City make two changes from the side that put Sporting Lisbon to the sword on Tuesday evening.

Ilkay Gundogan and Kyle Walker are recalled to the starting XI, with Riyad Mahrez and John Stones dropping to the bench.

Gundogan skippers the side this afternoon.

Teams

City: Ederson, Walker, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Rodrigo, Gundogan (c), De Bruyne, Bernardo, Sterling, Foden

Subs: Carson, Stones, Ake, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Delap, McAtee, Lavia

Tottenham: 

Probable formation

No formational surprises are likely in the starting XI Pep Guardiola has named.

It looks like a familiar 4-3-3 on paper with Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne the more advanced of the midfield trio that will see Rodrigo anchoring.

Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden and Bernardo will be tasked with finding space in what Spurs boss Antonio Conte has suggested will be a compact formation.

DOWNLOAD THE MAN CITY APP

No let up in the title race

City are well aware that it has to be full steam ahead in the title race with no room for bad days at the office.

Liverpool have hit a rich vein of form and look capable of going on their own run of victories, no doubt taking inspiration from the way City hunted them down in previous seasons.

With a number of tricky fixtures on the horizon, beating an out-of-form Spurs is essential.

Antonio Conte will send his players out to frustrate this afternoon and look to catch City on he counter-attack.

The first goal in this game will be crucial.

Stats, facts and milestones

  • City’s only loss in the last 12 home games against Tottenham in all competitions was a 2-1 league defeat in February 2016.
  • Spurs have won three of the past four league meetings, which is as many as they had in their previous 13 attempts. However, all of those victories have been at home.
  • City have earned 43 points from 45 available in the Premier League since losing to Crystal Palace in October. The aggregate score in those matches is 41-8.
  • The Blues have won all 19 league games this season in which they scored the opening goal.
  • City have scored 98 goals in 37 competitive fixtures in 2021-22. Two more goals in this fixture and Pep Guardiola’s side will become the joint fourth fastest Premier League team to reach 100 goals in all competitions in a season with City also 1st (2013-14), second (2018-19) and third (2019-20) on that list and would tie for fourth with the 2017-18 squad.
  • Guardiola‘s side have the best defensive record in the division, conceding just 14 goals.
  • Riyad Mahrez has scored nine goals in his last nine appearances for City.
  • Kevin De Bruyne has been involved in seven goals in his last eight Premier League games (5 goals, 2 assists). His next goal will be his 50th overall in the competition, making him the fourth Belgian player to reach the milestone in the competition after Romelu Lukaku, Christian Benteke and Eden Hazard.
  • Raheem Sterling has scored 49 Premier League goals at the Etihad Stadium and would be the second player to score 50 at the ground, after Sergio Agüero (106).
  • Tottenham are looking to avoid losing four successive Premier League games for the first time since a run of six defeats between October and November 2004.
  • They have conceded seven goals in their past three top-flight matches, one more than they did in their first nine under Antonio Conte.
  • Spurs are looking to secure their first league double over the reigning top-flight champions since 1986-87, when they beat Liverpool 1-0 home and away.
  • All eight of Spurs’ Premier League defeats this season have been in London - four home, four away.
  • They have scored just 10 goals in their 10 away league fixtures this season.
  • Son Heung-min has scored six goals in his eight most recent appearances against City in all competitions.