In biblical rain nine months ago, a 4-0 hammering by Tottenham left Manchester City tactically shredded and Pep Guardiola devastated at a silenced Etihad Stadium 48 hours after he had agreed a fresh two-year contract with the club, the manager stating: “I cannot leave”. When Tottenham return to the scene of last November’s rout for Saturday’s early kick-off, Guardiola will send out a revamped side intent on wiping away the memory of that difficult day, and proving he was prudent to extend his tenure.
The Spurs reverse was a fifth consecutive defeat that featured two other league losses, to Bournemouth and Brighton, that were no blip but rather the start of a slump that would feature one victory in 13 games in all competitions. The sequence all but ended City’s title defence, dumped them out of the Carabao Cup – also by Spurs – and included Champions League losses to Sporting and Juventus that indicated City’s European challenge would founder, as it did via a 6-3 aggregate playoff defeat to Real Madrid.
Spurs’ league victory against City was the result of them racing with pace on the counterattack at their opponents. The hosts’ sluggish rearguard was unable to contain Dejan Kulesevski, Son Heung-min, James Maddison (who scored twice), Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson, who each registered once for a team managed by Ange Postecoglou.
“It’s just another opportunity – revenge makes no sense,” Guardiola said about this weekend’s challenge. “Spurs have always been a tough opponent for us. What happened [though] is in the past. I remember that moment after the international break and we already came from two or three bad results and the dynamics started to be not good. It’s a new season and new vibes and hopefully it will be like last season when we created a lot in the first 20 minutes.”
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City will almost certainly again be without Rodri in the starting line-up as the Spaniard continues his recovery from a setback following his return from the knee injury that ruled him out for most of the previous campaign. His absence is a blow for Guardiola but, then again, his counterpart has his own headaches.
Thomas Frank arrives in Manchester without Kulesevski and Maddison, both of whom are injured, plus, possibly for the same reason, Destiny Udogie and Yves Bissouma, who both missed last weekend’s 3-0 win over Burnley. The Dane must also revive flatlining morale following Eberechi Eze’s decision to spurn Spurs in favour of Arsenal.
Guardiola, who may retain James Trafford in goal as Ederson continues to consider his future at the club, is in no doubt of Frank’s managerial acumen.
“Thomas will do a big job like he has at Brentford,” he insisted. “He’s a top-class manager [able to utilise] different scenarios and different alternatives regarding how they can play. I saw it and suffered it when he was at Brentford.”
City’s tilt at claiming a fifth title in six seasons, and seventh overall of Guardiola’s tenure, began with the opening day 4-0 humbling of Wolves. Tijjani Reijnders, a summer addition, impressed in an all-round goalscoring display that suggested the Dutch midfielder could be key to City’s evolution following Kevin De Bruyne’s departure.
Along Spurs’ right, where Kulusevski ran riot in November, Guardiola can combat any alternative threat with the speed and defensive qualities of Rayan Aït-Nouri, another summer signing.
Then there is Rayan Cherki, another recruit who may well provide the X-factor that is the hallmark of Guardiola’s best sides. Arriving from Lyon, Cherki, who can operate as a No 10 or wide forward, has artistry, an ability to score – as he also did at Wolves – and a spiky persona.
Erling Haaland scored twice at Molineux, suggesting the Norwegian is back to his best, yet Frank can be encouraged by his toothlessness in last year’s devastating loss. He can study, too, how City crumpled at the Club World Cup only two competitive outings ago. Then, in early July, Al-Hilal dumped them out of the last 16 as, once more, Guardiola’s high defensive line was exposed and his team’s shape disintegrated.
Al-Hilal are no leviathan of world football and the alarm sounded louder as City’s fragility came on the back of a 5-2 trouncing of a continental aristocrat in the shape of Juventus. That, too, took place at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium where afterwards Guardiola hailed a return to form of his players.
“Everybody gave an incredible performance. It has been a long time since we had a performance like this on and off the ball,” the Catalan said. “The players were committed and we are happy to beat a top side. In the previous two games we won but were miles away. I’m really pleased because the players have to realise [and did today] what we have to do to get back to what we were the last decade”. That all disappeared against Al-Hilal so the suspicion remains that City are not yet who they once were.
“I don’t know [if we are back],” Guardiola admits. “I like a lot of things that I’m seeing in training and behaviour. I would like to be a magician to know what’s going to happen, but I don’t know.” – Guardian
