Champions League 2018-19: Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City, 5 key players who will decide the game
Just hours left for the much-anticipated Champions League quarter-final clash between Tottenham and Manchester City at Spurs' brand new stadium. The Citizens would pull their socks up for the contest as they were dumped out of the competition at this stage last season by Liverpool. Plus, this season they have a realistic chance of winning the unprecedented quadruple.
But Tottenham won't be an easy opposition by any stretch of the imagination. They sailed past Borussia Dortmund in the Round of 16 but in the group stages, they had to work their tails off to get through to the knockouts. Let us look at five players who will decide the game tonight.
#5 Kieran Trippier
The Englishman had an astounding showing in the World Cup with his national side and has been a mainstay in Mauricio Pochettino's team this season. Tonight, he faces a big challenge at home against the blistering wingers of Manchester City.
Manchester City have two of the most lethal wingers in the Premier League in Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane. We don't know who will start at left-wing but one of the two definitely will. Sterling is in the running to win the Premier League Player of the Year award and needs to be dealt with by Tottenham. Since it is a direct face-off with Trippier, Spurs need their right-back to put in a solid display.
Even offensively Trippier would have his work cut out with Aymeric Laporte possibly starting at the left-back spot. He would need to beat the defensive girth of Laporte and still be good enough to provide crosses into the box. If Heung-min Son starts, then the pressure would ease a bit on Trippier but then again he needs to be linking up well with the South Korean.
Trippier's performance could make or break it for Tottenham tonight.