Guest blog from Yoni Gordon-Teller
Sandwiched between Manchester United vs. Stoke City and Burnley vs. Arsenal on Sunday is one of the weekend’s most intriguing fixtures.
The Premier League’s two remaining unbeaten teams will lock horns at White Hart Lane, where Tottenham Hotspur host Manchester City.
As well as a contest between the first and second placed sides, it is also a meeting of the division’s most prolific attack and most miserly defence.
City have already scored 18 goals, averaging three per game: the total number that Spurs have conceded since the season started. This will surely be the greatest test of their resolve thus far.
The visitors’ league form has been perfect, but they will be without one of their star players for the trip to North London. Kevin De Bruyne, who tore a muscle in his hamstring during their triumph over Swansea last Saturday, will miss out.
Vincent Kompany’s groin problem is the latest in a long list of injuries to keep him sidelined, whereas Nolito is unavailable due to suspension; a needless red card in the dying minutes against Bournemouth prohibiting his involvement.
Spurs are on a roll themselves. Four consecutive victories in league and cups have given them an excellent foundation for the middle part of the season.
They dominated and beat CSKA Moscow in midweek without Mousa Dembele, Moussa Sissoko, Eric Dier and Danny Rose, and the quartet will face late assessments to determine whether they have recovered sufficiently to participate.
Harry Kane’s ankle injury is less severe than originally anticipated, but he remains an absentee. Given the electric performances of Heung-min Son, that is not as catastrophic as it might have been.
The South Korean has been thriving this campaign, despite looking out of sorts in his debut year and being heavily linked with a move away in the summer.
In their thrilling 3-3 draw with City in the Champions League, Celtic exposed City’s defensive frailties with intelligent pressing of the centre-halves, perhaps mapping out the blueprint for joy against the league leaders.
They were undone by their own issues at the back but, considering Spurs’ solidity and adeptness in the pressing game, Son and co. will be quietly confident of inflicting the first defeat of the Guardiola era.
