Man City predicted lineup vs Tottenham - Premier League
By Tom Gott
Manchester City know they cannot afford a slip-up against Tottenham if they are to keep the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal.
The point gap is growing and so Pep Guardiola will demand an emphatic performance here against a Spurs side who fell 4-2 to City just a few weeks ago when these sides last met.
Here's how the boss could set up.
Man City predicted lineup vs Tottenham (4-3-3)
GK: Ederson - Ederson needs two more clean sheets to reach ten for the season but will do well to earn one of those here.
RB: Kyle Walker - With Joao Cancelo out the door, it's between Walker and young Rico Lewis for this spot. Expect the experience of Walker to earn him the nod.
CB: Manuel Akanji - Guardiola has chopped and changed his lineups this season, but Akanji has been one of the few constants.
CB: Aymeric Laporte - John Stones is nursing an injury and Ruben Dias is only just back from his own issue, so it may be Laporte who gets the nod.
LB: Nathan Ake - Ake has perhaps been City's best defender this season but he has been needed to fill in on the left to make up for holes in Guardiola's squad.
DM: Rodri - No outfield player has featured more in the Premier League for City this season than Rodri, whose inclusion in the starting lineup is about as certain as it gets.
CM: Kevin De Bruyne - Behind Rodri on the minutes charts is De Bruyne, who has managed an assist in each of his last two Premier League outings.
CM: Ilkay Gundogan - Guardiola loves Gundogan's energy and ability to control a game, so he'll hope the German will help overload the midfield against a Spurs side who have struggled to deal with that.
RW: Riyad Mahrez - With seven goals and four assists against Spurs, Mahrez has had better luck against the Lilywhites than against any other side in the division.
ST: Erling Haaland - Haaland is nine clear of Harry Kane in the scoring charts and will be desperate to add to that advantage.
LW: Jack Grealish - Phil Foden isn't fully fit but it's Grealish who tends to start on the left these days anyway.