After a 5-0 battering of Sporting CP in midweek’s Champions League outing, Manchester City sets their sights back on the Premier League as they take on Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. The Citizens have an unassailable nine-point lead at the top of the league table and will have the chance to further extend that tally, up against a Spurs side looking to bounce back after a couple of shocking defeats.
Predicted Manchester City Lineup vs Tottenham
Defence
Kyle Walker’s suspension in the Champions League saw Pep Guardiola deploy John Stones at right-back this midweek. He is expected to revert that change on Saturday, with Walker reclaiming his usual spot.
Joao Cancelo remains another guaranteed starter on the opposite flank, ahead of Oleksandr Zinchenko. As for elsewhere, Stones has started the last two matches and is likely to be rested, with Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte set to continue at the heart of Manchester City’s four-man backline this weekend.
In goal, there is no looking past Ederson Moraes. The Brazilian is aiming for his fourth consecutive clean sheet in all competitions, though he is expecting a busy evening up against the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min.
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Midfield
It remains to be seen whether Guardiola opts to make one or two rotations in this Manchester City midfield. While Ilkay Gundogan always remains an option to start, Guardiola may persist with the duo of Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva.
The two offer excellent creative support in midfield and can help destabilise Spurs’ second line of press. They are set to be aided by Rodri, who is currently the undisputed first-choice option in the number six slot.
Attack
Moving forward, Jack Grealish remains a doubt due to his shin problem. It will be interesting to see if he is able to start on Saturday, but we may witness Pep Guardiola persisting with the same front three that started against Sporting CP.
Indeed, Phil Foden could get to spearhead the attack once again, with additional support from wide attackers Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling, who is in top form, having scored four goals in his last two matches.
