Out of form Tottenham Hotspur welcome a rampant Manchester City to Wembley on Monday night concluding this weekends action. The league table is not a true portrayal of how poor Spurs have been thus far, possibly the worst since the beginning of the Argentine's tenure. " I have never been so unhappy at Tottenham" - their manager quipped on Friday. Monday night's game represents the first of four games which could define their season. Paradoxically it is Spurs best ever start to a Premier League campaign. City meanwhile are on the back of six wins in the last seven playing scintillating football in the process. Their recent wins over Burnley and midweek away in Ukraine begs the question; can Pep's men further improve on last season's abomination of their league opponents. The omens are there.
With not enough talent already on show the maestro Kevin De Bruyne has returned to the fold the past week. He bolsters a gluttony of talent in the City fold who under Guardiola are serving up the football of our generation. Despite his absence the City midfield in particular have been omnipresent in their obliteration of opponents to date. Fernandinho at the base multi tasks the role of general supreme along with ensuring the link in play between City's
defence and attack. His performances have been undetering in the face of adversity and he is without doubt City's most reliable player. At the tender age off 33 the Brazilian is not getting younger and this will be on the mind of City transfer chiefs as they look to a long term successor when he eventually will depart. Functional and unremarkable, he is the perfect disparity to splendour of talent that he frequents City 's midfield with in coherence. Such is his reliability Guardiola once remarked he could play all ten outfield positions. Always prompting, everything seems to go through him picking the right position, playing the right pass. Given there are so many other players who take the limelight Fernandinho's role largely goes unnoticed. When the day to leave City eventually arrives one would not be surprised if the Sky Blues name a training ground in the Selecao player's name ala former teammates; Yaya Toure & Joe Hart given his importance to the City cause.
The player who rivals him most closely for that tag certainly is the majestic marvel that is David Silva. The Spaniard standing at 5'7" is not just your token play maker capable of executing the sublimest of passes and general artistry, he possesses an intellect, an inner strength almost benign to the average player. In City's record breaking title winning season he powered through under the duress of the premature birth of his son, never wavering from the great performances us onlookers have been accustomed to. Silva's consistency combined with Fernandinho's presence undoubtedly are the unbreakable pillars of the City midfield. De Bruyne or not they continue to churn the most splendid of football week in week out. The Belgian's absence has also provided the platform for Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan to illustrate their worth to the City cause. The latter is a temp setter and "controls" the game from an overview while also surprsing suspect defences with his late surges into opponents boxes. His counterpart, Bernardo in contrast has proven thus far to ignitethe fuel in City's title charge. Since his opening day goal at Arsenal he has firmly laid down his marker. Although to ultimately call him the difference maker may be overstating it, his performances to date against Cardiff, Burnley and Huddersfield have not gone unnoticed and he deserved the praise lavished on him to date.
The Sky Blues are unlikely to divert from the revered 4-3-3 Pep so often deploys. Moreover so the makeup of personnel is unpredictable if anything. Questions over Kompany's adaptability continue to ensue while John Stones has played as an unorthodox right back in recent weeks. Interestingly his positioning aids City in the transition from attack to defence and gives Fernandinho the extra assurance he needs. Whether or not Kyle Walker returns for the clash against his old side remains to be seen, but one would imagine he would offer the right anecdote to halt the advances of the Brazilian; Lucas Moura. Kevin De Bruyne returned to the side for his first start midweek but doubts remain over his fitness so Ilkay Gundogan could prove the ready made replacement given his press resistance and range of passing against the high line of Spurs. Up front though Pep is posed a few dilemnas. Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez have been in imperious form of late while Leroy Sane has shown glimpses of his undisputed talent. However it is pretty apparent Riyad Mahrez is an out and out right winger therefore leaving the battle to obtain the starting berth on the left between Sterling and Sane. Sterling of late has proved more effective on the right while the jury is still out on the at times one paced duo of Mendy and Sane operating down the left. To further compound matters for Pep, Aguero has been back to his best this season whilst Gabriel Jesus operated so well in the role of lone striker against Spurs on both occasions last season. Headaches aplenty yet Guardiola and City cannot complain. It is their North London opponents who have lost 10 of their past 15 fixtures against the "Cityzens".
Spurs coach; Mauricio Pochettino opened up in the pre match press conference and admitted he currently has the worst feeling he has had at the club since he took charge, this is despite leading them to their best ever Premier League start, although they enter the game outside the top four. Following a series of delays it was announced last week the club will not be moving into their new multi-million pound new stadium until sometime in 2019. Such was the sombre mood at Poch's presser he joked about the state of the Wembley pitch being a beneficial factor in their encounter against Manchester City. Dele Alli is expected to return giving Spurs a timely boost although Jan Vertonghen and Danny Rose are both out injured. If they are going to achieve a positive result Monday night the Argentine might need a combination of a change in fortune with a change in system. Only Arsenal have a worse record against top six sides since his arrival in the summer of 2014 to North London. Last season's scoldings at the Etihad (1-4) and at Wembley (1-3) will certainly be at the forefront of his mind. He will however take solace in that Harry Kane has just about recovered from a post World Cup slump along with the form of January signing, Lucas Moura who has been the highlight of a cantankerous Spurs side this season.
Lucas endured a faltering start to his Spurs career from his Winter move from PSG. In the absence of Dele Alli and stuttering form of Dele Alli he has been the spark that has ignited the Lilywhites to date. Playing often in the number 10 position behind Kane or to the Spurs left Lucas with his darting runs through the center of the opposition defence have been given Spurs the right anecdote to their controlled intricate team play at times. With Heung Min Son at the Asian games and Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela all succombing to injuries Spurs have had to often rely on the Samba star. Two goals against Manchester United being the outstanding moment. Alli's return to the team will give a much needed jolt when Spurs need it most. His "space invader" traits of wandering into opposition boxes unnoticed are a key feature of Spurs play and he of course enables his club and international teammate, Harry Kane to reign supreme up front. It will be interesting to say the least as to what formation Poch' side line up.
In recent games they've advocated a 3-5-1-1 with Lucas in behind Kane and three central defenders being the standout. Jan Vertonghen's injury will test that, perhaps Eric Dier could move from his central midfield position into the back three? However such a move would already expose the frailties of a weak Spurs center. Harry Winks on return from injury has justified the hype surrounding him although his colleague Moussa Dembele has been a shadow of his former self. Against the hammers they switched to a 4-3-2-1 and it was in fact Moussa Sissoko who deputized with a shrewd performance driving at the heart of the West Ham defence with surging runs. Both occasions last season Spurs came unstuck to City when posed the very same problem as to how best duel against the elite of City's midfield? In the 4-1 away defeat at the Etihad it was at the expense of a diamond formation were in truth Spurs had competed for large parts but proved susceptible to the City counter attack in the closing stages. In their 3-1 home defeat meanwhile last April they were dismantled and the scoreline flattered the home team, to say it could have been treble never mind double the scoreline would not be stretching it. It is in these games that managers earn their corn, however it could be the Spurs boss who will be wondering come the close of Monday night how more long chairman, Daniel Levy will refrain from handing his head coach the necessary equipment for a ripe harvest.
Julen Lopetegui's imminent departure from the Bernabeu has not aided pre match proceedings whatsoever. Florentino Perez has long coveted Pochettino and it is simply a case of when not if when the man from Murphy, Argentina will take the reigns at the helm of "Los Blancos". It certainly may not be this time but one would be foolish not to speculate given the relative ease at which Madrid's owner dishes out P45's these days. Both Sunday and Monday morning's papers do not point to a happy Spurs camp either. Frustrated at the non-existence of transfer funds Pochettino has been expected to achieve the unassailable once more and even more with the current group of players at his disposal. From a business perspective such would be understandable given the costs surrounding the renovation of White Hart Lane and the business model so sagaciously implemented by Daniel Levy. However at any football club or business there does occur a sliding doors moment where push inadvertedly comes to shove. The Argentine at pre match pressers this season has resembled a somewhat dishevelled, apathetic portrait of his usual consonant and re affirming self. Remarks concerning this being "the worst feeling" he's experienced thus far during his tenure have been noted. There is a clear tension and somewhat division of opinions in the Spurs camp this season. Conversely he will be hoping the dishevelled post-NFL Wembley surface will give his team some respite against a City side with enough resources to fund Poch's current and sometime future employers.
Tactics, pitch concerns aside it is hard to escape the underlying narrative surrounding Monday nights clash that engulfs Spurs and manager, Mauricio Pochettino. A week of turbulence on and off the pitch has ensued and highlighted the disparity in governance right from the top down at the North London club. Tottenham will now not move into the newly rejuvenated White Hart Lane until 2019 at least much to the angst of their support. Daniel Levy meanwhile continues to oversee day to day activities at the club prudently with the club's owner currently domiciled in the Caribbean. Current speculation surrounding the soon vacant position at the Bernabeu cannot have helped to serve matters either. City under the guidance of Guardiola meanwhile travel to London on the crest of a wave playing supplying the footballing masses with their usual muster of attacking flair, innovation and sheer genius. Although the league standings paint a different picture there is a clear gulf in class between Monday's pairing. Tottenham; a club masked in uncertainty, unsure of where to place their next step. Manchester City; despite the influx of Middle Eastern riches have never been more sure of who they are and where the next step is.
Prediction - Tottenham Hotspur 1 - 4 Manchester City