Manchester City
vs
Tottenham Hotspur
Kick-off
17:30 GMT
16 December 2017
The famous busy festive period in the Premier League has officially begun and two of the top flight’s strongest sides meet on Saturday. An out-of-form Tottenham Hotspur side travel north to face one of Europe’s hottest teams and the league leaders, Manchester City. The hosts are yet to have lost a league game with 16 wins and one draw while Spurs are 4th, just inside the Champions League places on goal difference.
Tottenham have enjoyed some good recent results against Man City and in the last two seasons, they have won three of the four fixtures with a draw in the most recent meeting. Before this, it was City who were on a run of four straight wins against Spurs, where they scored 16 goals. Five out of the last seven matches between the two sides have seen goals from both sides. The last meeting was almost a year ago in January and goals from Leroy Sane and Kevin de Bruyne were cancelled by goals from Dele Alli and Heung-Min Son.
Another win for Man City would keep them on their way to an unbeaten season and with an 11-point gap between them and second-placed Man United, it won’t be long before the title is put out of doubt. They are without Vincent Kompany, John Stones and Benjamin Mendy, all through injury.
Latest matches: Manchester City
13.12.2017 | ![]() |
Swansea City | Manchester City | 0:4 | W |
10.12.2017 | ![]() |
Manchester United | Manchester City | 1:2 | W |
06.12.2017 | ![]() |
FC Shakhtar Donetsk | Manchester City | 2:1 | L |
03.12.2017 | ![]() |
Manchester City | West Ham United | 2:1 | W |
29.11.2017 | ![]() |
Manchester City | Southampton FC | 2:1 | W |
Three points for Spurs won’t see them move up the table but it could give them breathing space from Liverpool if the Reds drop points. They will struggle against a strong Man City attack without star defender, Toby Alderweireld and with no Victor Wanyama protecting the backline.
Latest matches: Tottenham Hotspur
13.12.2017 | ![]() |
Tottenham Hotspur | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 2:0 | W |
09.12.2017 | ![]() |
Tottenham Hotspur | Stoke City | 5:1 | W |
06.12.2017 | ![]() |
Tottenham Hotspur | Apoel Nicosia FC | 3:0 | W |
02.12.2017 | ![]() |
Watford FC | Tottenham Hotspur | 1:1 | D |
28.11.2017 | ![]() |
Leicester City | Tottenham Hotspur | 2:1 | L |
This won’t be as routine for Man City as some of their wins on this fantastic run but they are still strong favourites to extend the record they currently hold. Spurs will be looking to catch the hosts on the break but the pressure of City’s organised attacking play should be too much for them to cope, especially away from home. Mauricio Pochettino must get his tactics spot on and if he doesn’t, his side could be on the receiving end of a convincing win.
16 December 2017 - 17:30 GMT
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