Game Week 26 Predictions: City to beat Spurs at the Etihad

Manchester City will have revenge on their cards when Spurs visit the Etihad on Saturday after a 1-0 reverse at the Tottenham stadium at the start of the season. (Photo credit: Football London)

Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur
Etihad Stadium
6:30pm

Manchester City showed where their priorities lie in midweek with the way they annihilated Sporting Lisbon away from home, they would love to win everything but if they have to pick just one trophy, champions league would be their first choice.

Tottenham Hotspur aren’t even in the right frame of mind right now, their manager was in the spotlight for the wrong reasons during the week after granting an interview with Sky Italia where he questioned the ambitions of the club and the mentality of his own players.

There’s so much you can pick from that, as pure as his intentions could be, the timing and the rationale would forever be under scrutiny. He can right that with a strong performance at the Etihad, after all, fans only want results.

Manchester City know a slip up will encourage Liverpool who could have cut City’s lead to six points, the plan would be to win everything they can this season, they’re still in the FA Cup, they’re leading the premier league by a healthy margin and the champions league is still up to them to fight for.

Spurs need to fight for the top four, Antonio Conte’s statement that it’s beyond them should be taken with a pinch of salt. They have the materials to fight for the cause, giving up shouldn’t be an option in the face of the present dynamics.

On the opening day of the season, Nuno Espirito Santo was Spurs’ manager then, unprecedented by all standards but a fine Heung Min Son strike was enough to settle it, Spurs went on to win their next two to stay top of the log, a lot has changed since then.

Who’s available and who’s not? The Citizens are without Jack Grealish who has a tight calf and Gabriel Jesus is still out, everyone else is available for selection. Tottenham should have everyone available for this fixture.

Raheem Sterling is the player to watch out for, the England winger is very much on top of his game now and right in the form of his life, Harry Kane should take this opportunity to audition for a summer move to the Etihad too.

It’s encouraging for Spurs that they have won three of the last four league games between the two, they will bank on that as they visit the Etihad on Saturday and hope for a little bit of luck, but they will need more than that.