Preview: Tottenham Hotspur - Manchester City

Posted Friday, August 13, 2010 by Goal.com

Forget Arsenal & United, is this the main rivalry for Spurs & City?

At the start of the 2009-10 Premier League season, Manchester City, then managed by Mark Hughes, were tipped by many to storm the big four, and even mount an assault on the league title. They’d splashed the cash, and were more than happy to gloat about it, in particular, the infamous ‘welcome to Manchester’ Carlos Tevez billboard.

Spurs meanwhile, having be saved from what have been the most embarrassing of relegations by Harry Redknapp, were targeting a vast improvement on their notorious, and rather over-talked (thanks largely to Harry), ‘two points from eight games’ start to the season. They spoke of Champions League qualification, but Europa League would have done for the White Hart Lane outfit.

As it turned out, City’s season would be shaped by their confrontations with Spurs. Hughes was dismissed following a 3-0 Wednesday night defeat at White Hart Lane, albeit surviving until the following Saturday, where his side recorded a 4-3 victory over Sunderland.

Up stepped former Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini, with Italian given the task of overtaking Redknapp’s Spurs, and clinching a top four finish.

Mayday

May 5, 2010, another Wednesday, and more importantly, the biggest match of the season for Spurs and City.

Having endured one of the toughest fixture sequences of their history, Spurs recorded home victories against Arsenal and Chelsea, with an away trip to Old Trafford of all places before facing Mancini’s side at Eastlands.

A point would see Redknapp’s men maintain pole position in the race for fourth, and a victory would clinch it.

City boasted an impressive home record, having lost only twice in 12 home games, and in front of an expecting home crowd, were determined to take the race to the final match.

Nonetheless, Spurs would triumph yet again, securing a 1-0 victory thanks to a 81 minute Peter Crouch goal.

New season, new players, same rivalry

Spurs’ success last season, and perhaps more importantly their 4-0 aggregate victory over City, will have embarrassed the hierarchy at Eastlands, and after yet another summer of heavy squad pampering, the boys of the blue half on Manchester would love nothing more than to a fire to a warning shot to the rest of the Premier League, at Tottenham’s expense.

As yet, Redknapp has yet to flood the Premier League fax machine with transfer documents, with only Internacional’s Sandro, who won’t join until August 18 (following the end of the Brazilian season). All in all, it will be the same players that finished the campaign last season, with the addition of Robbie Keane, who has returned to the club after his loan spell with Celtic.

TEAM NEWS

Tottenham Hotspur

Having featured in a Spurs XI outing at Ipswich, club captain Ledley King looks certain to start alongside Michael Dawson in the heart of the Spurs defence on Saturday, in what will be a massive boost for Harry Redknapp.

Meanwhile, flying full-back Gareth Bale sat out Wales’ 5-1 victory over Luxembourg, but the former Southampton man should be fine to face City at the weekend.

Possible Starting XI: Gomes; Corluka, King, Dawson, Bale; Lennon, Huddlestone; Palacios, Modric; Keane, Crouch

Manchester City

Mancini is set to hand Premier League debuts to David Silva, Yaya Toure, and Aleksandar Kolarov in north London, and the Italian looks to fast-track the club’s latest star signings into England’s top-flight.

The most interesting tussle will be between Shay Given and Joe Hart, with both goalkeepers admitting that they’ll consider their long-term future’s with the club, should they find themselves on the bench at White Hart Lane.

Possible Starting XI: Given; Kolarov, Kolo Toure, Lescott, Bridge; Johnson, Yaya Toure; Barry, Silva; Tevez; Adebayor.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Tottenham Hotspur

Gareth Bale enjoyed an impressive pre-season, as his careering runs down the left flank continued to trouble defences, and goalkeepers, in the manner which he finished last season.

Likely to face Kolarov on City’s right-hand side, the flying Welshman will look to give the Serbian a torrid introduction into the pace of English football, following his move from Serie A.

Manchester City

Adam Johnson has been a sensation since his move to City from Middlesbrough in January, proving that it is not just international talent welcome at Eastlands nowadays.

Like to face former City full-back Vedran Corluka on Saturday, the up-and-coming England winger will look to get off a rampaging start against a defender not renowned for his blistering pace.

PREDICTION

A truly fantastic spectacle to kick-off the new Premier League season. Should Mancini’s new look side click on Saturday, then they could well leave the Lane with maximum points.

However, with so many new signings, from a variety of leagues, it is likely to take time for City to gel, and I can see Redknapp’s well-oiled unit sneaking the victory.

Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Manchester City