Tottenham Hotspur vs. Manchester City: predicted lineups, team news and score prediction

Pep Guardiola and Man City have spent plenty of time complaining about fixture congestion. On Wednesday against Tottenham, the Cityzens begin a stretch of four away matches in 11 days that will see the club travel some 3,500 miles. 

In response, Guardiola has gone on record admitting the fourth-round Carabao Cup match in North London will take the lowest priority and could feature several academy players.

Of course, fixture congestion is an issue in European soccer. But, by comparison, American teams have it far worse.

For example, last season the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers embarked on two epic road trips. The first featured seven games in 12 days and covered nearly 5,300 miles. The second included seven games in 14 days, covering nearly 4,500 miles. 

City are winning ugly – but winning

Pep’s a smart guy, so one has to wonder how much his complaining amounts to gamesmanship versus actual strategic planning. Of all people, he knows City have the squad depth to be competitive in any match, with players such as Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake and Matheus Nunes waiting in the wings on any given day.

Meanwhile, the Cityzens have apparently mastered the art of winning ugly. On Oct. 20 against Wolves, they fell behind 1-0 on a Jorgen Strand Larsen goal in the seventh minute from a picturesque cross from Jeremy Doku.

But City fought back to level things at 33 minutes when Josko Gvardiol sent a guided missile into the net from just outside the box. Thus it seemed almost inevitable when, in the 95th minute, John Stones outjumped everyone on a corner kick to score the winner for City, 2-1.

Against bottom dwellers Southampton on Oct. 26, Erling Haaland broke a three-match Premier League scoreless streak with a goal in the 5th minute to give City the early lead. But the Cityzens missed several chances to increase their advantage and held on for a slim victory. 

Spurs searching for momentum – again

Ever in search of silverware, Tottenham should field a competitive side for this match – albeit minus two key cogs in their attacking machine. Son Heung-Min and Wilson Odobert have both been ruled out, leaving Spurs very thin on the left side.

Spurs are desperate to build some momentum after a disheartening loss to Crystal Palace on Oct. 27. Winless in the Premier League coming into the match, Palace took the lead on 21 minutes. Daniel Munoz floated a cross into the box. Two Spurs players missed the ball — and it rolled to Eberechi Enze, whose nifty backheel found Jean-Phillippe Mateta for the easy goal.

Spurs were unable to transform 66 percent possession into a goal, as they clearly missed the presence of Son — out again with an injury.

Team news and predicted lineups

It seems like a lifetime ago when Spurs last played City in an EFL Cup match. But it was actually 2021 when they met in the final. City emerged victorious, 1-0. Back then, Spurs attacker Mikey Moore was only 13-years-old. But now the 17-year-old academy product has emerged as a bright spot. Expect Ange Postecoglou to give him his second start in a row.

Tottenham Hotspur predicted lineup: Forster, Gray, Dragusin, Davies, Spence, Sarr, Bentancur, Maddison, Werner, Moore, Solanke

Last season, City lost in the third round of this tournament, so they’ve already done themselves one better this campaign by advancing to the fourth round. Expect 16-year-old Kaden Braithwaite to start at center back, as he did against Watford.

Manchester City predicted lineup: Ortega, Akanji, Stones, Braithwaite, Ake, Lewis, Wright, Savio, McAtee, Gundogan, Nunes, Foden

Match prediction: Man City 2, Spurs 1

How to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs. Manchester City

Tottenham Hotspur will host. Manchester City at 4:15 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 30. The match can be streamed on Paramount+.