Man City seek to end slump at Tottenham following Liverpool defeat | OneFootball

Manchester City will face Tottenham Hotspur later today, and they desperately need a response.

Their 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday did more than just dent their title ambitions – it exposed a side struggling to find some rhythm at the business end of the season.

Pep Guardiola’s side have now lost three of their last four matches in all competitions. Possession has not been the issue, but the lack of a focal point without Erling Braut Haaland has been glaring.

City had most of the ball yet barely troubled goalkeeper Alisson Becker. “I hope so, but we don’t know yet,” Guardiola said when asked about Haaland’s availability for Wednesday.

Tottenham are hunting a fourth straight league win and chasing a piece of history. They could become the first team to defeat both Manchester clubs three times in a single campaign.

Ange Postecoglou’s side flexed their attacking muscles last weekend with a 4-1 thrashing of Ipswich Town at Portman Road.

The hosts are brimming with confidence, and their home form underlines the threat they pose.Spurs have scored in 18 straight games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and their defensive improvement has been just as important.

After conceding in ten consecutive home matches, they have now kept three clean sheets in their last four. “A fantastic team, individual quality that they’ve always had,” Guardiola added. “The rhythm they play with, the intensity, incredible runners in transition.”

By contrast, City have won just two of their last nine Premier League away games, both against struggling sides.City will start this game outside the top four. Guardiola remains defiant about the challenge of keeping his squad competitive.

“We have done it already,” he said. “After nine years, it’s not the same team we started with. We have done it two or three times already.”

If City are to stay in the title race, another reinvention may be required. A victory at one of their least favourite venues would be a good place to start.