Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City: 5 key battles that could decide the game | Premier League 2021-22
Manchester City begin their defense of the Premier League title with a tough trip to London to face Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
While the game itself is a blockbuster fixture, there is the added spice of Manchester City's pursuit of Harry Kane. However, there is a small matter of three points to consider as well, and Pep Guardiola and Nuno Espirito Santo will definitely have their focus on the game at hand.
Manchester City have plenty of absentees to deal with - Kevin de Bruyne is still recovering from injury, while Raheem Sterling, John Stones, Ederson and Kyle Walker may only feature from the bench following their international commitments. Phil Foden is also unavailable with a foot injury.
Tottenham Hotspur boss Nuno Espirito Santo would not be drawn into answering if Harry Kane would start for Spurs following the saga of his absence from training. The England superstar may still be recovering from his exertions in the Euros.
Tottenham were the winners of this fixture last season, a 2-0 win masterminded by Jose Mourinho, but things have changed massively since then. Either way, we can expect a great game that's sure to be dotted with intriguing contests across the pitch.
Here are five key battles that could decide this game:
#5 Japhet Tanganga vs Jack Grealish
An academy product facing up to the most expensive player in English footballing history seems a recipe for disaster on paper, but the reality is far more complex.
All eyes will be on Jack Grealish as he takes to the pitch for Manchester City, especially in the absence of the Sky Blues' stars like Kevin de Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, and Phil Foden. The creative onus will rightly fall on him as he looks all set to start from the left wing.
Tanganga has been the preferred option for Nuno Espirito Santo at right-back in pre-season, with the Spurs youngster keeping Matt Doherty out of the starting lineup. The 22-year-old was hugely impressive against Nicolas Pepe of Arsenal in pre-season, raising hopes that he'll be able to contain Grealish's stellar dribbling abilities.
The two have had a bit of previous, with Tanganga indulging in a few rough tackles against Grealish the last time Spurs faced Aston Villa last season. This battle could potentially decide the game; with Grealish having the added pressure of a debut as a £100m footballer.
#4 Son Heung-Min v Ruben Dias
Harry Kane's potential absence will cast a huge shadow upon this game, but if there's a player who can shine bright even in those circumstances, it's Son Heung-Min. The Korean superstar will, in all likelihood, be called upon to lead the line for Nuno Espirito Santo's new-look Spurs.
Up against him will be the pair of Ruben Dias and John Stones, with the former likely to stick tight to Son. Dias has previous, having shackled Son well in Manchester City's previous two games against Spurs last season, with the Korean struggling to find the net.
Pep Guardiola's detail-oriented approach is sure to provide Dias and Stones with the answer to nullifying Son. However, Son seems to thrive in Kane's absence, so we could very well see him add to the six goals he's scored against Manchester City in 13 games.