Barclays Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Manchester City
Sunday 9th December kick off 3.00pm
Referee: Mark Halsey
After a disappointing display against struggling Wigan, City are off to the capital to play another team who have struggled greatly this season. Spurs fans were expecting a resurgence under Juande Ramos, which hasn’t happened, and they still languish at the lower end of the Premiership table.
Spurs have scored two goals in each of their last five league games against the blue. Four of them have ended in 2-1 victories, including the last three matches played between the 2 sides.
City have not beaten Spurs since their only Premier League maximum at Whit Hart Lane. David Sommeil and a young Joey Barton scored in an end of season victory in 2003.
Team News
Manchester City
Elano and Emile Mpenza face late fitness tests, with the latter looking more likely to be ready than the former. Mpenza will likely take the place of Georgios Samaras upfront. Geovanni will continue as the linkman between midfield and attack should Elano not make it.
Michael Johnson returns to the midfield after his abdominal injury and will take the place of the suspended Dietmar Hamann alongside Gelson Fernandes. Darius Vassell and Nedum Onuoha (both hamstring) also return to boost the squad and increase Sven’s options.
Long-term absentees Valeri Bojinov and Daniel Sturridge are both still a few weeks away from full fitness.
Man City (from): Isaksson, Hart, Corluka, Sun, Dunne, Richards, Garrido, Ball, Ireland, Johnson, Geovanni, Fernandes, Elano, Petrov, Mpenza, Bianchi, Vassell, Samaras.
Spurs
Tottenham fullbacks Pascal Chimbonda and Young-Pyo Lee face late fitness tests after picking up knocks during the UEFA Cup clash against Anderlecht.
Anthony Gardiner (ankle), Gareth Bale (foot) and Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) are all out, while Ledley King is still a few weeks away from full fitness. French flop Younes Kaboul may return to the starting line-up after being dumped for the midweek trip to Belgium in the UEFA Cup.
Striker Robbie Keane starts his three-match ban for his red card against Birmingham on 2 December.
Tottenham (from): Robinson, Cerny, Chimbonda, Lee, Stalteri, Dawson, Kaboul, Zokora, Jenas, Huddlestone, Malbranque, Lennon, Bent, Berbatov, Defoe, Tainio, Boateng, Taarabt.
Last Time Out
Wigan Athletic 1 – 1 Manchester City
New Wigan boss Steve Bruce had an immediate impact as his side ended an eight-game losing streak with a draw against the Blues.
A Titus Bramble error within 30 seconds got Bruce’s reign with the club off to the worst start imaginable.
Geovanni capitalised to put City ahead but Wigan hit back through a powerful Paul Scharner header before half time.
Wigan captain Mario Melchiot was sent off late on for a two-footed tackle on Stephen Ireland.
Tottenham 2-3 Birmingham
Sebastian Larsson scored in injury time to snatch victory for Birmingham in Alex McLeish’s first game as boss after Robbie Keane scored twice and saw red.
Gary McSheffrey put the Blues ahead from the spot against the run of play after Younes Kaboul brought him down.
Keane scored first with a penalty after Dimitar Berbatov was felled and got a second from a Tom Huddlestone pass.
But Cameron Jerome levelled and Keane was sent off for a late foul on Fabrice Muamba before Larsson’s winner.
Last 6 League Matches
City – WLWDWD = 11 points from 18
Spurs – LLDWDL = 5 points from 18
Player to Watch – Stephen Ireland
Superman has had his goal scoring boots on in recent weeks. His performances have been much more consistent recently and he has been our top attacking performer in the last 5 games.
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Danger man – Dimitar Berbatov
Reportedly unsettled but on his day he is a 1 man wrecking crew. Great player and one we may see in a City shirt sooner rather than later…
From The Spurs Boards
‘At home, no Robbie Keane and played mid-week, how will this + Bale etc effect the result? You tell me!
Deadline is kick-off, 15:00 Sunday, scores will go up sometime Monday.
I’ll get things started 3-1 Tottenham, maybe a touch optimistic but thats just how I roll’
‘Well although we are pretty toss all round at the moment & if you take you boots to the Lane you have a great chance of getting a game i think we stand a decent chance Sun.
City have only won one away game in the Premiership (vs Wet Spam) on the opening day of the season.
Since then they have drwan 3 & lost 3. Draws vs Pompey, Wigan & Fulham.
So they dont travel that well, have scored in only 3 of the 7 away games (6 goals – 3 vs Fulham) & let in 12 (6 vs Chelsea).
I think a 2-0 win is on the cards assuming we can field 11 fit players!’
Prediction
City’s away form and Spurs form in general point towards this being a deadlock of sorts but I think that Spurs may just sneak it and kick start their season. Their side still has a lot of quality in it and with City currently hanging on before reinforcements arrive in January, I think the home side will just do enough.
Spurs 2 – 1 City