Tottenham vs Man City: Spurs seek league revival as Guardiola’s side chase Arsenal
Manchester City will travel to north London to face Tottenham Hotspur in a high-profile Premier League encounter at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, February 1, 2026.
The Cityzens are aiming to record only their second league victory of the year as they attempt to narrow the gap on leaders Arsenal.
Teams’ Form and Recent Performances
Tottenham
Tottenham have struggled throughout the 2025/26 Premier League campaign and currently sit 14th on the table after failing to win any of their last five league matches. Their most recent outing ended in a 2-2 draw against relegation-threatened Burnley, with Cristian Romero scoring a late header to earn a point.
Spurs are among four Premier League sides yet to secure a league win since the start of the year, alongside defending champions Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Burnley.
In contrast, their UEFA Champions League form has been impressive. The north London club secured automatic qualification for the Round of 16 after finishing fourth in the league phase, capped by a three-match winning streak that featured victories over Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Thomas Frank’s team will be hoping their strong European performances can translate to domestic success as they look to end their league drought against City.
Manchester City
City come into the match on the back of a 2-0 Champions League league-phase victory over Galatasaray, with Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki finding the net.
Despite that win, Pep Guardiola’s side only avoided the play-off round by a single point, helped by Real Madrid’s 4-2 loss to Benfica.
They followed up with a 2-0 Premier League win over Wolves last weekend, ending a five-game league winless run. Goals from Omar Marmoush and January signing Antoine Semenyo reduced Arsenal’s lead at the top to four points.
The reigning treble winners will be eager to build momentum as they head to a venue that has often proved difficult for them in recent seasons.
Head-to-Head Record
Tottenham and Manchester City have met 165 times in all competitions. Spurs hold a slight advantage with 66 wins, compared to City’s 64, while 35 games have finished level.
Tottenham have also enjoyed recent success against City, winning seven of their last 12 league meetings, including a notable 2-0 victory at the Etihad earlier this season.
Tottenham are joint-top, alongside Liverpool and Manchester United, as the team that has beaten Guardiola the most, with 10 victories.
Key Players
Tottenham
Cristian Romero
Romero has been one of Spurs’ standout players this season. The captain is known for his aggressive defending, intense pressing and strong tackling, while also contributing offensively with six goals and four assists.
João Palhinha
Palhinha is valued for his ability to disrupt opposition play and move the ball efficiently. The midfielder has also made an impact in attack, scoring five goals — including the winner against City earlier this season — and providing three assists.
Manchester City
Erling Haaland
Haaland remains City’s most influential player, with 27 goals and four assists across all competitions. The Norwegian forward combines pace, intelligent movement and ruthless finishing, and has registered four goals and one assist in seven appearances against Spurs.
Rayan Cherki
Since joining from Lyon for £32 million, Cherki has established himself as a key member of the squad. He has contributed eight goals and nine assists in all competitions, underlining his creativity, dribbling ability and threat in the final third.
Team News
Tottenham
Spurs have several injury concerns ahead of the clash. Micky van de Ven remains a doubt after missing the midweek win over Frankfurt and will be assessed before kick-off.
Pedro Porro is set to be sidelined for around four weeks with a hamstring injury. Ben Davies, Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur, Richarlison, Mohammed Kudus, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are all ruled out with long-term injuries.
Manchester City
Jeremy Doku is expected to miss the trip after being withdrawn early against Galatasaray due to a calf problem.
Ruben Dias is also unavailable and is targeting a return early next month following a hamstring injury. Josko Gvardiol, Savinho, John Stones and Mateo Kovacic remain sidelined with longer-term issues.
