Manchester City will welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Etihad Stadium in what might seem to be a must-win match for the Sky Blues. In real danger of slipping to the 6th spot by the end of the weekend, they need to come up trumps against the Lilywhites.
The two teams could hardly be having more contrasting runs recently. While Tottenham Hotspur are on a 6-match winning run with two losses overall in the whole season till now. Manchester City have lost twice in their last 3 games with a chastening 4-0 defeat being their latest experience. City find themselves in the 5th spot with just 2 points separating them from Manchester United, who will be facing Stoke City.
Things haven’t been the best for Pep Guardiola lately with his methods questioned and some of the displays from his side truly deplorable. There will be a massive overhaul in the summer but before that, he has to ensure that the team stays in the hunt for the title and that the performances don’t go worse from here on.
Meanwhile, Pochettino will be a delighted but a determined man. He saw a very plausible title challenge fall away at the very end last year and he would want to avoid something similar happening and as of now, they are perfectly on course.
Let us take a look at the combined line-up of both the teams and judging by the current form and the overall suitability, the outcome might not be the something one might have expected.
COMBINED MANCHESTER CITY & TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR XI (4-2-3-1)
DEFENCE
Hugo Lloris is head and shoulders ahead of his counterpart Claudio Bravo, with both his hands and feet. Kyle Walker is ahead of both Bacary Sagna and Pablo Zabaleta and is our choice at right-back. Otamendi might not be the most conventional choice but with Vertonghen injured he makes it as a central defender beside Alderweireld. Rose is head and shoulders above both Kolarov and Clichy, at left-back.
MIDFIELD
While the pair of Dembele and Wanyama have been brilliant together, we are going with Yaya Toure as one of the players in the double pivot. His goal threat and ability to produce telling moments of genius edges him ahead of Dembele. We will go with the defensive insurance of Wanyama beside him. Dele Alli is the undisputed choice in the No.10 role.
ATTACK
Eriksen has been brilliant lately, pulling the strings and being effective in the final third. He will be on the left flank. It was a close fight between De Bruyne, Sterling and Silva for a right-wing role but with the unpredictable and effective nature of Sterling’s play and his recent form sees him on the right-hand side. Harry Kane will be the lone striker with Aguero misfiring recently.
