vision.

Their latest appointment is being viewed by some as a statement of intent, reflecting the club’s desire to merge scientific rigour with sporting excellence across all levels, from the first team to academy pathways, and into their women’s set-up.

With a background in elite performance management spanning multiple disciplines, Tottenham’s latest arrival provides a unique perspective on athlete care and conditioning, whilst also demonstrating how influential the City Football Group (CFG) model has become.

As announced by Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday morning, CFG’s Dan Lewindon has been appointed as the North London club’s new Performance Director, responsible for medical, sports science, nutrition and psychology across all teams.

Commenting on the appointment, Tottenham’s sporting director Johan Lange said, “We are delighted that Dan will be joining us as Performance Director.

“He was the standout candidate and brings a wealth of experience across a wide range of team and individual sports, working in high-performance environments with elite athletes.

“Dan also has a strong academic background and his expertise will be hugely beneficial to us as we drive this area of the Club with innovative thinking. We look forward to Dan starting.”

Lewindon qualified as a physiotherapist at Nottingham University, beginning his career within the NHS before taking on the role of Lead Physio at Northampton Saints Rugby Club, later spending seven years as Senior Physiotherapist for England Rugby.

That spell was then followed by six years with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) as Head of High Performance Science and Medicine, helping develop health and performance strategies for some of the country’s top athletes.

Lewindon’s move also highlights the continued spread of expertise from City’s global network, with CFG personnel increasingly sought after by top European clubs. Tottenham’s decision to recruit directly from City’s ownership suggests a clear intent to replicate aspects of their holistic player development and conditioning infrastructure.

For Manchester City supporters, it is another example of the CFG model influencing the wider football ecosystem, as figures from within the group’s multi-club framework are being targeted for leadership positions elsewhere.

Manchester City returned to winning ways as they came out victorious in a hard-fought game against 13th-placed Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday evening.

After a disappointing performance against leaders Liverpool, City needed to bounce back to keep their hopes of competing in the Champions League next season alive, and Guardiola’s side made a strong start against a Spurs side determined to continue their fine form.

The Blues wasted no time in testing Guglielmo Vicario out,thanks to a darting run made by Matheus Nunes to cut back to Erling Haaland, whose right-footed attempt in just the seventh minute lacked strong contact, allowing Spurs’ keeper to make a comfortable save.

Just five minutes later, Manchester City managed to find the breakthrough, and the Norwegian forward netted the opener on his return from injury. Jeremy Doku skipped past Pedro Porro before squaring the ball into Haaland, who made no mistake in cooly placing a shot inside the near post to register a 20th Premier League goal of the season.

With this goal, the Norwegian joined a prestigious club as he became only the second player in the history of the Premier League after Ruud van Nistelrooy to score 20 or more goals in each of his first three seasons in the English top-flight.

City continued to dictate the pace of the game, with Doku remaining the key figure in the Champions’ attacking play. The Belgian winger produced another moment of brilliance in curling a precise left-footed cross into the box, putting it on a plate for Savinho who had the golden opportunity to double the lead, but scuffed his effort and blazed his shot well over.

The Citizens were looking for a second goal on the half-hour mark, with another well-worked move shifted brilliantly across the penalty area to Doku, who tee’d up Haaland. This time, Vicario was prepared for the striker’s effort, making a crucial save to keep the North London side in the game.

Despite an impressive first half showing, Ange Postecoglu’s team eventually had a rare sight of goal just before the half time whistle. Porro’s threatening free-kick found Kevin Danso, who rose above the Blues’ defence to aim a looping header towards goal, forcing Ederson into action.

Tottenham came out with a new energy following the interval, constantly pushing forward in search of an equaliser. Their first real chance came just short of the hour mark through Porro, who fizzed in a low ball right across the face of City’s goal, but no Spurs player was there to apply the finishing touch.

Spurs continued to pile on pressure, with Kevin Danso powering another header towards goal, although this time it was a much more comfortable save for Ederson. A minute later, ‘The Lilywhites’ came even closer when Wilson Odobert cut inside and let fly, only for his effort to take a deflection and be tipped over by City’s number 31.

The reigning champions were struggling to gain control of the second half as Spurs intensely pressed, with Djed Spence proving to be a thorn in makeshift right back, Matheus Nunes’ side. Pep Guardiola responded with reinforcements in the form of Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden in place of Nico Gonzalez and Omar Marmoush in an attempt to regain control of the game.

Despite the substitutions, Spurs nearly found their breakthrough after 75 minutes with Josko Gvardiol missing a challenge, allowing Brennan Johnson to run free. The winger clipped the ball into Dejan Kulusevski, but his touch let him down, allowing Ederson to pick up the pieces.

Deep into stoppage time, Erling Haaland thought he had doubled City’s lead and sealed the Blues three points after muscling past Danso and Archie Gray to slot home. However, a lengthy VAR review disallowed the strike for handball, much to the frustration of the City striker.

The match had one final dramatic moment in the eighth minute of additional time with Dejan Kulusevski charging down the wing and delivering a cross to Son, who flicked it on to Pape Sarr. The Senegalese was left unmarked in the box but sent a header over the bar with the last attack of the game.

Manchester City ultimately held on for a 0-1 victory, securing a vital three points in their race for Champions League football despite a second-half improvement from Tottenham Hotspur. Here is how rated Pep Guardiola’s players in their gritty win in North London!

Player Ratings

Starting XI

Ederson – 8.5 (MOTM)

The Brazilian was outstanding, making crucial saves that proved vital in the Blues’ victory whilst also showcasing his world-class composure with the ball at his feet. His best performance in a while.

Matheus Nunes – 6

Manchester City’s number 27 found himself in some good positions and made some positive runs in the first half, however, his end product was inconsistent and he struggled defensively in the second half.

Abdukodir Khusanov – 8

The January signing is rapidly growing into one of Manchester City’s stand-out defenders, putting his shaky debut further behind him with another composed performance at the back.

Ruben Dias – 7

The Citizens captain rarely put a foot wrong. His performance alongside Abdukodir Khusanov was commanding and leaves Manchester City fans with excitement surrounding the pair for the future.

Josko Gvardiol – 6

The Croatian had a solid outing at left-back, contributing well defensively, but sometimes could have been more composed under pressure.

Nico Gonzalez – 6

Our Deadline Day recruit looked very in place in the Manchester City team once again, moving the ball efficiently and helping control possession before being substituted after 74 minutes.

Mateo Kovacic – 7

The midfielder kept things ticking in midfield throughout the game with his composed passing and ball retention, while also putting in some strong challenges to help City maintain control for most of the game.

Omar Marmoush – 5

Manchester City’s new number seven struggled to make a significant impact, finding it difficult to influence our attack before being replaced by Phil Foden.

Jeremy Doku – 7.5

Doku was electric in the first half, constantly tormenting Pedro Porro with his direct dribbling, but he faded after the break and struggled to make the same impact.

Savinho – 5

Savinho had a frustrating outing, missing a golden opportunity to extend City’s lead and failing to make the impact fans now expect from the Brazilian winger.

Erling Haaland – 8

The Norwegian forward marked his return with the game’s only goal and impressed with his link-up play, showcasing his strength and sharp movement despite his recent absence due to injury.

Substitutes

Phil Foden – 6

The England international came on in the 74th minute and looked composed under pressure, moving the ball well in midfield in what was a steady cameo.

Bernardo Silva – 5

Was unable to really influence things but also didn’t do anything wrong.

Jack Grealish – N/A

The English winger only played a few minutes so was unable to showcase his ability in that short time frame.

James McAtee – N/A

Similar to Jack Grealish, McAtee came on in the 90th minute and only had the one touch.

Ilkay Gundogan – N/A

The 34-year-old was also given a short amount of time on the pitch, registering zero touches after being subbed on in the 94th minute.

Manchester City take on Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday night hoping to cement a place in the division’s top-four.

Pep Guardiola and his players come into the clash off the back of back-to-back defeats against Real Madrid to exit the UEFA Champions League before the last-16 stage, and against Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

In a mammoth week for the reigning Premier League champions, the visit to North London to take on an ever-difficult Ange Postecoglou side will be followed by an FA Cup fifth round clash against Plymouth Argyle – City’s best hope of silverware this season.

Spurs come into the midweek affair off the back of a 1-0 win over Manchester United in their last home outing, before following up that result with a 1-4 victory over Ipswich Town at Portman Road.

On the fitness and injury front, Manchester City will be without John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Oscar Bobb, and Rodri, while the Norwegian forward did return to first-team training this week as he moves closer to a return to first-team action.

Ahead of kick-off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, here is how both Ange Postecoglou and Pep Guardiola have lined up their respective Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City sides in Premier League action!

Tottenham

Starting XI: Vicario; Porro, Gray, Danso, Udogie; Bentancur, Bergvall, Maddison (C); Johnson, Tel, Odobert.

Substitutes: Kinsky, Reguilon, Spence, Bissouma, Sarr, Kulusevski, Werner, Son, Scarlett.

Manchester City

Starting XI: Ederson; Nunes, Khusanov, Dias (C), Gvardiol; Nico, Kovacic, Marmoush; Savinho, Haaland, Doku.

Manchester City look to get back to winning ways once again on Wednesday night as they travel to North London to square off with Tottenham in the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola’s side are fresh off the back of a 0-2 home defeat at the hands of the runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool at the weekend, and will be looking for a bounce-back performance against an injury-ravaged Spurs side.

Fitness issues also continue to plague Manchester City however, as the Sky Blues were without Rodri, John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Oscar Bobb, and crucially star striker, Erling Haaland against Liverpool on Sunday.

The latter’s status heading into the midweek clash with Tottenham remains up in the air, though he was spotted in full training with Manchester City in the days leading up to the trip to North London.

Oscar Bobb has also returned to training but is unlikely to be risked against Ange Postecoglou’s men in midweek, while the Manchester City manager has since confirmed that John Stones could be sidelined for up to 10 weeks.

With the potential for changes to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City line-up after the defeat to Liverpool at the weekend, let’s take a look at how the Catalan boss may set his side up this time around!

Predicted XI

Ederson should remain in between the sticks for the trip to North London this week after reaffirming his role as number one in recent outings, showcasing his unique ability with the ball in particular.

Manchester City’s defensive set-up will not see too many changes from the weekend, as Rico Lewis will keep his spot out on the right in our view, particularly after Pep Guardiola piled on the praise for the youngster during his pre-match press conference..

Abdukodir Khusanov has made a major impression in recent matches and has slowly begun to cement himself as a bonafide option to start week in, week out. We believe the Uzbek will keep his spot in the team, though he will be joined this time by Ruben Dias.

Josko Gvardiol has been Manchester City’s most consistent performer at times this season and he remains an ever-present at left-back. This time will be no different, with the Croatian continuing to lead Nathan Ake for the role.

As we head into midfield, we could see a major shake-up.

Nico Gonzalez played seemingly by himself in more of an attack-minded midfield set-up against Liverpool on Sunday afternoon, but this time around he may be joined by Mateo Kovacic in the central trio.

Ahead of the double-pivot in the Manchester City engine room is Phil Foden, who is still looking for his marquee performance in the Kevin De Bruyne role this season as he aims to find the form that won him a multitude of individual honours during the last campaign.

Jeremy Doku was lively against Liverpool, and while his end-product left a lot to be desired, he should get the nod on the right of City’s front-three to try and wreak havoc against an injury-riddled Spurs rearguard.

After sitting out of the last two matches with a knee injury, Erling Haaland should make his much-anticipated return for the Blues on Wednesday night, although his status coming into the match is somewhat unknown other than his participation in first-team training on Tueday.

Finally, Omar Marmoush has been a stand-out since signing for Manchester City in the January transfer window, and he has played his best off of the left behind the aforementioned Haaland. The Egyptian should get the nod once more this time out.

Predicted XI: Ederson; Lewis, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol; Nico, Kovacic, Foden; Doku, Haaland, Marmoush.

Manchester City look to get back to winning ways on Wednesday night as they travel to North London to face Tottenham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The weekend saw a familiar story unfold for City having had the lion’s share of possession throughout Sunday’s meeting with Liverpool, especially at the beginning of the game when the likes of Jeremy Doku in particular had plenty of joy up against Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The Liverpool full-back, while excellent in possession and showcasing his range of passing on numerous occasions, was beaten on multiple occasions by City’s Belgian winger, who unfortunately never picked out a final ball as City struggled to break down Liverpool.

City were not as toothless as they were against Real Madrid, maintaining possession with much more success and attempting to create chances, but most of their efforts came to no avail with the Champions’ front line clearly missing the physical presence of Erling Haaland.

Defensively, however, it was still far too simple for the league leaders to play through City as the home side conceded two relatively avoidable goals due to some fundamentally poor defending from Pep Guardiola’s side, which saw Liverpool ease their way to a 0-2 win.

City’s opponents on Wednesday come into this game with a major confidence boost from their last two fixtures, as Ange Postecoglu’s team have scored five goals and concede just one in a 1-4 victory away at Ipswich and a 1-0 win over Manchester United in their last home fixture.

In terms of the table, the match is vitally important to City as they look to bolster chances at securing UEFA Champions League football for next season. Three points would be massively influential for Pep Guardiola side, with City only ahead of Newcastle on goal difference.

Ahead of the match, Tottenham will have eyes on finishing the season positively and making it into the top half of the division, while Manchester City will rise to third on goal difference with next week’s opponents Nottingham Forest having a game in hand.

This match is hugely important as the race for UEFA Champions League football heats up during the business end of the campaign, and ahead of kick-off from North London, here is everything you need to know!

Match Details

Manchester City take on Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with kick-off scheduled for 19:30 (UK).

Match Officials

The Premier League have confirmed that Jarred Gillett will be the man in the middle for the game between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City this Wednesday night.

You can check out the full list of match officials below!

Team News

Ange Postcoglou is continuing to battle on without a number of his key stars, as Radu Dragusin remains sidelined for the large majority of 2025 with an ACL injury, and Dominic Solanke and Richarlison are not due back until early next month.

As for Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, the central defensive duo may return slightly earlier than the aforementioned striking pairing, while Timo Werner has a chance at a return against Manchester City following a thigh problem.

As for Manchester City, both John Stones and Manuel Akanji could very well be ruled out for the remainder of the season, with the Swiss international ruled out for up to 10 weeks having undergone surgery on an abductor injury sustained against Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium.

The Englishman finds himself in a similar situation and a major doubt for the remainder of the campaign following a quadricep injury sustained inside just eight minutes at the Santiago Bernabéu, which Pep Guardiola has revealed may require surgery.

In attack, Erling Haaland is expected to return to matchday duties after absences against Liverpool and Real Madrid. This came after the Norwegian sustained what is thought to be a minor knee problem in the dying moments of the victory against Newcastle.

Head to Head

In their last three fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City have secured just one win – the crucial game in the Premier League title race last May in which the Blues won 0-2 thanks to an Erling Haaland brace.

In their last fixture against the North London side however, City were on the receiving end of a heavy defeat at the Etihad Stadium as part of the club’s torrid run of form across November and December in particular.

James Maddison netted a brace inside 20 minutes at the Etihad Stadium to make the score 0-2 at the break, before former Manchester City full-back Pedro Porro added a third early in the second half.

Brennan Johnson would put the game beyond all reasonable doubt as he fired home a fourth goal for Spurs in stoppage time, making the final score 0-4 and a night to forget for Manchester City.

Statistics

These two clubs have faced each other in 55 league fixtures; City have secured 18 victories in comparison to Tottenham’s 29, with the points being shared eight times. The Blues have had a questionable defensive record however, keeping just 11 clean sheets and conceding 81 goals.

Since 2010, Manchester City have visited Tottenham in 14 league fixtures but have only come away with all three points six times, drawing once and losing the other seven meetings. Five of those victories, however, were prior to the construction of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the venue at which City have a worse record than at any other Premier League ground.

Prior to Manchester City’s last away trip to North London, the visitors had lost every single league fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium dating all the way back to 2020, failing to score a single Premier League goal at the ground with an aggregate score of 6-0 to the home side across the four-year goal drought.

Manchester City had registered over 100 shots at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in league action before Erling Haaland finally put an end to this torrid record for the Blues netting a second-half brace in a title deciding clash with the home side back in May.

Despite both teams having inconsistent seasons, both find themselves in decent form currently, with Spurs securing three wins out of the last five league fixtures, while City are in similar form, with three victories from the last five game weeks.

Following their 0-4 win the reverse fixture, Spurs are looking to do the league double over Manchester City for the first time since 2021/22. They last did so without conceding in 2009/10.

Tottenham have already beaten Manchester City twice this season, 0-4 in the Premier League and 2-1 in the EFL Cup. The last team to win three games in a campaign against the reigning English champions were Manchester United (vs Manchester City in 2019/20), while the last time Spurs did so was in 1984/85 (vs Liverpool).

Tottenham have beaten Manchester City twice and Manchester United three times in all competitions this season – no team has ever beaten both Manchester sides three times each in the same campaign before.

Manchester City have failed to win any of their last three Premier League away games against London sides (D2, L1), having won six in a row before this. They last had a longer run without a win in the capital between February and November 2020 (4), while they last did so in the same season in 2014/15 (5).

How to Watch

For viewers in the United Kingdom, the match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City will be available on TNT Sports or Discovery+ with the game getting underway at 19:30.

For viewers in the United States, they are able to stream the game from 13:30 Eastern on Peacock.

You can find full global TV listings for the match here!

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City will play out their reverse fixture in the Premier League on Wednesday night after one to forget last time out for the visitors.

Pep Guardiola’s players succumbed to a remarkable 0-4 home defeat to Ange Postecoglou’s side in their last meeting, in the earlier stages of the torrid run that ran from November through to the end of December and largely derailed their campaign.

This will also be the third and final meeting between the two sides this season having met in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup earlier in the campaign, and with the hosts out of the FA Cup prior to this weekend’s fifth round.

It is yet again a must-win fixture for Manchester City in particular, as the reigning champions look to end their season on a positive note and secure a fourth-placed finish to feature in next season’s UEFA Champions League.

The Etihad side come into the contest off the back of a 0-2 home defeat to the expected soon-to-be Premier League champions on Sunday afternoon, as Mo Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai struck beyond Ederson in somewhat of a comfortable afternoon for Arne Slot’s squad.

Now, ahead of the meeting between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, the Premier League have announced the list of match officials to oversee proceedings at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium!

Match Referee

Australian referee Jarred Gillett will oversee proceedings between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City from the role of on-field match referee this week, in what will be his ninth English top-flight outing of the ongoing season.

Across his previous eight fixtures in the Premier League so far this campaign, the 38-year-old has handed out 37 yellow cards and awarded two penalties, but is yet to dismiss any player via a second yellow card or red card dismissal.

Gillett and Manchester City have already met on one occasion in the Premier League this season as Pep Guardiola’s side played out a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United – a fixture that saw eight yellow cards handed out (four each) and a penalty awarded to Eddie Howe’s side.

Manchester City are yet to lose a game that has been officiated by Jarred Gillett having been officiated by the Australian eight times in total, only dropping points against Newcastle on two different occasions.

There is also silverware memories involving City and Gillett, as he took charge of the 2024 FA Community Shield at Wembley Stadium in which last season’s Premier League champions claimed the title over rivals Manchester United via a penalty shoot-out.

Assistant Referees

Aiding Jarred Gillett from the role of assistant referees in North London on Wednesday night will be Ian Hussin and Darren Cann, the Premier League have confirmed.

Video Assistant Referees

Operating from Stockley Park and taking on positions from the VAR Hub for the clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be Graham Scott in the role of Video Assistant Referee, supported by Assistant Video Assistant Referee, Sian Massey-Ellis.

Fourth Official