On Sunday, Nuno Espirito Santo’s Tottenham take on Premier League winners Manchester City in north London, ushering in a new era.
After the summer’s international competitions, all eyes turn to domestic football, with this showdown proving to be one of the most fascinating of the English Premier League’s opening weekend of fixtures.
Harry Kane is set to play against the team he wants to join this summer, while City’s new recruit Jack Grealish could get another taste of football after making his debut as a substitute in the Community Shield.
MATCH PREVIEW:
Tottenham Hotspur’s season begins with a home encounter against Manchester City, the reigning Premier League winners. While this is undoubtedly the most important match of the opening weekend, it will be overshadowed by the Harry Kane transfer drama.
The striker is thought to be holding out for a move to Manchester City from Tottenham Hotspur, but his team is anxious to keep him. Apart from that, new Spurs manager Nuno Esprito Santo is hoping for a strong start to his tenure after a strong preseason campaign that culminated in a win against Arsenal.
Spurs drew with Chelsea and will be confident of holding their own against City, having gone undefeated in their previous six games. They’ve scored in each of their previous six games, but have only kept two clean sheets, with over 2.5 goals in seven of their last ten.
In Kane’s absence, they’ve been able to hold their own, scoring 10 goals in five pre-season games. Tottenham haven’t lost at home against City in their last three encounters, and will look to extend that streak.
Last season, these two teams faced each other three times, with City winning the last two, including the League Cup final. They come into this game off a 1-0 loss to Leicester City in the Community Shield, their second loss in ten games.
They had scored 10 goals in their previous three games before losing to Leicester, and they will carry that form into this match. Riyad Mahrez and Samuel Edozie both scored in all three preseason friendlies, and while Edozie may be overlooked here, Mahrez appears to be a sure starter.
City have also signed Jack Grealish in a big-money deal, and with many players on holiday, they’ll rely on Grealish’s influence up front. They have scored two or more goals in six of their previous ten games, with six of those games producing over 2.5 goals.
PREDICTED LINE-UP OF BOTH SIDES:
Tottenham: Lloris, Tanganga, Sanchez, Dier, Reguilon, Hojbjerg, Skipp, Lucas, Alli, Bergwijn, Son.
Manchester City: Steffen, Cancelo, Dias, Ake, Mendy, Gundogan, Rodri, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Torres, Grealish.
SUMMARY:
Harry Kane is unlikely to play, which will be a major loss, but Heung-Min Son is in excellent form and will provide a serious threat to City.
City’s attack is also potent, and with both teams coming off strong pre-seasons, I expect goals on both ends.
These clubs rarely go a game without scoring, and their recent games have featured three or more goals. With the attacking quality on display, expect this to score more than 2.5 goals. The game will go down on Sunday at 4:30PM UK and Nigerian time.