Manchester City vs Tottenham betting tips, preview and predicted lineup

By Andrew Beasley

Manchester City state of play

It’s all relative, of course, but things have not been this bad for Manchester City for a very long time. They have lost four consecutive matches in all competitions. This bleak sequence represents the first time Pep Guardiola has suffered such a streak of defeats in his managerial career.

A crumb of comfort will come from this match being at the Etihad Stadium. The four losses all occurred on the road, at Tottenham, Bournemouth, Sporting and Brighton. City have six wins and two draws from their eight home games in the 2024/25 campaign.

Nonetheless, their injury problems mean this will be far from an easy game for the champions.

Tottenham state of play

Tottenham are so erratic that it is hard to know what will happen in any given match. In any given half, even.

All within their last six domestic matches, Spurs have beaten Manchester City, lost after leading 2-0 at Brighton, come from behind to win two separate games 4-1 and allowed Crystal Palace and Ipswich to record their first league wins of the season.

As Ange Postecoglou will be without some important players, getting a result will be a tough task. But we have thought this in the past when they've played City and upset the apple cart in style.

Key talking point: Are Tottenham Manchester City’s bogey team?

Since Guardiola took charge of City in 2016, there are three teams to whom they have lost on eight occasions: Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham.

What makes this stand out so much from Spurs’ perspective is that they haven’t done as well against other big clubs in the same period. They have more wins against City than Chelsea and Liverpool combined, for instance.

But they have a knack of upsetting the perennial champions, frequently making games difficult for City even when not getting a result.

Tottenham have scored at least twice in their last three trips to the Etihad Stadium. No team has done this in four consecutive Premier League trips to face City (even before they started winning titles), yet it doesn’t seem absurd that Spurs might become the first on Saturday.

Tottenham lead the league for off-ball runs and passes or crosses into the opposition box this season. If there is any uncertainty in the home side’s injury-hit back-line, Spurs are capable of taking advantage.

FIRST’s top tip for Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur

Manchester City to win and both teams to score 67/50 with Mr Play

City are joint-top of the league for winning when also conceding this season, with Spurs having scored in three of their four away defeats in all competitions.

Extra tips

Double Chance: Draw or Tottenham (3/2 with Mr Play)

Tottenham are too flaky to make this the top tip, but they have previously got positive results against City sides in much better form.

Over 3.5 Goals (32/33 with Matchbook)

This bet has paid out in the last three meetings in Manchester, plus six of eight at the Etihad in the Guardiola era.

Erling Haaland to score any time (57/100 with Mr Play)

Haaland scored a Nations League hat-trick on Sunday, which should help stir him from his relative slumbers in front of goal in the Premier League.

Team news

The Manchester City squad is so ravaged by injury that it is hard to know what side Guardiola will select. At the time of writing, Premier Injuries lists eight of their 10 injured players as possibly returning for this game.

Tottenham suffered a blow with Sergio Romero aggravating a previous foot injury on international duty. With Rodrigo Bentancur starting a seven-game ban, Postecoglou will be without two key men in vital positions.