Second meets fifth in a Saturday evening clash. Manchester City host Tottenham Hotspur, with the home side lingering outside the Champions League places. That said, Pep Guardiola’s side are only three points off Mauricio Pochettino’s men, as the battle in the chasing pack heats up.

It is a tense period of the season, with several meetings between the top clubs in the next few weeks, and each match has the potential to set a team back a long way.

The recent history between these two teams is fascinating. From thrashings to disciplined team performances, Tottenham have had a turbulent relationship with their Manchester City fixtures. This Spurs side is different, though, and does not suffer from the same vulnerabilities as previous Lilywhite editions.

Pochettino has his team well-drilled, tactically savvy and functioning as a well-oiled unit. His opponent, Guardiola, is yet to find the answers for City as they continue to leak goals. However, Pochettino still has three key issues to address before kickoff…

Beware of the Backlash

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Manchester City’s humiliation at Goodison Park last time will be fresh in the memory come kick-off. Regardless of comments from Guardiola or discussions the players may have had about ‘moving on’, it is not easy to forget a 4-0 thrashing.

That memory will serve as motivation. The motivation of revenge over Tottenham is present, too, setting the Lilywhites an additional challenge. Manchester City will see this match, rightly so, as a final chance to prove their credentials as champions. Defeat here and they can wave goodbye to a third Premier League crown.

Stick or Twist

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Last time Spurs and Manchester City met, Mauricio Pochettino’s side set up in a 4-1-4-1 and produced one of the performances of the season to pip Pep's men 2-0. City were flying high at that point and looked set to walk towards the league title, while the Lilywhites were only just awaking from their dopey start to the season.

Times are different now, but it presents a tricky decision for Pochettino. The 4-1-4-1 worked wonderfully back in October, but it has been the 3-4-3 system that has been dominant during Spurs’ recent strong form.

Rejigging Defence

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Jan Vertonghen has been ruled out for over two months through injury and this leaves Pochettino with a dilemma defensively. Vertonghen has been integral in the success of the back three, supporting the play down the inside-left channel when Spurs have had sustained possession, and is one of the league’s best defenders.

While Kevin Wimmer presents a good backup option, Pochettino may favour adding a body to the midfield against City and reverting back to a four-man backline.