Game Week 24 Predictions: Manchester City to beat Spurs

Premier League preview: Tottenham vs Man City at Spurs Stadium – City chase Arsenal gap, Haaland drought, Spurs bogey team; verdict City to win.

Tottenham has been a huge problem to Manchester City in recent games, can the Cityzens change that on Sunday? (Photo credit: Opta)

 Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

5:30pm

If there’s one fixture that the whole of the Premier League would be keeping an eye on, it would be this one at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium between Spurs and Manchester City.

Arsenal would keep an eye on the game as they hoped that their city rivals would do them a favour; the last time Arsenal hoped for a favour from Tottenham, Heung Min Son missed a sitter when it looked easier to score. Will this happen again?

Arsenal did their own job away at Leeds United on Saturday, and that itself is a great reason for this game to be a cracker, as only a win would get the Cityzens back to being just four points behind the Gunners; Pep Guardiola knows it’s unsafe to allow Arsenal to wheel too far out of sight – they must fight.

It’s interesting to note that, unlike how it was not too long ago when Heung Min Son fluffed the chance that could have handed Arsenal the league, Tottenham has something they’re fighting for this time, and it could be the final stroke on the back of Thomas Frank.

Despite their heroics in the Champions League, the Tottenham hierarchy are believed to be considering a change in the dugout if results don’t change in the league. Spurs are struggling to find a win in the league; a loss on Sunday could be damning for Thomas Frank.

Manchester City seems to have a big problem with their superstar striker. Erling Haaland has no open play goal in nine games; this is an anomaly for a striker that still sits on top of the goal scorers’ chart. When Haaland doesn’t score, City struggles to win. Will he change that at Spurs?

It’s also important to establish this: Manchester City hasn’t been the better side in this fixture for many seasons. Tottenham has become the bogey team to Pep Guardiola, and he must find creative ways to break this hoodoo this time or risk losing sight of Arsenal.

Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders and Phil Foden are game changers on their days, but all still work around Haaland. Antoine Semenyo, since joining the Cityzens, has shown why he was signed. Will he retain the great energy he’s been showing in front of goal?

For Tottenham, the midfield energy with Connor Gallagher, Joao Palhinha and Yves Bissouma will trouble Manchester City, but can they stay disciplined to avoid getting unnecessary bookings? Xavi Simons has blown hot and cold at Tottenham; here’s a game he needs to impress in.

Verdict: Manchester City to win.