
The Football Faithful
·23. August 2025
Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur – Match preview and team news

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Yahoo sportsThe Football Faithful
·23. August 2025
Manchester City face Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday in an early-season blockbuster at the Etihad Stadium.
The fixture pits top-of-the-table City against third-placed Spurs, with both clubs looking to build on impressive opening-day victories. After scoring a combined seven goals last weekend, this high-stakes tussle will provide an early indicator of momentum in the title race.
Pep Guardiola is expected to name an unchanged starting eleven from the side that swept aside Wolves 4-0. The manager still faces a headache in midfield, with Rodri and Mateo Kovačić unavailable. Furthermore, Phil Foden remains a doubt with an ankle problem.
Consequently, the impressive trio of Bernardo Silva, Nico González, and Tijjani Reijnders will almost certainly continue in midfield after their dominant performance. The potent front three of Jérémy Doku, Erling Haaland, and Oscar Bobb should lead the line again, though Rayan Cherki is pushing for a start after scoring at Wolves.
Thomas Frank is also likely to be reluctant to change a winning formula after his side’s convincing 3-0 victory over Burnley. The team will be led by striker Richarlison, who is in good form after scoring a brace in that match.
He was supported by a dynamic young midfield trio of Pape Matar Sarr, Archie Gray, and Lucas Bergvall, all of whom impressed. At the back, Djed Spence was given the nod at left-back and is expected to retain his place.
However, Spurs must continue to cope without key creative players James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, who remain on the long-term injury list.
City laid down a formidable marker on the opening day, dismantling Wolves 4-0 to immediately claim top spot.
The victory was orchestrated by an exceptional Premier League debut from midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, who scored one goal and played a key part in two others. With Erling Haaland already scoring a brace, City’s attack looks as ruthless as ever.
Spurs also made a perfect start, putting the disappointment of a midweek Super Cup penalty shootout loss to PSG behind them with a convincing 3-0 win over Burnley.
The victory was inspired by a sensational display from Richarlison, who scored two goals, including a stunning scissor-kick. After the turmoil of a 17th-place finish last season, the dominant performance marked an ideal start to the Thomas Frank era.
Manchester City predicted XI: Trafford; Lewis, Stones, Rúben Dias, Aït-Nouri; Reijnders, González, Bernardo Silva; Bobb, Haaland, Doku.
Tottenham Hotspur predicted XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Sarr, Gray, Bergvall; Kudus, Richarlison, Johnson.
The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate in the UK. Coverage begins ahead of the 12:30pm BST kick-off, and subscribers can stream the action via discovery+ or the TNT Sports app.