Ange Postecoglou silences critics as Spurs deliver most thrilling point on emotional rollercoaster
Do not ever change Ange Postecoglou. Never, ever change. Not that he will even if there were moments during this emotional rollercoaster against Manchester City when it appeared Tottenham Hotspur fans – as well as TV pundits - were going into meltdown.
Social media was alive with demands for Postecoglou to apply the brake, shut up shop, park the bus, be more defensive, to try and hold on and grind out a draw. But, mate, that is not going to happen. Not ever.
“Glory, glory Tottenham Hotspur,” as that famous old song goes but never in the modern-era have Spurs had a manager who lives quite so evangelically true to that romantic belief and also the motto: “To Dare is to Do”. Maybe even to didgeridoo for the Australian because he is getting such a distinctive tune out of this squad.
True, Postecoglou did bring on a defensive midfielder in Oliver Skipp in the 79th minute, just before Spurs again fell behind but that did not change his team’s intent even if it did its shape. They continued, as ever, whatever the circumstances, to go forward and gained their reward with a late dramatic equaliser.
At the end City will feel robbed. Their fury, at the appalling decision by referee Simon Hooper to whistle and award them a free-kick after Erling Haaland was fouled but also, crucially, after he was allowed to play on and release Jack Grealish free on goal, was evident and justified.
But they probably did not deserve to win and while it is a result that continues to blow open the Premier League title race – with City’s third successive draw conceding eight goals along the way - it is also one that revives Spurs’ top four hopes at a time when belief in ‘Ange-ball’ was being eroded a little by results compounded by a crippling injury list.
A defeat here would have been a fourth in a row for Postecoglou but, despite the circumstances, despite the mitigation he could have turned to, that others would have turned to, he did not change. Not a bit. And with that fortune favoured the brave.
The Premier League, and not just Spurs, is lucky to have him. This is what football is all about. This is why we love the game. Pep Guardiola will not change either and more power to the pair of them. It is why we were sated on such a spectacle; by such a Super Sunday.
“I don’t know any other way,” Postecoglou recently said – and Guardiola said something similar - but that is not quite true. It is more that neither of them believes in an alternative and its long-term value and credit to them for that.
How Postecoglou deserves immense credit for his approach. There were those who ridiculed his high-defensive line with just nine players on the pitch which ultimately led to a 4-1 defeat at home by Chelsea but it is that positivity that bred the belief that this game against the champions was never over.
Not even in the 90th minute when Dejan Kulusevski showed the determination and desire to rise and meet Brennan Johnson’s cross, with the ball coming off his shoulder and flying in off the cross-bar, to earn this result and justify the manager.
For a club left traumatised by the negativity of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte it would have been a huge backward step to be more pragmatic even if perceived wisdom is that is exactly what they should have done.
No, Postecoglou is taking a longer-term view. He was never going to abandon ultimate gain for short-term damage limitation because what message would that send to the club and the players? No, it is his way or no way.
Just assess the evidence. He arrived at the Etihad on that losing run and without seven first-team players – including his best two performers in James Maddison and Micky van de Ven - and with two only just returning from injury and a defence made up of four full-backs.
Inevitably the pre-match chat was all about whether he would compromise to try and eke out a point and end the losing run. If he did not, the argument went, then Spurs would be overwhelmed. And it could have happened. “First-half we were lucky to be in it, to be honest, City could have blown us away,” Postecoglou admitted and it could easily have been four or five goals to one with the analysis from the TV pundits in agreement.
“It’s shocking from Spurs, they’re all over the shop. Against the best teams, you get found out,” declared Roy Keane although by the end he had changed his tune into praising them with Jamie Carragher hitting the nail on the head when he said: “It’s not about today. This is about the long-term in the next two or three years to make Spurs the real deal.”
Son Heung-min opened the scoring after a scintillating counter-attack and then was unfortunate to concede the own goal that quickly drew City level – just 137 seconds. City also struck the frame of the goal twice, Haaland was guilty of a bad miss and Phil Foden finished a wonderful, flowing team move to give them the lead.
Jérémy Doku ➡️ Julián Álvarez ➡️ Phil Foden ✅
𝓒𝓵𝓪𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓬 Manchester City ⚽ pic.twitter.com/6WLRG9q6CQ— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 3, 2023
Postecoglou tweaked it at half-time. He brought on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and while it looked like a defensive move it was not as he retained the 4-2-3-1 shape, pushing Giovani Lo Celso further forward as a number 10 with Kulusevski out wide. And it worked. City were stifled and then conceded with Lo Celso firing home from 20 yards.
“I said to them if there is any fall-out I will take responsibility,” Postecoglou said and how liberating that must be for players. There is no chastisement, no blame-game. Even so they conceded again with Yves Bissouma, clearly not fully fit, losing the ball to Rodri and Haaland crossing low for Grealish to claim his first goal of the season.
Lesser teams would have folded but Spurs kept going while City must lick their wounds having lost Jeremy Doku to an apparent injury and with Grealish and Rodri suspended for the tricky midweek fixture away to Aston Villa.
“We promised goals and we delivered, mate,” Postecoglou said. They did indeed.
Man City and Tottenham share the points in the thrilling battle, as it happened
08:13 PM GMT
Thanks for joining us!
08:02 PM GMT
Nice scenes for the Tottenham players and the fans
Full-time scenes 🤩 pic.twitter.com/CQHMbEr6AE
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 3, 2023
07:51 PM GMT
Guardiola on City's recent defensive woes
In the Chelsea game yes it was a concern but Liverpool and Spurs no. The problem is when the opponent creates a lot of chances, which today [Spurs] and Liverpool did not. But again in the moment, the transition after the corner, and again for another we make a mistake and concede.
Football is about mistakes sometimes, but still we are there. After many years we still have the feeling that we want it [the title].
07:40 PM GMT
Ruben Dias reacts
It’s a feeling of frustration, very similar to the Liverpool game. A game I would say we dominated the most part of it and in the end the draw was what we could get.
Overall I can’t say I’m not happy with the performance of the team. Everyone was on it. The team was very aggressive. We were very sharp, we created the chances.
Unfortunately we didn’t take the three points but I think it’ll be part of the consistency of being the team we are to keep moving forwards even though we didn’t get the three points today.
07:32 PM GMT
Kulusevski loves playing at the Etihad
3 - Dejan Kulusevski is only the second player in Premier League history to score away to the reigning champions in three consecutive seasons in the competition, after Danny Murphy, who did so four campaigns running from 2000-01 to 2003-04. Silenced. pic.twitter.com/xYTCJSGEwY
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 3, 2023
07:23 PM GMT
Guardiola has had his say on that moment at the end
Next question. I will not do a Mikel Arteta comment. It is hard when you review the image, the referee decides to blow the whistle after he has already said to play on. After the pass, the whistle, so I do not understand this action.
It was a good game, that is the most important thing. It was a pity, same as the Liverpool game, I had the feeling that today that we made an incredible performance in all departments, against a really good team and manager and how they play.
We created a lot of chances, we were aggressive, incredibly concentrated, and the feeling is that we still want to be there [at the top of the table]. It is a pity. Sometimes football is like life, you do not get what you deserve.
07:12 PM GMT
Ange Postecoglou speaks - 'We believed in ourselves'
On the result...
“The character’s been there all year and we certainly needed it today.”
On the performance...
“First half we weren’t anywhere near the levels we needed to be, City are an unbelievable football team. Second half we had more belief in ourselves and were able to claw ourselves back into the game.”
On what he said at half time...
“Go out there and believe in ourselves and that’s what they did in the second half.”
On his footballing philosophy
“We’ve stuck to our guns and beliefs...how you approach these tough times is important to how we want to play the game.”
07:07 PM GMT
And here's Haaland's pithy, to-the-point view on the decision
— Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland) December 3, 2023
07:07 PM GMT
Pep Guardiola on Hooper’s blow up of Haaland
“Next question. I will not do a Mikel Arteta comment. It is hard when you review the image, the referee decides to blow the whistle after he has already said to play on. After the pass, the whistle, so I do not understand this action.”
07:01 PM GMT
The Sky chaps on the controversial decision that so enraged Haaland
Micah Richards: “The referee had a brilliant game today until this moment. I don’t understand...He puts the whistle to hi s mouth, he waves it on but stops to play advantage. JG is clearly through but then he stops the play, which I just don’t understand. The evidence is there for all to see. He didn’t blow it the first time.”
Roy Keane: “He definitely got that wrong. He’s made a mistake. There’s been a few. It’s a poor call, he’s played advantage and give him credit for that, but then he’s stopped it and made a mistake. It’s a poor decision but City should be the critical ones who let Spurs off the hook.”
Jamie Carragher: “He’s panicked.”
06:54 PM GMT
Man City have conceded
Eight in their past three Premier League matches, they’re not performing at the level that won them the treble last season. That will worry the hard-to-please perfectionist Pep Guardiola.
06:48 PM GMT
Kulusevski and Son speak - 'We never gave up'
Kulusevski on the result...
“We would love to win but it was an unbelievable second half and we play like this all season.”
Son on the comeback draw...
“City are a huge team one of best in the world but that’s why we love football, we kept believing and I am proud of the team.”
Son on scoring at both ends of the pitch...
“That’s football sometimes, I try to best thing for the team but couldn’t react.”
So on the late equaliser...
“We never gave up, great cross from Brennan, [Kulusevski] doesn’t usually score with his head but this is a huge point for the team and players’ confidence.”
Kulusevski on what the result means...
“It was really hard, second half was unbelievable, we have to learn. We have a great mentality [if we continue like that] then will be on top for the rest of the season. We take a lot from this match, at the break the coach said ‘just play’.”
06:41 PM GMT
Fortune favours the brave
All the jabs from pundits and commentators about Tottenham and their naive brand of football… everyone is entitled to their opinion but it’s refreshing someone going up against Manchester City and showing some balls and belief. Well played Ange Postecoglou and Spurs👏👏
— Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) December 3, 2023
06:37 PM GMT
Haaland angry with referee Hooper
No wonder football fans, players, managers and staff alike are despairing with the officials this season. Erling Haaland was fouled by Emerson Royal but managed to stay on his feet as referee Simon Hooper appeared to play the advantage. But the moment Haaland spun and played a ball over the top for Grealish, who would have been away, Hooper blew his whistle and brought the play back. Haaland went ballistic, bounding over to Hooper and screaming in his face to ask why the referee had made such a decision having already appeared to play the advantage. Haaland was still visibly furious when the final whistle sounded a few minutes later, momentarily squaring up to Brennan Johnson, before storming down the tunnel.
06:32 PM GMT
Credit where credit is due
Spurs were brave and took the game to City and deserved the point.
06:31 PM GMT
Haaland fury
The Norwegian is angry at the end and is remonstrating with Spurs players and the officials. I can only assume it’s over the referee decision to award him the free-kick having set Grealish through in on goal.
06:30 PM GMT
FULL-TIME: Man City 3-3 Tottenham
It’s all over at the Etihad and City have again dropped points their third score draw in a row. Spurs deserved a point there, they stuck to their guns and got a point as a result.
06:28 PM GMT
95 mins: Man City 3-3 Tottenham
Frantic last few minustes at the Etihad, Rodri crosses into the box there are players lining up at the back post but the ball cannot find any of them. The City players appeal for a penalty (Oliver Skipp bringing down Manuel Akanji) but it’s not given and rightfully so.
06:26 PM GMT
94 mins: Man City 3-3 Tottenham
City break quickly, Haaland is fouled but gets up and plays Grealish through BUT the referee, Simon Hooper, who’s had a good game, blows for the foul and the hosts are fuming as Grealish was through in on goal...
06:24 PM GMT
93 mins: Man City 3-3 Tottenham
Spurs go searching for a fourth, and they very nearly have a winner. Kulusevski crosses from the right, it comes to Johnson who tries to lay it off to a team-mate but Rodri comes in a steals the ball.
06:23 PM GMT
92 mins: Man City 3-3 Tottenham
Five minutes of added time - wouldn’t be shcoked at all if there was a winner to come...
06:21 PM GMT
GOOOOAAAAALLL!
Man City 3-3 Spurs
Kulusevski heads home Spurs equaliser! Great goal and deserved one as well. They break down the left and Johnson delivers a great ball into the box, the man on the other flank charges into the danger area and beats Ake to the ball heading in off the crossbar. Great game and well played Tottenham.
06:20 PM GMT
87 mins: Man City 3-2 Tottenham
City are controlling the game now after the shaky start to the second half, can Spurs create one last chance?
06:17 PM GMT
84 mins: Man City 3-2 Tottenham
Changes for City - Alvarez is off for Kovacic and Ake is on for Gvardiol.
Richarlison comes on for Bissouma for Spurs.
06:11 PM GMT
GOOOOOOAAAALLLL!
Man City 3-2 Spurs
Grealish gets the hosts back in front. And it’s come from a Spurs mistake - they, in the form of Bissouma, try to play from the back (as they have done all season) but loses the ball on the edge of the box, Haaland plays the ball in low and Grealish meets it first time slotting the ball home into the corner of the net. Spurs have been the better side this half and deserve something from this match and they will be kicking themselves.
06:08 PM GMT
78 mins: Man City 2-2 Tottenham
Corner for the hosts, they go short and when the ball finally is delivered to the box Gvardiol volleys high, wide and not some handsome.
06:07 PM GMT
76 mins: Man City 2-2 Tottenham
Rodri has a good chance to get City back in front having exchanged passes with Lewis, but the Spaniard leans back in the box and skies his attempt well over the bar.
06:05 PM GMT
City vulnerable
City fans are looking at each other here in faint bewilderment, as if they have forgotten what a sense of precariousness feels like. After 23 successive victories at home, they are appearing vulnerable at the Etihad for the third time in eight days.
06:04 PM GMT
71 mins: Man City 2-2 Tottenham
The past 15 minutes have seen Spurs have 58 per cent possession and three shots to City’s zero.
06:02 PM GMT
71 mins: Man City 2-2 Tottenham
That goal had been coming - Pep said before the match that his team couldn’t be complacent, but it’s hard to argue that they haven’t been complacent since the break.
05:58 PM GMT
GOOOOOOAAAAALLLL!
Man City 2-2 Tottenham
Lo Celso with a beautiful goal. City have been sloppy this half but all credit to Spurs who’s slowly but surely got back into this. Davies gets in front of Haaland before it is played to Lo Celso in the final third. Son makes a great run inside him, but Argentine uses him by not using him running into the space vacated by the Korean and hitting a low shot into the bottom corner.
05:57 PM GMT
65 mins: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
More patient build-up play from Spurs who have been much better the first 20 minutes of the second half than the last 20 of the first.
They win a corner, but Lo Celso’s delivery is claimed by Ederson in the City goal.
05:53 PM GMT
61 mins: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
Great chance for Spurs as Johnson plays in Udogie, it’s two on two but the Spurs man, who has Son inside him, dithers and Ederson comes out and smothers the ball. However, it wouldn’t have counted had he done better as he was well offside.
05:49 PM GMT
59 mins: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
Spurs are seeing a fair bit of the ball this half - it’s measured rather than hell for leather, they’re passing the ball round well but, alas, cannot fashion a chance.
05:46 PM GMT
56 mins: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
A rare attack from Spurs sees Kulusevski set son away, his shot is deflected into the grateful arms of Ederson. The visitors are under pressure from City but at 2-1 down are still well in this game.
05:45 PM GMT
54 mins: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
Grealish sees the ball for the first time, he gets his head up and crosses well for Haaland at the back post, but the ball is just beyond the reach of the striker’s head.
05:43 PM GMT
James Ducker is a big fan of...
Alvarez is immense.
05:41 PM GMT
52 mins: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
Change for City - Doku limps off to be replaced by Grealish.
05:41 PM GMT
50 mins: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
The visitors are playing a dangerous game, every time the hosts have the ball in their opponents’ half they seem to have an overlap. This time Hojbjerg fouled Haaland and it’s a City free-kick. City, however, are unable to create anything from the set piece.
05:39 PM GMT
49 mins: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
Free-kick for the hosts inside the Tottenham half. The visitors win the ball but again then promptly lose it. But Alvarez’s cross from the left is long and Spurs breathe a sigh of relief.
05:38 PM GMT
48 mins: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
Spurs aren’t helping themselves, they lose the ball in the final third and had Foden played the ball earlier to Doku it could well have been 3-1.
05:36 PM GMT
46 mins: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
Great save from Vicario as Haaland lays the ball off to Bernardo Silva who hits it first time with the outside of his left peg, the Spurs keeper tipping the ball round the post. From the resulting corner the visitors clear the danger.
05:35 PM GMT
45 mins: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
They’re back under way at the Etihad, will City add to their goal tally or will Spurs come back after the break?
One change for the visitors, Gil has made way for Hojbjerg, no huge shock as the Dane will sit in front of the centre backs and try and tighten things up for Spurs.
05:19 PM GMT
HALF-TIME: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
City lead at the break, since the second they’ve been well on top. Spurs need to regroup at the break, but it’s hard to see how they win this after their great start.
05:19 PM GMT
47 mins: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
The past 15 minutes have been tough for Spurs, they’ve not been able to get out and get their foot on the ball. The break couldn’t come soon enough for the visitors.
05:16 PM GMT
45 mins: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
There will be three minutes of added time.
05:15 PM GMT
43 mins: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
Rodri plays in Doku who again cuts in off the left and gets a shot in that’s well blocked. It wouldn’t have counted, however, as the Belgian was just offside.
05:14 PM GMT
Haaland is human
We’ve had some collector’s items here. Bernardo misplaced a pass in a dangerous position that Bryan Gil intercepted and now Erling Haaland, having already missed a golden chance from Bernardo’s pace from about eight yards out, has just blazed one high over the bar when again well positioned. So he is mortal.
05:13 PM GMT
Davies at fault
Ange Postecoglou saw Manchester City’s second goal several seconds before it actually happened. The Australian spun around in disgust the moment he saw Ben Davies failing to hold the line, enabling Julian Alvarez to pick up the ball and slide in Phil Foden for a training-ground finish of surgical precision. This might be the Tottenham manager’s first Premier League clash with Pep Guardiola, but he knows how fateful even the tiniest error can be.
05:11 PM GMT
38 mins: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
It’s all City at the moment, I wouldn’t be shocked if the hosts snatch another before half-time.
05:07 PM GMT
35 mins: Man City 2-1 Tottenham
Having started the game so well Spurs are under the cosh now - Alvarez has a shot that goes just wide and City have gone up a gear and you suspect the visitors will want the break to come sooner rather than later.
05:06 PM GMT
Pulsating match
It’s been a pulsating first half hour or so played at a frenetic pace. Spurs have been brave and on the front foot and were rewarded with that excellent early breakaway goal but City, despite some uncharacteristic sloppiness in possession at times, have hit back hard and fast and now lead. Foden finished off a superbly worked move to make it 2-1 after Haaland had squandered the sort of chance he would normally finish in his sleep and Doku crashed a shot off the underside of the bar. I’d be very surprised if there were no more goals to come.
05:02 PM GMT
GOOOOOOOAAAALLL!
Man City 2-1 Spurs
Deliciously intricate goal for Foden. The hosts play neat attacking football inside the Spurs box. Doku finds Alvarez who then plays in Foden who can pass the ball into the back of teh net at the near post. It’s a five-a-side goal - it looks too easy and perhaps it is, but City looked good there and it’s hard to think of another team that could have scored a goal like that.
05:01 PM GMT
28 mins: Man City 1-1 Tottenham
Nearly a second for City. The hosts break quickly and get the ball early to Doku on the left. The Belgian skins Ben Davies before cutting into the box and firing a shot towards the far right corner, the ball beat Vicario but not the crossbar.
04:59 PM GMT
25 mins: Man City 1-1 Tottenham
Spurs are defending well, they are disciplined as much as they are attractive. They then attack as Gil intercepts a loose pass from Bernardo Silva, his ball into the box is for Son but City clear the danger. Son is angry at his team-mate, the Korean wanted the ball much earlier.
04:54 PM GMT
22 mins: Man City 1-1 Tottenham
More good play from the visitors as Brennan Johnson shows some good wheels getting away from Gvardiol before driving into the box and playing a dangerous low ball that Dias does well to intercept.
04:51 PM GMT
20 mins: Man City 1-1 Tottenham
Spurs are passing the ball well and attack down the left after some patient build-up play. They win their first corner as a result. Can they create something from this set piece? ‘Sort of’ is the answer as they win another corner, this one on the right. This time the ball comes into the box and Akanji heads well clear.
04:49 PM GMT
18 mins: Man City 1-1 Tottenham
The match has settled since the manic opening. Both side prodding and probing away.
04:49 PM GMT
Son's two goals
The opener
The own goal
04:45 PM GMT
12 mins: Man City 1-1 Tottenham
Tottenham have led and lost their past three matches - no side has achieved that feat four matches in a row...
As I type Haaland makes history by missing the dictionary definition of ‘a sitter’. The ball comes to the big man in the box and his shot, only some seven yards out, goes wide of the right post.
04:40 PM GMT
GOOOOOOOOAAAALLLL!
Man City 1-1 Spurs
Son own goal. The Korean has scored at both ends in a matter of minutes. It’s a City free-kick on the right, Rodri delivers and it finds a glancing head of Haaland before Son tries to intervene and only succeeds in htting the ball pass Vicario in the Spurs goal.
04:37 PM GMT
GOOOOOOAAAAAALLL!
Man City 0-1 Spurs
Son scores with the visitors’ first attack of the game.
It comes from a City corner, Spurs break quickly and Son is played in by Gil. The Korean is up against Doku, who clearly isn’t a defender, and races clear before striking with his right and the ball squirms under Ederson’s body.
04:36 PM GMT
7 mins: Man City 0-0 Tottenham
Foden wins the ball in the Spurs half before playing in Doku on the left, the Belgian takes a touch before hitting it with his left and Vicario makes a good save.
04:35 PM GMT
5 mins: Man City 0-0 Tottenham
Another corner comes the way of the hosts, this time Spurs clear the threat well. City then come back at the visitors down the right through Foden but Spurs again defend well and no chance is created.
04:33 PM GMT
3 mins: Man City 0-0 Tottenham
First corner of the game goes to City. Alvarez takes and Akanji gets in front of Vicario but heads high and wide.
04:32 PM GMT
2 mins: Man City 0-0 Tottenham
City with all of the possession so far, they pass the ball patiently and well but without much threat yet...
04:30 PM GMT
1 min: Man City 0-0 Tottenham
They’re under way at the Etihad, City are in their sky blue kit while Spurs are in their beige away outfit.
04:27 PM GMT
The teams are out on the pitch
And we’re moments away from kick-off. There will be goals in this...(hope I haven’t jinxed it...!).
04:18 PM GMT
Pep Guardiola speaks to Sky Sports - 'These have always been attractive games'
On Doku starting ahead of Grealish...
“Jeremy is in top form, he’s good and deserves to be there .”
On Spurs’ form and approach to the game...
“They prove [they are committed to attacking football] early on in the season, the players know it.”
On the challenge facing City today...
“Always have been good games, always attractive games. [The fans] always play a part, game at home against one of the biggest teams in England.”
04:10 PM GMT
Ange Postecoglou speaks to Sky Sports - 'We're not going to change the way we play our football'
On the side losing three in a row...
“Saw it last week, you go through tough periods, it’s how you get through them. I am proud how the players get through the challenge.”
On how Spurs will approach the game...
“Just going to try and play our football - we’re up against a very good opponent and will make adjustments but we’re not going to change the way we play out football.”
04:07 PM GMT
A big fan of Son is at the Etihad
03:59 PM GMT
Man City have dropped points in their past two games
And are without a win in the Premier League since November 4. A good time to face the champions?
03:49 PM GMT
Fancy a flutter?
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03:44 PM GMT
Here are the teams in black and white
MAN CITY XI TO FACE SPURS: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Gvardiol, Akanji, Rodri, Silva, Foden, Alvarez, Doku, Haaland. Subs: Ortega, Phillips, Stones, Ake, Kovacic, Grealish, Gomez, Bobb, Lewis.
SPURS XI TO FACE MAN CITY: Vicario, Porro, Royal, Davies, Udogie, Bissouma, Lo Celso, Gil, Johnson, Kulusevski, Son. Subs: Forster, Austin, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Richarlison, Veliz, Santiago, Donley, Dorrington.
So Pep makes three changes from the side who beat Leipzig in the Champions League Ederson, Jeremy Doku and Julian Alvarez come in for Stefan Ortega, Rico Lewis and Jack Grealish.
The visitors make just the one change, Rodrigo Bentancur is injured and Yves Bissouma takes his place.
03:33 PM GMT
Here be Spurs' XI
Your starting XI for #MCITOT ✊ pic.twitter.com/hNE7R9D4Q3
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 3, 2023
03:30 PM GMT
Here's the City XI
Today's squad vs Spurs! 👋
XI | Ederson, Walker (C), Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Bernardo, Foden, Doku, Alvarez, Haaland
SUBS | Ortega Moreno, Phillips, Stones, Ake, Kovacic, Grealish, Gomez, Bobb, Lewis#ManCity | @etihad pic.twitter.com/QRasZrg6Vj— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 3, 2023
03:27 PM GMT
Spurs may be struggling with injuries
But they have as good a record against Man City as anyone, winning five of their past eight meetings.
03:13 PM GMT
Guardiola warns against complacency
By Ian Whittell
Pep Guardiola insists he would unleash another “happy flowers” rant if Manchester City show complacency again as he prepares to take on Tottenham this afternoon.
The Manchester City manager famously used the odd phrase in the corresponding fixture in January when his side had come back from a two-goal first-half deficit to beat Spurs 4-2.
Guardiola accused his stars, and City in general, of complacency, ranting that he did not want to be part of a “happy flowers team.”
The outburst worked, with City losing just one more league game – coincidentally at Spurs – before they captured the title and it is a tactic Guardiola would use again.
“I will do those things whether they want to hear it or not hear it,” Guardiola said. “Listen, in my time here if you can say how many good things I’ve said to them publicly and privately, it’s a thousand times - much, much more than the negative things I can say.
“I was being incredibly honest and felt that so said it. Maybe because we won – if we had lost I might not have said it.
“But we won and the people accepted everything and that was my feeling at that moment. It was not copy and paste. It’s not okay, now in November and December when I say something when the book is already written then, No. I felt it and wrote it.”
“Happy flowers” may have been one of the more memorable sound bites of City’s season and Guardiola admits it was a calculated gamble that might have back-fired.
Instead, his players responded superbly to clinch just the second treble in English football history.
“It was just something that came in the ‘flash’ interview at that moment after the game,” he said. “Even if it is not really an English saying, they got it, they understood immediately and that was the point.
“We won so we could believe it but it could have turned out completely differently. Not every action you do is going to impact. You believe in the moment.
“I said it publicly and privately and that’s all. We won so it was ‘how brilliant was Pep?’ so we could do it again and it might not have worked. But we had that won and that feeling ‘oh we’re playing good, it’s nice.’
“It is a manager’s job to say what really really happens, if you don’t like to listen, it’s your problem. We have to do it. Put in front of mirror every single time.
“For example, we conceded four goals against Chelsea – two avoidable goals. We have a problem. We have a problem. You could say it doesn’t matter, but if we don’t solve it we will lose games. If we want to win games we have to solve it.”
Coincidentally, City take on Spurs after a similar midweek showing to the one that provoked Guardiola’s anger in January. On Tuesday, his side trailed RB Leipzig 2-0 at home, before recovering to win the Champions League group game, although the City manager insisted it was a very different performance to the Spurs win last season.
“I don’t think we played badly in the first half. Yes, we lost some balls that were maybe avoidable and the goals we conceded, one against one on the keeper, so something wrong happened,” he said.
“But we still created more chances than them, we played quite decent. At half time I said ‘we are going to finish second in the group stage if we don’t make a comeback so we need to be patient.’
“We didn’t give up, and that is top, that’s the thing. But the guys who played, I didn’t have the feeling that they’re thinking ‘okay we are top of the group.’ Maybe I am wrong but I didn’t have it.”
Guardiola, meanwhile, resisted the temptation to offer another neat sound bite, when asked how he would describe his current squad.
“Let me think,” he said. “Tomorrow after the game I will say. I don’t know where we are right now.”
