SM
Newcastle vs. West Ham: 6 hrs 52 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
MC
Champions League | Quarter-Finals
Apr 17, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
SL

4-3

Sterling (4', 21'), Silva (11'), Aguero (59')
FT(HT: 3-2)
Heung-min (7', 10'), Llorente (73')

Manchester City vs. Tottenham - the key talking points

:Headline: Manchester City vs. Tottenham - the key talking points: ID:356442: from db_amp
Spurs have a 1-0 lead following the first leg.

Tottenham hold a 1-0 aggregate lead heading into the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.

Here, Press Association Sport looks at some talking points ahead of the game.

Can City turn it around?

To keep their quadruple hopes alive City will need to change their approach from the conservative system they adopted in the first leg. Then Pep Guardiola left out Kevin De Bruyne and deployed two holding midfielders in what seemed a damage limitation exercise. Something more like the normal attack-minded formation that serves so well in the Premier League will be expected, and probably required, to ensure City get on the front foot this time.

Tottenham's approach

Mauricio Pochettino's men hold the upper hand after successfully cancelling out City last week. Playing a high-energy, high-pressing game, Spurs gave City some of their own medicine. Whether they can repeat the trick against a City side set out to attack more is debatable, however. Spurs may be forced to play a more containing game. They will want their midfielders to come to the fore and try to dictate affairs.

No Kane

Spurs are without their talisman Harry Kane, who was forced off with an ankle injury in the first leg. They need someone to fill that void. When Kane was out earlier in the season, Son Heung-min stepped up and it was also the Korean who grabbed the winner last week. Lucas Moura then shone at the weekend, netting a hat-trick against Huddersfield, and he will hope for another chance.

European rules

Watching City and Spurs, two of the most attractive sides in the Premier League, attack each other at full throttle is the type of fare that makes that competition so appealing. Yet both sides will need to be aware this is not a Premier League game and it will be refereed differently. Most notably this season – as Danny Rose discovered in the first leg and Nicolas Otamendi did in the last round at Schalke – UEFA are operating a much stricter interpretation of handball. With VAR in operation, there is almost no escaping punishment if the ball strikes the arm in the area. On top of this, the Turkish officials in charge will view certain matters in a different light to how their English counterparts would.

Impact on Saturday's game

The game is actually only the second instalment of a three-parter. The trilogy concludes with Spurs returning to the Etihad in the Premier League on Saturday. That game will also have plenty riding on it, with City involved in a tight title race with Liverpool and Spurs under pressure to hold onto their top-four place. The psychology could be interesting, with the victor on Wednesday having gained an edge but the loser having incentive to seek revenge, while there could also be a further physical toll.

amp_article__356442 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2019-04-16 14:41:08:
html db last update - 2019-04-16 14:41:08 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html
Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
10Fulham125341717018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .