Notebook – Man City vs Spurs

We head to the Etihad Stadium on Thursday night as we take on reigning Premier League champions Manchester City (kick-off 8pm).

Here’s all the game’s key points of note…

1 - Strong against City

Despite Manchester City’s relative domination of the Premier League over the last few seasons, we have rather enjoyed our contests with them. City may have won the title in four of the last five seasons, but we have won four out of our last five meetings with them (L1) – and that includes our most recent encounter with them, coming at the Etihad in February.

2 - Our last meeting

What a night we enjoyed in Manchester last spring! Heading to face City with them sitting top of the table, six points clear of second place Liverpool, we were on a three-game losing streak in the league and sat eighth in the table, seven points adrift of Champions League qualification – it looked an almost impossible task. However, within four minutes of the contest at the Etihad, we were ahead with Dejan Kulusevski scoring his first goal for the Club.

Our hosts did equalise through Ilkay Gundogan just after the half-hour mark but that was not going to dampen our night or Harry Kane’s, for that matter, as our number 10 produced one of the greatest individual performances the Premier League has ever seen. Having delivered a sublime pass in the build-up to our opener, he then fired home spectacularly early in the second half to restore our lead. The Citizens did level once more as Riyad Mahrez lashed home a penalty in the second minute of injury time but, three minutes later, we ultimately found a winner with Harry heading in Dejan’s delivery.

Highlights: Man City 2-3 Spurs | 2021/22

3 - History to be made

Never before in the history of Pep Guardiola’s managerial career has a team won three consecutive league meetings against him however, on Thursday, we have the chance to become the first. Having defeated Guardiola’s City 1-0 in last season’s opening day clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before downing them once more in the aforementioned February encounter at the Etihad – results accounting for 67 per cent of their defeats last term - we have the chance to make it three league wins on the spin against the Citizens if we can find a way past them in Manchester.

4 - Reigning down

Against reigning Premier League champions, we have a rather strong record. Of our last nine games against the reigning champions of the top flight, we have won four of them, drawing twice and losing just three. Manchester City have lost 29 matches as reigning league champions and four of them have come at our hands - the most of any single side.

Highlights: Spurs 1-0 Man City | 2021/22

5 - City hurting at home

And, as of late, when it comes to playing at the Etihad, City have relatively struggled. Of their last two home games, they have been unable to win, drawing one and losing the other. Of course, being just two games, it does not suggest anything close to a crisis for Guardiola but, considering City have not gone three in the league without a win at home since December, 2016 – also the only time Guardiola has gone three-plus home matches without a win – it does highlights just how unusual a run this is for the men in sky blue.

6 - Highs on the road

We have been strong on the road in recent weeks. In our last three away games in the Premier League, we have scored nine times – more than we managed in our opening six such games (seven) this term. Having won 4-0 against Crystal Palace a fortnight ago, we’re looking to win back-to-back away league games for the first time since April. And, outside of London, we have won six of our last eight league games (D1 L1), scoring 17 goals in those wins.

Antonio Conte meanwhile has averaged 1.74 points per game on the road with us – the only manager to boast a better such record for us in the Premier League is André Villas-Boas (1.85).

Highlights: Crystal Palace 0-4 Spurs | 2022/23

7 - Conte vs Guardiola

And, while Antonio’s record on the road is strong, so is his record against Pep Guardiola. Having faced Guardiola five times in all competitions, the Italian has won three times (L2). It means he has won 60 per cent of their encounters, which is the best record of any coach against Guardiola.

8 - Haaland blip

It would be fair to say Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has made his mark on the Premier League this season. A summer arrival from Borussia Dortmund, the forward has enjoyed a quite remarkable scoring start to life in English football with 21 goals from his first 15 appearances in the top flight – a run which saw him break a 22-year-old record for the least games taken to reach 20 Premier League goals.

However, in light of his incredible form, it must be said that he has been unable to score in each of his last two games - his longest run without a goal in the competition. Only once in his career to date has he gone more than two league games without a goal – a run of five with Dortmund last spring.