Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City is one of the biggest matches of this weekend in the Premier League. Both teams go into the meeting with selection problems, with a combined total of 15 senior players at risk of missing the contest.
The fixture, which has growing importance for the ambitions of both clubs, arrives only days after each enjoyed morale-boosting victories in the Champions League.
Spurs defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 in north London, while City matched that scoreline against Galatasaray at the Etihad Stadium.
Those results strengthened their European campaigns, yet attention quickly turns back to domestic matters where the two managers face very different pressures.
City are attempting to remain within touching distance of league leaders Arsenal, whereas Tottenham are searching for a way out of a troubling run of form that has seen them fail to win any of their last five top-flight matches.
Spurs battling unprecedented injury list
The Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City match will come too soon for many injured Spurs players. While Head coach Thomas Frank has won praise for keeping the team competitive in Europe, the constant loss of key figures has undermined any rhythm in the league.
Many observers believe the club are experiencing one of the most severe injury crises seen in recent Premier League history.
Nine members of Frank’s first-team squad are currently unavailable. The longest-standing problems are in attack, where creativity and goals have been badly affected.
James Maddison has not featured since suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the summer, while fellow playmaker Dejan Kulusevski has also been sidelined with a knee issue for several months. Summer signing Mohammed Kudus, expected to add pace and flair, remains out with a thigh complaint.
Richarlison’s absence has further reduced the manager’s options. The Brazil international damaged his hamstring earlier in the campaign and is not expected back for another seven weeks.
In midfield, Rodrigo Bentancur has undergone surgery on a serious hamstring problem that will keep him out for around three months, removing one of the side’s most dynamic performers.
Defensive resources are equally stretched. Experienced full-back Ben Davies fractured his ankle and faces a lengthy rehabilitation, while teenage midfielder Lucas Bergvall picked up a similar problem during the midweek win over Frankfurt.
Joao Palhinha, another crucial presence in the centre of the pitch, has not recovered from the knock he sustained prior to the defeat by West Ham, and Pedro Porro is also set to be unavailable for several more weeks.
There is at least a glimmer of hope surrounding Micky van de Ven. The Dutch defender has been struggling with a minor issue and his participation against City remains uncertain.
Frank offered a cautious update on his condition, saying: “Micky is a minor one.
“It will be touch and go for Sunday. We’re hoping, he was on the pitch yesterday, on the pitch today. So, hopeful for that, but it’s touch and go.”
Even if Van de Ven is passed fit, Tottenham will still be forced to field a heavily patched-up side, leaving Frank with difficult decisions about formation and personnel.
Guardiola facing problems of his own
Many Pep Guardiola‘s men will also miss the Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City match. City squad has also been hit by a series of injuries, many of them long term, and the Catalan must again reshuffle his plans for a crucial away fixture.
The most recent setback came in the Champions League when Jeremy Doku pulled up with a muscular problem during the victory over Galatasaray.
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The winger had been finding form in recent weeks and his loss removes a significant threat from City’s wide areas.
Central defence is another area of anxiety. Ruben Dias has been out since the 1-1 draw with Chelsea at the beginning of January because of a hamstring injury and is not expected to return in time for the trip to Tottenham.
His usual partner Josko Gvardiol suffered an even more serious blow in the same match, breaking his leg and now facing surgery that will rule him out for the foreseeable future.
Guardiola is also without Savinho, a player strongly linked with a future move to Tottenham. The Brazilian is dealing with a quad issue and is unlikely to be risked.
Mateo Kovacic continues his recovery from an ankle problem that has kept him sidelined for several months, while John Stones is struggling with a thigh injury and is also set to miss the encounter.
