The GJ effect
The confirmation that Gabriel Jesus is now a City player and is available for the game against Spurs has given everyone at the Club a huge boost.
Whether Jesus starts against Spurs or not won’t be known until an hour before kick-off but is seems certain he will feature at some point.
The Brazilian’s arrival has been eagerly-awaited by City fans and Pep Guardiola now has another attacking option to unleash.
FIRST FOOTING: Gabriel Jesus could make his City debut against Spurs
Will he partner Sergio Aguero? Will the strikers be rotated more often? All questions that will be answered over the next few months, no doubt.
Striking early
If there’s one thing City could do with against Tottenham, it’s an early goal.
Whether it’s becoming something of a mental block or not, the longer City dominate without scoring, the more often it seems we are punished when the opposition have their first real chance.
The Blues rarely start poorly, but converting possession and chances into goals will be key to beating Tottenham.
The players will still be licking their wounds after last Sunday’s 4-0 thrashing at Everton and will look to race out of the blocks early – so when the chances come, they need to be converted.
10/10 for Sergio
If there’s one team Sergio Aguero enjoys playing against, it’s Tottenham Hotspur.
In five games against the Lilywhites at the Etihad, Sergio has banged in seven goals and in 10 matches in total he’s scored 10 times.
LETHAL WEAPON: Sergio Aguero boasts a superb scoring record against Spurs
That’s some record and if you are a believer in the old saying ‘horses for courses’, Kun might just hold the key to victory in this game.
More impressive still, Aguero loves playing London clubs and has banged in 43 in 59 appearances against teams from the capital since joining City.
Stopping a rampant Spurs side
Tottenham couldn’t arrive at the Etihad in much better form with six wins on the bounce taking them up to second spot in the Premier League.
The manner Spurs dispatched Chelsea recently was a mixture of skill and power – though it should be noted City had Chelsea on the ropes at 1-0 and were within a whisker of going two goals up when the team met at the start of December.
Mauricio Pochettino has fashioned a team who are mean in defence and clinical up front, but it is the power in midfield that swept the Blues aside at White Hart Lane earlier this season. That day, Victor Wanyama, Moussa Sissoko and Dele Alli closed down City’s creative talents with an aggressive, speedy press that the Blues couldn’t cope with.
CAPITAL PAINS: Spurs showed their quality in beating City at White Hart Lane
Spurs will have Moussa Dembele available this time – plus Harry Kane – both of whom missed the first meeting in October, though Jan Vertonghen and Erik Lamella will not feature this time.
City were also without Kevin De Bruyne that day and will miss Fernandinho on Saturday who is still suspended.
The Blues will need to be at their very best to win this game but have already proved against Barcelona that on top form, anyone can be beaten.
Title race – still alive?
It’s surely too early to say the Blues are out of the title race.
LEADING MEN: Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino will lock horns again on Saturday
Pep, continually asked about City’s chances, has said his team are too far behind Chelsea to catch them and he may be proved right, but a winning run can change everything and there are still 17 games and 51 points to play for.
Granted, if the gap increases, it would take the leaders and a few teams around the Blues to have major blips to open up the title race again, but City will keep going regardless of the situation with Champions League qualification looking like a six-horse battle.
