Tottenham Hotspur ended Manchester City’s European ambitions last season and they will be looking to dent Pep Guardiola’s side’s hopes of winning a third successive Premier League title when they meet at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday (Aug 17).
A rare setback in a near impeccable season from City came in April with a dramatic exit to Spurs in the Champions League quarter-final.
City won the second-leg 4-3 but went out on away goals after a late goal from Raheem Sterling, which would have sent City through, was dramatically ruled out for offside following a VAR video review.
Just three days later the pair met again in the league as Guardiola’s side kept their title run on track with a 1-0 victory.
Both teams began their Premier League campaigns in winning fashion with City sweeping aside West Ham United with a 5-0 win at London Stadium while Spurs struggled before emerging as 3-1 victors at home to promoted Aston Villa.
City will be relieved that Spurs’ South Korean winger Son Heung-min will miss the game while he sits out the last match in a three-game suspension.
Son scored the only goal of the Champions League first leg and struck twice in the second-leg but Harry Kane, who missed the last two meetings, has begun the season in form with a double against Villa.
Liverpool will need to recover quickly from their penalty shootout win over Chelsea in the Super Cup in Istanbul on Wednesday as they face a trip to Southampton on Saturday.
Frank Lampard’s Chelsea suffered a 4-0 loss at Manchester United in their first outing but showed plenty of promise in Istanbul and have an extra day to recover before taking on Leicester City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Manchester United have a tricky trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday, returning to the venue where they were beaten 2-1 in the FA Cup quarter-final in March.
Arsenal will look to follow-up their win at Newcastle United with another three points against Sean Dyche’s Burnley at the Emirates on Saturday.
The Gunners rested a number of new signings at St James’ Park but could unleash their new strike trio of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and new arrival, winger, Nicolas Pepe.
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Source: (Reuters)
