This article is part of our Soccer Picks series.
Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur meet Saturday at Etihad Stadium in their 173rd all-time encounter. The reigning Premier League champions will aim to recover their typically sterling form after suffering four consecutive losses in all competitions entering the international break.
Tottenham also enter the fixture hoping the respite of the international break provides a new dawn for their season. Spurs stumbled into the international break, falling 3-2 in a Europa League loss at Galatasaray before losing 2-1 at home to Ipswich Town in the league.
Manchester City sit 2nd in the Premier League table with 23 points, five points off the pace currently being set by Liverpool. Meanwhile, Tottenham have withered further down the table in 10th place on 16 points. However, just three points separate third place from 11th in a tight Premier League table.
Premier League Predicted & Confirmed Lineups
Premier League Schedule and Fixture Difficulty Ranker
HEAD TO HEAD
Manchester City and Tottenham have met on 172 occasions, dating back to 1909 when City fell 4-3 in a first round FA Cup tilt. Over their last 10 Premier League meetings, Spurs have won five matches, City have won three and the sides have split a share of the points on two occasions.
Manchester City narrowly lead the all-time series, having won 68 times and drawn on 37 occasions. Most recently, Tottenham bounced Manchester City from the EFL League Cup in the Round of 16.
ODDS
Moneyline
DraftKings: MCI -190 Draw +360, TOT +450 (PROMO CODE)
FanDuel: MCI -200 Draw +370, TOT +480 (PROMO CODE)
BetMGM: MCI -190 Draw +360, TOT +425 (BONUS CODE)
Bet365: MCI -200 Draw +333, TOT +500 (BONUS CODE)
LINEUP NOTES & INJURY NEWS
Manchester City
Manchester City enter the fixture with a lengthy injury list.
Central defenders John Stones and Manuel Akanji each returned to training this week after suffering foot and ankle injuries, respectively. A third consequential central defender, Ruben Dias, was not spotted in training this week and remains questionable for Saturday's match. Pep Guardiola opted to hand academy player Jahmai Simpson-Pusey his senior debut earlier this season. Simpson-Pusey has made three appearances (two starts) in three competitions (Premier League, EFL Cup and Champions League).
The potent attacking duo of Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku are questionable. Foden withdrew from the England squad after playing 90 minutes in five successive fixtures entering the international break. Doku was withdrawn after picking up a knock in warmups prior to City's most recent Premier League loss to Brighton. Luckily for the shorthanded City attack Jack Grealish returned to the training ground this week after a month-long absence. The injuries in the forward ranks point squarely to Guardiola turning to Savinho, who has been a consistent piece of the starting XI to open the season, once again.
Tottenham
Tottenham will be tasked with rebalancing their defensive ranks as Micky van de Ven recovers from a hamstring injury and Cristian Romero is a doubt for the clash, according to manager Ange Postecoglou. Radu Dragusin has filled-in capably in van de Ven's absence previously. To exasperate an already sticky situation for Spurs, Rodrigo Bentancur was handed a seven-match ban by the Premier League FA for insensitive comments made during an interview. Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr stand to receive additional minutes while Bentancur serves his suspension.
The attacking trio of Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson and Son Heung-Min have combined for 11 of Spurs' league-leading 23 goals.
FORMATIONS
Manchester City are likely to leverage their experience playing with inverted full-backs in a 3-2-4-1 formation while in possession in an effort to maintain possession in the face of Tottenham's high-energy press. The trio of Rico Lewis, John Stones and Josko Gvardiol each have experience in joining the midfield while in possession. However, Guardiola may implement a more conservative game plan if he is forced to play with less experience in central defense. When out of possession, the inverted defender typically retreats to the backline, creating a more conventional 4-3-3 shape from which to defend.
Postecoglou is likely to set up Spurs in their familiar 4-3-3 formation with a focus on holding a high backline while in possession and pressing City immediately when dispossessed. Pedro Porro assisted in consecutive fixtures prior to the international break. The fullback creates a potent one-two punch down the right flank when he joins Brennan Johnson in attack on over-lapping runs. With holding midfielder Bentancur out due to suspension, Yves Bissouma is likely to be asked to take on the role of deep-lying playmaker and defender ahead of the Spurs backline.
City's ever-evolving shape will be designed with possession of the ball being of foremost importance. Conversely, Spurs, as in their 2-1 EFL Cup victory over City in the Round of 16, will look to hit the City defensive ranks on the counterattack and look to win back possession quickly after it is poached through intensive pressing.
RECENT FORM
Manchester City (LLLLW) are experiencing their worst run of form under Pep Guardiola, having lost four successive fixtures in all competitions by an aggregate margin of 10-4. In their most recent loss to Brighton, City squandered a 1-0 lead through 77 minutes and lost 2-1 at American Express Stadium.
Tottenham Hotspur (LLWWL) enter the fixture on uneven footing having lost two of their last three Prmeier league fixtures. Early goals from Timo Werner and Pape Sarr led Spurs to a 2-1 victory over City in the League Cup Round of 16.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bernardo Silva: With City desperate for a result, I expect Guardiola to make his most trusted players the focal point of his game plan. Silva has appeared in each of City's 11 Premier League fixtures (nine starts) this season, attempting 17 shots (six on goal), creating 23 chances and assisting thrice. Look for Silva and the City the engine room to exert control throughout the fixture and patiently breakdown the Spurs backline.
Dominic Solanke: Dominic Solanke has scored three goals over his most recent three appearances (three starts) in all competitions, and will set his sights on a City defensive unit best described as "recently recovered." Solanke's ability to physically dominate defenders and his natural poaching abilities are likely to be the bell-weathers by which this fixture is decided.
BETTING PICKS & PREDICTION
Premier League Odds Comparisons
Man of the Match: Erling Haaland
Haaland will be licking his chops to face a Spurs side without their two preferred starting central defenders at Etihad Stadium in a fixture with season-defining possibility. The reigning Golden Boot winner and current league leader with 12 goals saw no dip in form during the international break, as he scored four goals over Norway's two fixtures. Taking into account the enormity of the match as related to City's title ambitions and the injuries in the Spurs backline, I back Haaland to channel his inner Odin and set forth his powers of war, poetry and magic on an unsuspecting Tottenham.
Result: Manchester City 3-1 Tottenham
UPCOMING EPL FIXTURES
Manchester City: Dec. 1 at Liverpool
Leicester City: Dec. 1 vs. Fulham
