Tottenham vs Man City

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is the centerpiece of the Premier League weekend today, Sunday, February 1, 2026. Thomas Frank’s Tottenham hosts Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in a clash that could define the title race and the fight for European places. Kick-off is set for 16:30 GMT.

Manchester City (2nd, 46 points) enters the match knowing that a victory would trim Arsenal's lead at the summit to just four points. For Tottenham (14th, 28 points), the season has been a struggle of domestic consistency, but their "bogey team" status against City remains a glimmer of hope as they look for their first league win of 2026.

Match Information

Manchester City: The Title Charge Re-Ignites

After a rocky January that included a derby loss to Manchester United, Pep Guardiola’s side has regained its swagger with successive 2–0 wins over Wolves and Galatasaray. The Citizens are finally finding their rhythm with new winter signing Antoine Semenyo, who has already netted five goals in his first eight appearances for the club.

Team News and Selection:

• Rodri Returns: The influential Spaniard is back from suspension, providing a massive boost to City’s midfield stability.

• Injury Woes: City are light at the back with Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, and John Stones all ruled out. Jeremy Doku is also sidelined for 2–3 weeks with a calf injury.

• Haaland's Form: Erling Haaland ended a mini-drought midweek and has historically been involved in each of City's last four goals against Spurs.

• Predicted XI (4-1-4-1): Donnarumma; Nunes, Guehi, Dias, Ait-Nouri; Rodri; Cherki, Silva, Foden, Semenyo; Haaland.

Tottenham: The "Frank" Rebuilding Phase

Thomas Frank eased some of the pressure on his position with a midweek 2–0 Champions League win over Eintracht Frankfurt, securing a spot in the Round of 16. However, his Premier League form is dire—Spurs haven't won a league game since the turn of the year and sit just eight points above the relegation zone.

Team News and Selection:

• Hamstring Crisis: Spurs are decimated by injuries. Pedro Porro and Richarlison are both out for a month with hamstring issues.

• Long-term Absentees: James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, and James Kudus remain sidelined.

• Defensive Boost: Micky van de Ven is expected to return to the starting XI after missing the midweek European tie.

• Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Spence, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Palhinha, Gallagher; Odobert, Simons, Kolo Muani; Solanke.

? Head-to-Head (H2H) and Key Stats

• The August Reverse: Tottenham shocked City with a 2–0 win at the Etihad in the opening month of the season.

• The "Pep" Curse: Guardiola has lost more Premier League games against Tottenham (8) than any other opponent in his career.

• Home Struggles: Spurs are still searching for their first home league victory of 2026 (D1, L1).

• Set-Piece Threat: Tottenham has scored more headed goals (10) than any other side in the league this season, largely thanks to Cristian Romero.

Tactical Analysis and Prediction

Guardiola will look to exploit Tottenham’s makeshift full-back situation, particularly with the pace of Phil Foden and the creative flair of Rayan Cherki. For Spurs, the plan is simple: sit deep, absorb pressure, and unleash the speed of Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons on the counter-attack—a strategy that has famously frustrated City in this stadium before.

While history favors Tottenham in this fixture, their current injury list and league form are hard to ignore. City looks more balanced with the return of Rodri and the red-hot form of Semenyo.

Final Score Prediction: Tottenham 1–2 Manchester City