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The half time whistle has blown following the first half of the Premier League clash between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

Both sides come into the second match of the new campaign unbeaten with Tottenham beating Burnley 3-0 last weekend, while City swept Wolves aside by a 4-0 scoreline.

Below, we have given each Tottenham player a performance rating on a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the highest score achievable for an outstanding display at the Etihad Stadium.

Here’s how the players rated –

Tottenham player ratings vs Manchester City

Guglielmo Vicario – 7

Called into action on a couple of occasions early on, came out well to deny Marmoush just before half-time.

Pedro Porro – 6

Nearly a moment of disaster for Porro after his header failed to reach Vicario and almost gifted City a goal. Settled into the game and played the long-ball which ended up with Tottenham taking the lead.

Micky van de Ven – 6

Made the wrong decision just after half hour when he should he cleared it long rather than put Spence under pressure. His pace has not been called into action to bail his side out.

Cristian Romero – 6

A solid half from the captain, has not had the sort of physical battle with Haaland many would have expected.

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Djed Spence – 7

Found himself in Thomas Frank’s bad books when he took a quick-throw in, rather than the opportunity of a long throw into City’s box. Looks so comfortable defensively and did well to cover in injury time to snuff out a City attack, another good shift on the left.

Joao Palhinha – 7

Has helped with the press in defensive phases and gets forward on every occasion, a really smart addition to the side. Scored his first goal for Spurs in added time.

Rodrigo Bentancur – 7

Has seen plenty of the ball to try to get things moving, typically sitting in front of the back four.

Pape Matar Sarr – 7

Playing in the more advanced role of the midfield three, most of his work has been limited to off the ball up until his flick on to release Richarlison. Deserves huge credit for winning the ball for Tottenham’s second.

Brennan Johnson – 6

Picked up an unnecessary booking but made amends soon after when he put his side ahead.

Mohammed Kudus – 7

Has tried to get in behind the City defensive line but has not been found by his team-mates. Looks dangerous every time he gets the ball and his physicality is causing issues.

Richarlison – 8

Has once again worked hard to press from the front, causing the defenders problems. Played a key role in Johnson’s goal with the assist back across goal and involved once again with the second.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to make it two wins from two in the Premier League, but that will require defeating a Manchester City team who ran riot against Wolves last weekend.

A long week has been endured and Tottenham Hotspur are back in action. Finally, Spurs supporters can turn their attention from the club’s shambolic failings in the transfer market to what could be a thrilling Premier League encounter.

Tottenham’s trip to the Etihad Stadium delivered on every level as Ange Postecoglou’s men ran riot. However, James Maddison was twice the goalscorer that night, but he remains out with a lengthy injury.

Spurs will instead look to new boy Mohammed Kudus for inspiration. His clever dribbling and pinpoint crossing has been almost mesmerising, while Richarlison will be hoping to continue his sensational start to the season.

How Tottenham line up against Manchester City

The big decision required of Thomas Frank today was how defensively to set up his team. His utilisation of a back three worked well for the best part of 80 minutes against PSG, but Spurs invited too much pressure towards the end of the game.

Finding the balance between constant defending and overcommitment in attack will be essential if his team are to come away from the Etihad Stadium with anything to show for.

There are no new injuries or players returning from injury to report on since the victory over Burnley last weekend, as confirmed by Thomas Frank during yesterday’s press conference with Destiny Udogie and Yves Bissouma still not ready to return.

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This is the Spurs team which will face off against Manchester City this afternoon:

Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Bentancur, Sarr; Kudus, Richarlison, Johnson.

Subs: Kinsky, Danso, Vuskovic, Davies, Bergvall, Gray, Odobert, Tel, Solanke

Man City: Trafford, Stones, Dias, Aït-Nouri, Doku, Bernardo, Bobb, Reijnders, González, Lewis, Haaland.

Subs: Ederson, Nunes, Khusanov, Ake, O’Reilly, Rodri, Bernardo, Foden, Doku

For those wondering how to watch Manchester City v Tottenham, the game will be televised in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate.

Tottenham have a run of winnable Premier League fixtures

Spurs are already having to undergo what is probably one of the most difficult fixtures of the season. However, of their following nine opponents, only one won their opening match. That was Leeds United and to be fair, their win was the result of a very harsh penalty.

This does not mean any of the games will be straightforward for Tottenham, although West Ham away should be after their dreadful start to the season, but it should provide Frank with some belief and optimism.

Also, if Spurs are able to get a couple of deals completed before the transfer window ends, that will provide them with an even greater chance of picking up as many points as possible.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Tottenham Hotspur have not given up hope of landing a Barcelona youngster and are currently waiting to see if the player has a change of heart about his future.

Tottenham have added Joao Palhinha to their midfield, with the Portuguese star joining Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, and Archie Gray as Thomas Frank’s options in the middle of the park.

Yves Bissouma is expected to leave Spurs before the end of the month, and it remains to be seen if the Dane would want to replace the Mali international.

It was reported at the start of this month that Tottenham were eyeing a move for Barcelona’s Marc Casado, and it turns out that the Lilywhites have not abandoned their pursuit of the 21-year-old.

Tottenham waiting in the wings despite Marc Casado’s snub

The 21-year-old got a decent amount of game time at Camp Nou last season due to Frenkie de Jong’s injury, and according to Sport (as relayed by Sport Witness), the youngster has attracted a lot of interest this summer.

The report says that Spurs were one of the clubs that explored a move for him while Chelsea and Atletico Madrid also made approaches earlier in the window.

However, Casado turned down those moves and made it clear that he has his heart set on establishing himself as a key player at Barca.

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This has not put off last season’s Europa League winners, who remain interested in the Spain international. Real Betis are also showing late interest in the midfielder, but the deal is expected to prove too expensive for the La Liga side.

Tottenham are hoping Casado changes his mind

Sport say that the Catalan club and the player’s entourage are well aware of Tottenham’s interest in the defensive midfielder.

The publication asserts that Tottenham and others are now waiting to see if there will be any development over the coming days, with Casado aware that he is not likely to have a prominent role under Hansi Flick this season.

If the Spain international changes his mind and decides to pursue a new challenge, Barca would be ready to sell him for €30m (£26m).

A Tottenham man, who has missed the entirety of pre-season and has been linked with a move away from the club, has started training with Thomas Frank’s squad for the first time.

Thomas Frank faces a crunch test early into his time as Tottenham head coach, with the Lilywhites set to make the trip to the Etihad Stadium to take on Manchester City.

Tottenham will be without Destiny Udogie and Yves Bissouma against Man City, along with long-term absentees James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Radu Dragusin.

However, one forgotten Spurs man has confirmed that he trained on Friday ahead of the trip to Manchester.

Manor Solomon has returned to first-team training

Manor Solomon had not kicked a ball in competitive action for Tottenham since returning from his impressive loan spell at Leeds United last season.

Reports indicate that the Israeli international is likely to be sold by Spurs this summer, but when asked about him last week, Thomas Frank said that Solomon could be involved once he is back from injury.

The 25-year-old has now taken to Instagram stories to confirm that he is back in training.

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Manor Solomon is attracting plenty of transfer interest

A return to Leeds United has not been ruled out for Solomon, but Daniel Farke’s men are thought to be prioritising other targets at the moment.

Last week, Fabrizio Romano revealed that a number of Spanish and English clubs are showing interest in Solomon.

It was suggested earlier in the summer that Scott Parker was exploring the idea of taking Solomon to Burnley.

The winger’s next destination appears unclear, but it looks overwhelmingly likely that he will leave N17 before September 1.

Tottenham Hotspur may just regret one piece of business they did last summer for just £6.7m, especially with how the current transfer window is going.

Parrott was thought of very highly while coming through the ranks at Spurs, with the youngster making his senior debut for the Lilywhites aged just 17, back in 2019.

However, the Republic of Ireland international never managed to establish himself in the first-team in North London and following an impressive campaign on loan at Excelsior Rotterdam in 2023-24, he was bought by Alkmaar for £6.7m last summer.

The centre-forward had a superb first season at the AFAS stadium, ending last campaign with 20 goals and five assists in 47 appearances across all competitions, including one against Tottenham in the Europa League.

How Tottenham could benefit from Troy Parrott’s impressive development

Troy Parrott has been on fire at the start of the new campaign, with the former Tottenham Hotspur man having already almost reached half of his goal tally from last season from just six matches.

The 23-year-old has scored six goals and provided an assist in four Europa Conference League Qualifiers, and he has also found the back of the net thrice in Alkmaar’s first two Eredivisie games.

There is no doubt that clubs from across Europe will be keeping an eye on the youngster’s ridiculous output, and with around 10 days of the transfer window left, a move away from AZ cannot be ruled out just yet.

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Football.London have revealed that Tottenham added a 20 per cent sell-on clause to the deal when they sold Parrott last summer, which means that the Lilywhites will stand to benefit if someone swoops for the striker before the window slams shut.

Parrott is already on the radar of Premier League clubs

At the start of the summer, it was reported that Wolves were considering making a move for Parrott on the back of his impressive debut season at Alkmaar.

The Midlands club have not substantiated their interest in the Irishman, but his recent form would have certainly not gone unnoticed at the Molineux Stadium and other Premier League sides.

With Parrott considered homegrown in the Premier League, there is no doubt that a return to England is on the cards for the centre-forward sooner rather than later if he can continue developing in the same vein in the Eredivisie.

Paul Merson has made his prediction as Tottenham Hotspur make their first Premier League away trip to Man City this season, and he does not expect it to be an easy outing for Thomas Frank’s men.

Tottenham Hotspur will go again this Saturday, against Premier League leaders Manchester City. There is growing confidence in their defensive line, despite last season’s concerns. Cristian Romero has signed a new Tottenham contract and Thomas Frank appears to have made his team more balanced.

However, the problems Spurs encountered last season were not limited to their defending. They were unable to break down Manchester City’s defence when the sides last met in February and only scored once in their final three league matches of the campaign. Frank himself has already overseen a 0-0 draw against Luton Town in pre-season.

To make things worse, Thomas Frank has been left without a number 10. He actually wanted two attacking midfielders before the transfer window slammed shut, but as things stand, there is still a possibility he will not have any.

Paul Merson predicts no goals for Tottenham against Manchester City

Paul Merson has noted that a lot has changed since Ange Postecoglou brought his Tottenham team to the Etihad last season and recorded an incredible 4-0 victory. Frank is still early on in his journey to improve Spurs and one straightforward win against Burnley does not mean they are ready for this test.

Merson told Sportskeeda: “This is the first real test of the new season for Manchester City and Tottenham. I remember Spurs went to the Etihad last season and destroyed City! A lot has changed at both clubs since then, and this game will be a good watch.

“I still think Tottenham are a work-in-progress. You can’t get carried away by the win against Burnley. I don’t see them getting well beaten by City though; that’s not happening under Thomas Frank. Spurs will be disappointed about losing Eberechi Eze to Arsenal. Now they have to go put all their eggs in some other basket!

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“Erling Haaland looked sharp in the win over Wolves and as long as he’s fit, City will always be in the title race. But I don’t fancy the wingers at Pep Guardiola’s disposal. I’m not a big fan of Jeremy Doku. I just think he does not make things happen often enough. When Phil Foden is ready, I expect him to come back into the team and City’s front-three will look a lot stronger.

“I’m not as bullish as I was with my predictions in the past about this fixture. Frank will go there with a plan to stop City. I’m still backing Manchester City to win, but Spurs could have their moments.”

Merson’s Prediction: Manchester City 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur

Who are Spurs looking to sign before the transfer window closes?

Ending their transfer business without another signing is simply not an option for Tottenham if they wish to compete with teams who are likely to finish near the top of the Premier League table.

One name currently doing the rounds is Morgan Rogers, an excellent attacking midfielder who would be the club’s signing of the summer.

However, Spurs would have to pay a fee in excess of £80m for Rogers, which seems unlikely to happen after they failed to land Eberechi Eze. In fact, it was recently revealed that Nico Paz is Tottenham’s most achievable transfer target.

Whoever Tottenham attempt to sign, they must move swiftly to give Frank the players he needs. The fixtures will be coming in thick and fast soon enough and there has to be good quality across every position in the Tottenham first-team squad.

Tottenham Hotspur have now reportedly turned their attention to a young Italian defender, but they face competition from three of their Premier League rivals.

Spurs have plenty of work to do in the final 10 days of the transfer window, especially after missing out on Eberechi Eze, who appeared set to be their marquee signing of the summer.

According to reports, Thomas Frank wants a winger, a number ten, and a centre-back to be signed before the window slams shut.

However, a new report has now suggested that the Lilywhites have their eye on a highly-rated young full-back.

Tottenham interested in 22-year-old Italian right-back Nicolo Savona

This report comes from La Valle (as translated by Sport Witness), who says that Juve starlet Nicolo Savona is now on Spurs’ radar.

Savona, who came through the Bianconeri youth setup, played 28 times for the Serie A giants last season, scoring twice.

It has been claimed that the 22-year-old’s performances have caught the attention of several Premier League sides, with Tottenham Hotspur leading the race.

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The North London club could face competition from Newcastle United, Wolves and Bournemouth, who are also interested in the youngster.

Nicolo Savona’s value could soon go up

The report says that even though the right-back only signed a new contract with Juve recently, a summer sale cannot be ruled out, given that the Italian club need funds.

Savona is currently contracted until 2030 at the Allianz Stadium and has been part of Italy’s Under-21 set-up, but he is soon expected to be called up to the senior side.

The outlet suggests that a call-up to the Azzurri would have a significant impact on the defender’s market value.

Pep Guardiola has made a very interesting statement about the future of Savinho when asked about the speculation linking the Manchester City star with a move to Tottenham Hotspur.

With Eze now on his way to Arsenal, Tottenham fans are desperate to see the club tie up a deal for Savinho.

After missing out on the Crystal Palace star, a report from Brazil claimed that Spurs are now ready to offer €80m (£70m) for Savinho, with the North London club expected to do everything in their power to bring the 21-year-old through the door.

The same outlet also claimed that the winger wants to complete a move to N17, and his agent is still in England trying to push through the transfer.

According to Fabrizio Romano, one member of the Man City hierarchy is blocking Savinho’s exit, which poses a problem for Tottenham, who remain keen on landing the winger.

However, Tottenham Hotspur fans will be encouraged by Guardiola’s latest statement, with the City boss vaguely stating that there could be some moment in terms of exits from the Etihad Stadium.

When asked about potential exits for Savinho and Manuel Akanji, Guardiola said (via Fabrizio Romano): “I don’t know about that. They are our players, and we’ll see what happens. I think a few things are going to happen, and we’ll see.”

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Why we could see Savinho’s move to Tottenham progress after Saturday

It has been claimed by the Manchester Evening News that we could see Savinho’s move to Spurs progress after Saturday.

The outlet suggested that the deal may be held up due to the fact that the two clubs play each other at the Etihad, with Guardiola’s men not wanting Savinho to recover from his ‘mystery injury’ and play against them.

However, the publication made it clear that it would take a huge offer from Tottenham to prise the Brazilian away this summer.

Ange Postecoglou could be set for a sensational return to the Premier League, just two and a half months after being sacked by Tottenham Hotspur.

The decision to sack Postecoglou after Tottenham’s Europa League win was a divisive one among the Spurs fan base, but it is fair to say that Thomas Frank has managed to win over a lot of supporters already.

The Australian has reportedly already had opportunities to make a swift return to management.

Some sources previously indicated that Postecoglou received interest from other clubs less than 24 hours after his sacking, which shows how in demand he is despite his sacking by Tottenham.

It has now emerged that the 59-year-old is a candidate to take over at a Premier League side, who finished 10 places and 27 points ahead of Spurs last season.

Ange Postecoglou could face Tottenham Hotspur this season

This information comes from journalist Matteo Moretto, who reveals that the former Spurs head coach is one of the candidates being eyed by Nottingham Forest.

Nuno Espirito Santo has allegedly had a falling out with the Forest hierarchy following his recent comments, where he expressed his displeasure at the club’s transfer business.

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As a result, his job is now under threat, with the Midlands club already assessing potential replacements, with Postecoglou said to be one of the names on their wishlist.

Postecoglou has already had talks with a London club

Last month, The Athletic reported that Postecoglou held talks with Brentford over replacing Thomas Frank after the Dane had joined Tottenham.

However, in the end, both parties decided that it would not be an ideal fit at this time, with the Bees deciding to promote their former setpiece coach, Kieth Andrews, to the top job.

Thomas Frank has ruled out the prospect of Richarlison leaving Tottenham Hotspur and has made a big statement about the striker’s role in the side this season.

Richarlison won the Premier League Player of the Week award for matchday one, and it was very well deserved, not only due to the quality of his goals but also due to his all-around centre-forward play.

The performance against the Clarets came just two days after another accomplished display in the UEFA Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain.

Tottenham Hotspur fans will be hoping that the 28-year-old can continue his impressive form as the side travels to the Etihad, and Frank has now confirmed that the Brazilian will start the game.

Thomas Frank envisions a key role for Richarlison at Tottenham

Following Tottenham’s 3-0 win over Burnley, Frank raved about Richarlison’s work rate, pressing, and his hold-up play.

Over the last two days, there have been rumours that Spurs want to replace Richarlison with Brentford forward Yoane Wissa.

However, the Dane has now dismissed those reports, confirming that the former Everton man is his starting number nine right now.

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When asked about Richarlison, Frank said (via Tottenham’s official website): “Right now, he is my starting nine. He scored two fantastic goals. He had two top games, he’s Brazilian number nine.

“He’s a very good player, I’m very happy with him. Richy wants to stay, I want to keep him, there have been no talks about anything else.”

Can Richarlison finally fulfil his potential at Tottenham?

The Brazilian has been very unlucky with injuries since he made the big-money switch to Tottenham just over three years ago.

However, when he has been fit and starting games, he has been delivering. Following his brace against Burnley, Richarlison has scored 13 goals in his last 16 league starts for Tottenham, including nine in his last nine starts.

If the striker can stay injury-free this season (which is a big ‘if’), there is no doubt that he is capable of scoring 20 goals.