Manchester City have failed this season to recapture the form that saw them crowned Premier League champions in May and they can be opposed this weekend.
It is just four wins in 12 matches in all competitions for Roberto Mancini’s side and recent signs suggest all is not well at the Etihad Stadium.
Another disappointing effort in the Champions League in midweek, when held 2-2 at home by Ajax, means big-spending City are almost certainly exiting at the group stage once more in that competition and face a mighty task to defend their domestic honours, too.
City actually remain unbeaten in the English top flight so far this term but a goalless draw at West Ham last Saturday means they currently trail rivals Manchester United by two points and the momentum is currently with the Red Devils.
Mancini appears a man under pressure and, seemingly unsure of his best starting line up, now faces a Tottenham side that have enjoyed plenty of success in this fixture in recent years.
It is three wins in the previous six meetings between the pair at Eastlands and Spurs have yet to receive a hiding on their travels to Manchester’s newest stadium.
Their three defeats in that period all came by a single goal and, with City often not convincing in the final third of late, I think Andre Villas-Boas will be able set his side up to frustrate.
Spurs overall form has been hit-and-miss this term but their victory at Old Trafford showed just what they are capable of and in Gareth Bale, Jermain Defoe and Aaron Lennon, among others, possess any number of match-winners.
Defoe’s hat-trick in the 3-1 win over Maribor on Thursday in the Europa League underlined his terrific current form and Tottenham boast plenty of pace going forward which may well unsettle the hosts.
At nearly evens receiving a goal head start on the handicaps, Spurs can be backed confidently in the knowledge that we’ll have stakes returned should they succumb narrowly.
I’m more than hopeful they will leave having added to their points tally however and that is certainly not beyond them.
2pts Back Tottenham (+1, vs. Man City) @ 1.91 (various)