Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur Predictions

• Manchester City have lost four straight games for the first time under Pep Guardiola
• City have kept one clean sheet in their last nine home games
• Seven of the last nine games at the Etihad have featured more than three goals

Open encounter likely at the Etihad

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said before that he enjoys the international breaks, but he has had much to mull over recently after seeing his team lose four matches on the trot.

That has not happened since he joined the club in July 2016, but all of those defeats have come on the road, so he will be desperate for his outfit to relish some home comforts when they entertain Tottenham on Saturday.

Spurs have been a bit of a bogey team for City since the Spaniard took the reins and have condemned Guardiola’s side to eight defeats in their 21 meetings, including the 2-1 Carabao Cup win that started the rot last month.

However, just one of those victories came at the Etihad – a 3-2 success in February 2022 when a late goal from Harry Kane secured the points for Antonio Conte’s team.

Spurs find it impossible to sit back

We could see a similar amount of goals in Saturday’s clash as there has been little evidence that Tottenham can be anything other than positive under Ange Postecoglou.

Such an approach was enough to earn them a 3-3 draw on their visit last season when Dejan Kulusevski scored late on and Spurs are likely to go on the front foot more than conventional Etihad visitors.

With all but two of the last nine of City’s home games generating at least three goals, this game looks set to be at least goal-filled and those looking for a correct-score interest may like to take a chance on a 2-2 draw.

Kovacic not afraid to try his luck

A lively outsider to score the first goal could be City’s Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic.

Only Erling Haaland has had more goal attempts in a Premier League Citizens shirt this season and although Kovacic has scored just three goals this season, there is potential for him to increase his tally against Spurs.

As he has had to take more responsibility in the absence of midfield sidekick Rodri, Kovacic has had 11 goal efforts in his last three Premier League home games against Arsenal, Fulham and Southampton – he scored twice against the Cottagers – and he can make his mark in what should be an open game.