Manchester City - Tottenham Hotspur: Premier League Preview, Gameweek 2, 2025

Man City crashed and burned for phases of last season, but the revenge tour has started brightly.

Ahead of the weekend, they sat at the top of the table thanks to an emphatic 4-0 win over Wolves at the Molineux Stadium. In some senses, they are simply continuing the strong end to last season that saw them go undefeated in April and May, winning seven and drawing three of their ten outings.

But the triumph of last weekend was also a reminder that the new season offers the chance to reset and forget the pains of the previous campaign. City are not jaded with the failure to win the FA Cup final or their early exit in the Club World Cup, looking forward with four fresh faces in their ranks.

Pep Guardiola has not gone two years of coaching without a league title across his illustrious career. It is early days and there are still some areas to improve, but the camp is certainly in a strong position.

Targets are humbler for Tottenham Hotspur, who only finished above the bottom three last term.

Ange Postecoglou presided over a youthful group of players with a full throttle approach to football. When it worked, it was exhilarating, but injuries and slim margins too often went against them.

Thomas Frank fielded a successful starting eleven in his first act as Premier League manager of the club: a 3-0 victory over Burnley. But he is much more "pragmatic" individual, and these encounters are most likely to be the context where the differences in his approach stand out the most to observers.

His men pushed Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup and beat Arsenal in the first overseas North London derby. What can the Dane do to dirty the record of the fallen four-peat champions?

Team News

Josko Gvardiol has been missing with an injury since the start of the month, while Savinho started a stint on the sidelines due to a knock from the friendly against Palermo. Both men are again absent.

However, returns are on the cards for two of the most celebrated players in the Citizens' squad.

Rodri suffered a setback in his ACL recovery in the Club World Cup against Al-Hilal. The manager has emphasised the importance of gentle improvement in his fitness, but he could feature in this game.

The same story goes for Phil Foden, who missed the trip to Italy because of a knock to his ankle.

James Trafford earned his debut for the first team in the win over Wolves. Ederson reportedly was out of action with a stomach bug, but could be considering an exit after eight years. The manager mentioned both shot stoppers are fit, and he has not decided which goalkeeper he will pick to start.

Tottenham

Destiny Udogie has been progressing in his rehab from a knee injury, participating in training sessions with the rest of the group. But Frank does not wish to rush him back into full-scale action.

He is still without the services of two key attackers. Dejan Kulusevski is coming closer to recovery from knee surgery, but it is still too early to put an exact timescale when he will return. Meanwhile, James Maddison might miss the whole of the season after he suffered another serious ACL injury.

Yves Bissouma remains on the margins of the plans. A disciplinary for lateness left him out of the matchday squad for the Super Cup. Then he did not play against Burnley and will be absent here.

One man who has come back from the relative cold is Richarlison. The Brazilian bagged a brace against the Clarets, including an overhead kick, and despite rumours of a departure, he is likely to start ahead of Dominic Solanke, who is still searching for his best physical form after ankle issues.

Likely Line-ups

Trafford; Akanji, Stones, Dias, Ait-Nouri; Reijnders, Gonzalez, Bernardo; Bobb, Haaland, Marmoush

Vicario; Porro, Danso, Romero, van de Ven, Spence; Bentancur, Palhinha, Sarr; Kudus, Richarlison

Key Players

Man City – Tijjani Reijnders

City are the only outfit from the 'Big Six' to not spend over £50 million on an attacker this summer.

Yet, they will feel they have their money's worth in renovation from two midfield magicians. Rayan Cherki is a can-opening creator, but the man who stole the show last week was Tijjani Reijnders.

The Dutchman was the Serie A 'Midfielder of the Year', frequently breaking into the box for AC Milan to grab goals and assists. But against Wolves, he would sparkle with his invention and courage on the ball, getting an assist and all the plaudits before the first of two goals for Erling Haaland.

This clash could be the first true test of his defensive discipline. A fitter set of defenders and the return of Rodri will help to platform his forward-thinking strengths, but the Premier League is a ruthless division. If he thrives, then City could be looking at a bigger difference maker than first thought.

Tottenham – Cristian Romero

Spurs have been something of a laughing stock with the collapse of the Eberechi Eze deal. But one thing that no longer has to worry the club is the certainty that their captain will be part of the plans.

Cristian Romero replaced Son Heung-min as the official leader of the side a week and a half ago, and this week, he signed an extension that could keep him with Spurs until 2029. These are steps that show the commitment of the Argentine, whose leadership has become doubted much less over time.

Romero is aggression personified, but he knows how to channel it much more constructively than people might think. Especially in his passing, he sets the tone with his bravery from the back, while he is willing to put his body on the line: a requisite if Spurs want to take anything way from Manchester.

Match Details

Where is the game being played?

The game will take place at the home of Manchester City, Etihad Stadium.

What time is kick-off?

The kick-off is scheduled for 12:30 BST on Saturday, 23 August 2025.

How can I watch?

Live footage will be available for viewers in the UK on TNT Sports 1

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