A lot has been made of Manchester City’s grand opening to the season, the Citizens playing some lovely, expansive football which has already bore plenty of fruit already in the form of seven goals in two games – a feat they didn’t manage until their sixth game last season – not to mention ownership of what is now just two flawless records left in the Premier League – their arch rivals United have the other.
Even Edin Dzeko is scoring, the Bosnian aiming to notch in his third consecutive game of the season on Sunday at White Hart Lane. It is 9/4 he maintain his hot streak (Coral), 7/1 with the same firm to break the deadlock.
Playing with more zest and attacking with more purpose, City look a real handful, and have been just that thus far. Only Chelsea have created more chances (off and on target), and they’ve played a game more.
However, I won’t buy into these theories of Mancini ditching his defensive principles during the summer. City, despite conceding twice last time out, are playing in an almost identical formation to last season, the one notable difference for me being their determination to get more players into the opposition box when on the front-foot.
They were, however, exposed and exploited last weekend away at Bolton for one obvious reason: a lack of a midfield enforcer. Nigel De Jong was absent with a foot injury and as a result the City defence was more vulnerable than usual; nor Barry, Toure or Milner are as effective as the Dutchman in breaking down opposing attacks.
Mancini is expected to be without the 26-year-old again on Sunday.
De Jong’s absence from the Man City team sheet should open the game up as a contest, especially as Luka Modric is set to start his first game of the season for Spurs. The Croatian has spent much of the last couple of weeks trying to engineer a move away from north London, with capital rivals Chelsea having had several impressive bids promptly rejected by the club.
The diminutive play-maker has been known to boss games single-handily; possessing the ability to drop into those small pockets of space, while few read the game better, and he could potentially throw a spanner in City’s works.
I’m sure Rafael Van der Vaart will also appreciate a De Jong free game, as the Dutchman can be lethal when given time on the ball to pick out a pass or line one up from distance – it isn’t as though he ever needs an invitation to have a speculative pop on goal; no Spurs player had more attempts on goal than Rafa against United.
Utilising the ample pace provided by wide-men Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon will also be a key factor in how Spurs fare in what is a massive game for them following their 3-0 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday, as there’s every chance of Harry Redknapp’s side heading into the two-week international break still pointless, and possibly even rock-bottom.
Due to their high-velocity start to the new season, City are worthy favourites despite Spurs having home advantage at White Hart Lane, where, coincidentally, they were last beaten in the league a year to the day ago (28th August, 2010). But it isn’t as though Spurs don’t have the forward inventory to trouble a City defence which did look surprisingly suspect away at Bolton last time out.
Recent encounters haven’t lived up to all the hype, with just two goals in their last three league duels, but City have signalled their intent this season by playing with far more forward vigour, but Spurs will be no pushovers on their own patch, where they are unbeaten in the Premier League in 17.
I’m banking on City’s new found attacking confidence, Tottenham’s urgent need for points before the imminent fortnight time-out, and a distinct lack of a Dutch Karate Kid in the City midfield combining to produce a rare entertaining fixture between the two sides.
I also think the hosts are value to take something. They are, after all, unbeaten in eight at home to Man City in the Premier League, winning six of the last seven meetings in north London.
Betting Selections:
