Preview: Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur - prediction, team news, lineups

Manchester City will be looking to further strengthen their grip on first spot in the Premier League table when they welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening.

The Citizens are currently nine points clear of second-placed Liverpool at the summit, while Tottenham occupy eighth position, seven points behind fourth-placed Manchester United.

Match preview

© Reuters

Man City all but secured their spot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League courtesy of a stunning performance away to Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday evening, running out 5-0 winners in the first leg of their last-16 tie, with Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling on the scoresheet.

The Citizens are also chasing FA Cup success this term, preparing to travel to Peterborough United in the fifth round of the competition at the start of March, while they are in a strong position to retain the Premier League title, sitting top of the pile with 63 points from 25 matches.

Pep Guardiola's side are nine points ahead of second-placed Liverpool, but the Reds do have a game in hand, so the Manchester outfit cannot afford to take their eye off the ball and will be fired up to collect all three points against Antonio Conte's team in Saturday's late start.

Man City are unbeaten in the league since the end of October, winning 14 of their last 15 matches, which is a staggering run of form at this level of football, and they have been defensively excellent for much of the campaign, conceding just 14 times, which is the best record in the division.

The English champions lost 1-0 to Tottenham in the reverse match in North London earlier this season, but they have the best home record in England's top flight this term, picking up 31 points from 12 matches, recording victories in 10 of their 12 matches at the Etihad Stadium.

© Reuters

Tottenham will be the underdogs heading into this weekend's contest, but the capital side have won three of their last four Premier League matches against Man City, with each of the victories coming in London.

Spurs have not overcome the Citizens in Manchester since February 2016, and they will enter this match off the back of defeats in their last three Premier League games, losing at Chelsea on January 23 before home reverses to Southampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Antonio Conte's side currently sit eighth in the table, seven points behind fourth-placed Man United, but they have three games in hand on the Red Devils, so a top-four finish is certainly still achievable, even if their recent form has been disappointing.

Tottenham have scored just 28 Premier League goals this season, though, with Harry Kane, who was denied a big-money switch to the Etihad Stadium last summer, finding the back of the net on just five occasions.

Recent comments from Conte will not have helped improve the mood at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and there is certainly a possibility that the Italian could walk away from the club in the coming months, particularly if their form does not improve, but a positive result this weekend could be a springboard.

Team News

© Reuters

Man City are expected to welcome Kyle Walker back into their starting XI for this match, with the England international missing out against Sporting in the Champions League through suspension.

However, Jack Grealish and Gabriel Jesus are likely to miss out due to recent injury problems, with Mahrez, Foden and Sterling set to feature as the front three.

Walker for John Stones might be the only change from the side that started during the week, although Ilkay Gundogan is pushing to be involved in midfield.

As for Tottenham, Eric Dier is back in first-team training and is expected to feature in the starting XI on Saturday, but Japhet Tanganga is definitely out, while Oliver Skipp is also unavailable.

Head coach Conte will make changes to the side that started against Wolves last time out, with Emerson Royal and Sergio Reguilon potentially coming into the team in the wing-back areas.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could also be introduced to add some steel to the midfield, but Lucas Moura is expected to retain his spot alongside Son Heung-min and Kane in the final third of the field, with January arrival Dejan Kulusevski likely to start on the bench once again.

Manchester City possible starting lineup:

Ederson; Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo; De Bruyne, Rodri, Bernardo; Mahrez, Foden, Sterling

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Lloris; Romero, Dier, Davies; Emerson, Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Reguilon; Lucas, Kane, Son

We say: Manchester City 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Man City have won six of their last seven home matches against Tottenham in all competitions, and we are finding it very difficult to back against the Citizens here. Spurs will be desperate to return to winning ways, but Guardiola's side are incredibly strong at the moment, so we can only see one winner here.