Manchester City v Tottenham: Premier League predictions, free tips and team news

Sky Sports Premier League/Main Event, 5.30pm Saturday

Pep Guardiola’s well-oiled Manchester City machine barely missed a beat during last Saturday’s effortless drubbing of West Ham but it wasn’t only the champions who were carrying on where they left off last season.

Harry Kane also had an opening weekend to remember, bagging two late goals as Tottenham kicked off 2019-20 with a comeback triumph over Aston Villa.

In terms of performance, City’s demolition of the Hammers was far more impressive than Spurs’ endeavours against new boys Villa.

But Kane proved once again what a massive goal threat he is and the prodigious Tottenham talisman is definitely worth looking at in first goalscorer betting at 15-2.

The second half of last season was an injury-riddled affair for the England captain but he still managed to find the net 11 times in his last 16 appearances for his club. He finished the season with 17 Premier League goals despite missing 11 matches.

A better team with better service to better strikers than West Ham showed last week would have tested City’s defence, and Spurs and Kane definitely fall into that category.

City's headline summer arrival Rodri, for example, looks a class act in central midfield but he lost possession more often than is comfortable. Kyle Walker and Oleksandr Zinchenko can be exposed defensively and there is always a nagging doubt that John Stones can make a costly error at any moment.

In a game that promises goals, Kane is a nice each-way price to get one of them.

As for the match betting, City are naturally short enough. They have won their last four Premier League meetings with Tottenham although they of course lost out to Mauricio Pochettino’s side in dramatic circumstances in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Both managers have selection decisions to make with Guardiola doubtless mulling over who of Gabriel Jesus or Sergio Aguero to start up front and Pochettino trying to think of a reason why he wouldn’t want Christian Eriksen starting given the wantaway Dane turned the game against Villa on its head when he came on.

Aguero has scored 11 goals in 16 games against Spurs and is arguably the finest finisher the Premier League has ever seen. Jesus was given the nod last Saturday and scored in a typically tireless display.

Eriksen is a lock-picker supreme and in a physical team of pace and power his guile stands out.

Beyond Kane, however, Tottenham look lighter in the final third whereas City’s options are copious - a reason why the hosts are desperately hard to oppose. They’ve won their last 14 home games in all competitions and scored in all 19 league games at the Etihad last term. Indeed, they scored at least two goals in 16 of those 19.

Last season, 13 of City’s 19 home league matches contained three goals or more so, looking to squeeze a bit extra out of backing Pep’s champs, try backing the hosts to win and over 2.5 goals at 5-6.

Recommendations
Man City & over 2.5 goals
2pts 5-6 Betway, BoyleSports, Coral
Back this bet at Paddy Power

H Kane first goalscorer
0.5pts each-way 15-2 bet365

Team news
Man City
Benjamin Mendy and Leroy Sane are injured. Fernandinho is fit.

Tottenham
Heung-Min Son and Juan Foyth are suspended. Dele Alli and Ryan Sessegnon are injured. Jan Vertonghen is fit.

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport