No Goal Fest Between City And Spurs

The Premier League gets back underway following the international break when Spurs visit champions Manchester City on Saturday afternoon.

Form
With three wins from their past four, Manchester City look to be getting back to the type of performances which saw them take the title last season. Despite boasting the best record on the road so far, having dropped only two points away from home, City have the worst home points tally of any team in the top nine and scored just four times in three games at the Etihad.

Two goals in the last ten minutes from Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero earned them three points in their last outing, to earn a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa that moved them second five points adrift of Chelsea.

Aguero has now scored in each of his last three games, and has six goals in nine games overall.

Tottenham are unbeaten in four with following a pair of wins and draws with boss Mauricio Pochettino getting one over former club Southampton in their last match a fortnight ago thanks to Christian Eriksen, with the Dane grabbing the only goal of the game after 40 minutes.

That moved Spurs into sixth spot with 11 points from seven games and Pochettino’s men are yet to be beaten on the road this season, and they picked up a creditable 1-1 draw against bitter rivals Arsenal on their short journey to the last away outing. They’ve scored just twice in their last three league games though and six in six overall.

Nacer Chadli has top scored for the club this term, with five goals in eight appearances.

Team News
Samir Nasri remains sidelined for City with the French playmaker expected to miss another week with a groin problem. Fernandinho is also a doubt with a tight hamstring but boss Manuel Pellegrini has no further injury concerns following Stevan Jovetic’s recovery from a injury but must decide who between Eliaquim Mangala and Martin Demichelis pairs Vincent Kompany at centre back.

Full-backs Kyle Naughton and Kyle Walker are both out for Spurs with ankle and groin injuries respectively but goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is expected to recover in time from his own groin issue in time to take his spot between the sticks. Chadli is a doubt too having picked up a thigh injury on international duty with Belgium.

Head-to-Head
With an aggregate score of 11-1 over their two games last season it’s fair to say Spurs were twice humiliated by City last season, including a 6-0 defeat in this fixture last November and a second 5-1 win in three seasons at White Hart Lane two months later.

Aguero scored three of those eleven while Edin Dzeko has scored six in his last five games against Spurs. City have won five of the past six encounters and there’s been over 3.5 goals in five of the past six too.

Recommended Bets
The 4/9 on a City win is fair considering their form and record in the fixture, and their seemingly patchy home form can be explained by the fact they’ve faced two of last season’s top three on their own patch so far.

Unfortunately this doesn’t look likely to be the goal fest these games have thrown up of late

…as Pochettino’s side have shored up defensively and he’s far too wily to take City on in a like for like attacking display. Under 2.5 goals is a decent shout at 13/10 then, while the 13/8 on a home win with a clean sheet looks worth a punt.