TEAM NEWS
Manchester City are still without midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who has a hamstring injury, but Fabian Delph has recovered from a minor complaint. Defenders Danny Rose and Jan Vertonghen remain unavailable.Dele Alli could be involved for Spurs against Manchester City after a four-match absence with a hamstring injury.
Kyle Walker returned from a groin problem as a substitute at Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday, while Danilo could be fit after an ankle injury.
RADIO 5 LIVE COMMENTATOR’S NOTES
@bbcjohnmurray: The first task on arrival will be to see what state the pitch is in after the NFL players of Jacksonville and Philadelphia have strutted their stuff all over it on Sunday. The switching of this match to a Monday evening means that while a busy week lies ahead for both teams, they have each had extra time to recover from Champions League travels.
While Tottenham are making heavy weather of their group, Pep Guardiola declared in Ukraine that City produced the best football they have yet played under his management. That is ominous for Spurs when you consider City won the two matches between them last season by an aggregate of 7-2.
VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino on this rearranged fixture being the first of five matches in 12 days: “That is not the ideal situation to compete – we have a problem, we create the problem and we need to sort the problem. We can’t complain, we are a little bit unlucky that the stadium is not finished.
“It was not the plan to be at Wembley, different things can happen like the NFL and you cannot change the date and we need to accept that as reality and not complain.
“No one is going to explain if we don’t win the game that we play in difficult circumstances; when you lose, you lose and you need to accept the criticism.”
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on playing at Wembley a day after an NFL game on the same pitch: “It is what it is. I’m pretty sure Tottenham have a good greenkeeper.
“It’s not necessary to complain, we have to adapt quickly, try to figure it out. It will not be perfect but we have to adapt and play in that way.
“You take care of yourself properly and focus, knowing that the pitch may not be in the best condition and you have to be more ready than ever.”
LAWRO’S PREDICTION
Manchester City beat Tottenham easily at Wembley at the end of last season and, with its wide open spaces, I think it is a stadium that suits them.
I cannot see any reason why City won’t do something similar this time – especially now Kevin de Bruyne is back from injury.
Prediction: 0-2
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Spurs have lost 10 of the most recent 15 league meetings, including both last season.
- Manchester City could win consecutive Premier League away fixtures against Spurs for the second time.
- This fixture has produced a Premier League-high 59 goals in 14 matches since the beginning of 2011-12.
Tottenham Hotspur
- Tottenham’s tally of 21 points is their highest after nine matches of a Premier League season. Their best points total after 10 fixtures is 22, set in 2011-12.
- Spurs could win more than seven of their opening 10 fixtures of a top-flight campaign for only the third time. They began 1960-61 with 10 straight victories, and had eight wins at the same stage of the 1963-64 season.
- They have lost just twice in the past 21 Premier League games at Wembley (W15, D4, L2). One of those defeats came against Manchester City in April.
- Mauricio Pochettino’s side could keep four consecutive Premier League clean sheets for the first time since April 2017.
- They are unbeaten in nine Premier League fixtures played on Monday since losing to Norwich in April 2012 (W7, D2).
- Since Pochettino took charge in 2014-15, only Arsenal have accumulated fewer points in games between the established top-six sides than the 54 earned by Spurs.
- Pochettino’s first competitive match, first competitive defeat and first competitive win as a manager all came for Espanyol in separate matches against Josep Guardiola’s Barcelona in 2009.
- Erik Lamela has scored seven goals and set up another three in his last 10 games for Spurs in all competitions.
Manchester City
- Reigning champions City could go 10 top-flight matches unbeaten from the beginning of a season for only the fifth time – but fourth in eight attempts.
- They are unbeaten in 15 Premier League games – conceding just six goals – since a 3-2 defeat by Manchester United in April (W12, D3).
- City could equal the club league record of six consecutive clean sheets, set from May to September 2015.
- Pep Guardiola has lost just two of his previous 13 managerial clashes with Mauricio Pochettino (W7, D4, L2) – and could win three in a row versus the Argentine for the first time.
- Sergio Agüero’s next Premier League goal will be his 150th in the competition.
- Aguero scored 10 goals in his first seven league matches against Spurs – but has since failed to score in five appearances in this fixture.
- Raheem Sterling is one game from becoming the fifth player to make 200 Premier League appearances before his 24th birthday.
Source: BBC News
