Manchester City know they cannot afford a slip-up against Tottenham if they are to keep the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal.

The point gap is growing and so Pep Guardiola will demand an emphatic performance here against a Spurs side who fell 4-2 to City just a few weeks ago when these sides last met.

Man City predicted lineup vs Tottenham (4-3-3)

GK: Ederson – Ederson needs two more clean sheets to reach ten for the season but will do well to earn one of those here.

RB: Kyle Walker – With Joao Cancelo out the door, it’s between Walker and young Rico Lewis for this spot. Expect the experience of Walker to earn him the nod.

CB: Manuel Akanji – Guardiola has chopped and changed his lineups this season, but Akanji has been one of the few constants.

CB: Aymeric Laporte – John Stones is nursing an injury and Ruben Dias is only just back from his own issue, so it may be Laporte who gets the nod.

LB: Nathan Ake – Ake has perhaps been City’s best defender this season but he has been needed to fill in on the left to make up for holes in Guardiola’s squad.

DM: Rodri – No outfield player has featured more in the Premier League for City this season than Rodri, whose inclusion in the starting lineup is about as certain as it gets.

CM: Kevin De Bruyne – Behind Rodri on the minutes charts is De Bruyne, who has managed an assist in each of his last two Premier League outings.

CM: Ilkay Gundogan – Guardiola loves Gundogan’s energy and ability to control a game, so he’ll hope the German will help overload the midfield against a Spurs side who have struggled to deal with that.

RW: Riyad Mahrez – With seven goals and four assists against Spurs, Mahrez has had better luck against the Lilywhites than against any other side in the division.

ST: Erling Haaland – Haaland is nine clear of Harry Kane in the scoring charts and will be desperate to add to that advantage.

LW: Jack Grealish – Phil Foden isn’t fully fit but it’s Grealish who tends to start on the left these days anyway.