Manchester City

Spurs vs Manchester City: Match Preview

by
Luke Brown
15 May 2009

Tottenham will play their final home game of the season tomorrow against Mark Hughes’ Manchester City. The penultimate game of the season will see Manchester City arrive in London with both sides still in the hunt for Europa League football next season- with the winners of the game likely to contest Fulham for a place in the European competition. Manchester City currently lie a point below Tottenham, meaning a Spurs win would ensure that City could finish no higher than eight, one place below a Europa League spot.

Team News

TOTTENHAM:

Fitness tests:Zokora (groin), Assou-Ekotto (ankle/foot)
Missing: Dawson (ankle), Bent (knee), Palacios (compassionate leave), O’Hara (knee), Lennon (groin).

Aaron Lennon once again fails to make the Spurs squad after not recovering from his groin problem. The injury comes as a great blow for both Spurs and Lennon as the young winger was playing incredibly well before his injury, and the player was greatly missed during the 0-0 stalemate with Everton last week.

Jamie O’Hara is out for the rest of the season after having a knee operation, and both Michael Dawson and leading scorer Darren Bent are set to miss yet another premier league fixture. Wilson Palicios completes the list of definite absentees- he’s still in Honduras recovering after the death of his younger brother.

Both Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Didier Zokora are expected to complete late fitness tests after suffering ankle and groin injuries respectively. Ledley King is set to start after he apologised to Harry Redknapp following his nightclub shenanigans (http://spurs.footballblog.co.uk/spurs-skipper-bailed.html). Tom Huddlestone looks set to start in midfield whilst Heurelho Gomes seems to have kept his place in goal despite some poor ‘keeping last week against Everton.

EXPECTED TEAM LINE-UP: (5-3-2)

Gomes

Corluka King Woodgate

Hutton Bale

Huddlestone Jenas

Modric

Keane(C) Defoe

MANCHESTER CITY:

Tests: Sturridge (hip/thigh), Wright-Phillips (ankle/foot).
Missing: Benjani (thigh), Bellamy (knee), Hamann (ankle/foot), Robinho (groin)

Robinhois out- meaning both sides leading goalscorers are absent from tomorrow’s clash. Benjani and Bellamy are also confirmed casualties, leaving Mark Hughes with a headache over who to play up-front. Martin Petrov and young Felipe Caicedo are set to start.

Experienced centre midfielder Didier Hamann has damaged his foot and Sturridge is unlikely to feature- though the youngster will undergo a fitness test. Shaun Wright-Phillips will also be tested, and could settle for a place on the bench.

EXPECTED TEAM LINE-UP: (4-5-1)

Given

Richards Onuoha Dunne(C) Bridge

Elano Ireland Kompany De Jong

Petrov

Caicedo

Head to Heads:

LUKA MODRIC VS. ELANO

The battle of the playmakers. With Elano standing at 5ft 9in and Luka Modricjust half an inch smaller neither of the players are seen are seen as gritty ball winning midfielders but both have amazing vision and fantastic dribbling skills. Elano has also shown his skill at hitting long range shots this season, so Heurelho Gomes will need to be on his guard. Modric will probably be deployed on the left hand side of midfield or as a shadow striker behind Defoe and Keane. Elano will most likely start on the right- so expect a direct clash. Both sides are also missing their defensive midfielders (Hamann and Palicios) so there should be a multitude of opportunities for both of the playmakers.

KING V CAICIDO

The Ecuadorian youngster plays in a direct style and has impressed for City this season. Ledley King plays for the first time after his nightclub antics and the defender will probably endure his fair share of taunting from both City and Liverpool fans in the next week. Caicedo has only hit three goals in twenty-four appearances for Manchester City, but the forward could still pose a threat to the Spurs defence. However, you would hope a defender of King’s calibre would be able to boss Caicedo for the majority of the game.

KEANE V DUNNE

Football - Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea Barclays Premier League

The two Irish stars are best friends and it’s no secret that Robbie was gutted when Dunne failed to secure a move to Spurs at the end of last season. However there will be no prisoners held when these two meet, with the outcome of their rivalry pivotal to the matches result. Keane has been playing well of late and has linked up well with former strike partner Jermain Defoe, so expect Dunne to be tested.

Recent Form

Tottenham have been enjoying a fine spell under Harry Redknapp, and he has led the club from bottom of the table to Europa League challengers. That form has slightly dipped of late, with the club failing to beat Everton last week and losing to Manchester United. However Tottenham fans have the right to feel incredibly aggrieved after some dubious decisions in that particular clash, and Spurs have not conceded at home in six games.

LAST FIVE FIXTURES:

Sat May 09 2009

Everton

(A)

0 – 0

Sat Apr 11 2009	West Ham United	(H)	1 – 0
Sun Apr 19 2009	Newcastle United	(H)	1 – 0
Sat Apr 25 2009	Manchester United	(A)	2 – 5
Sat May 02 2009	West Bromwich Albion	(H)	1 – 0

Manchester City have blown hot and cold under Mark Hughes leadership, but a late push has seen the Blues fired into the top half of the table. However City have scored only eleven points this season on their travels, and lost last week in the Manchester derby, losing 2-0 to their more illustrious rivals.

LAST FIVE FIXTURES:

Sun Apr 19 2009	West Bromwich Albion	(H)	4 – 2
Sat Apr 25 2009	Everton	(A)	2 – 1
Sat May 02 2009	Blackburn Rovers	(H)	3 – 1
Sun May 10 2009	Manchester United	(A)	0 – 2

Sun Apr 12 2009

Fulham

(H)

1 – 3

PREDICTION:

Most predictions across the internet have Spurs down as getting the three points tomorrow, but I expect a tight clash. We will miss Palicios desperately, and I don’t think a 5-3-2 formation is attacking enough. Elano’s long shots could trouble Gomes and Aaron Lennon’s absence will be felt. I’ve got the game down as a 2-1 City win with Huddlestone opening the scoring before Petrov and Elano secure the win for City.

And finally…The race for 7th place.

FULHAM travel to St. James’ Park in the hope of securing a Europa League spot. Newcastle are celebrating their first win under Alan Shearer, after beating rivals Middlesbrough 3-1 this week. One more win would all but complete Newcastle’s escape from relegation, and the Magpies will probably fancy their chances against a team notoriously bad on the road. I’m hoping Newcastle do us a favour, 2-1 to the Magpies. Meanwhile, WEST HAM are away to Everton, the team that held us last week. Everton have one eye on the F.A Cup final against Chelsea and are expected to rest a number of players, giving West Ham the chance to regain the 7th place spot. I think West Ham will triumph 3-1.