Tottenham Hotspur will aim for their fourth consecutive Premier League victory when they take on Manchester City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday night.
Spurs’ form has improved as their injury crisis has eased, securing wins against Brentford, Manchester United, and Ipswich Town to climb to 13th in the table.
Their 4-1 thrashing of Ipswich Town last weekend saw Brennan Johnson score twice, with Djed Spence and Dejan Kulusevski also getting on the scoresheet.
Now, Ange Postecoglou’s side faces Manchester City, a team they have already beaten twice this season—4-0 at the Etihad in the league and 2-1 in the Carabao Cup. With momentum on their side, Spurs will head into this clash in high spirits.
Postecoglou now has more squad depth with key players returning, though some are still regaining full fitness. This could lead to rotation, with Dejan Kulusevski possibly making way for James Maddison, who made a strong impact off the bench against Ipswich.
John Wenham, owner of Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose, shares this view, suggesting Maddison could replace Kulusevski in the starting XI against Man City.
“I think Spence and Destiny Udogie will start together again,” John Wenham exclusively told Tottenham News.
“With Ben Davies ruled out we’re probably looking at Kevin Danso and Archie Gray at centre-back. Rodrigo Bentancur and Lucas Bergvall seem to be the two in midfield that Postecoglou likes at the moment.
“Further forward, I think Maddison must start, especially after his two goals against City earlier this season at the Etihad. I also think his leadership skills will be useful in a game such as this one. After Johnson’s performance against Ipswich, it is hard to leave him out.
“I think Mathys Tel and Son Heung-min will both start, which means Kulusevski missing out. It is a dilemma for Postecoglou, but what a great dilemma to have.”
Former Spurs boss Harry Redknapp had backed Dejan Kulusevski to make an impact against Ipswich Town, and the Swedish winger delivered, scoring the final goal in Tottenham’s 4-1 victory.
Despite Spurs’ struggles this season, Kulusevski has been their standout performer, but his recent fatigue has affected the team’s attacking play.
Now, with key players returning from injury, Ange Postecoglou has the opportunity to rotate his squad, giving some overworked stars a much-needed break. Kulusevski, who has played relentlessly for the past three months, could be one of them.
A potential replacement is James Maddison, who has made an impressive return from injury, registering a goal and an assist in his last two games.
Having come off the bench at Portman Road, Maddison should be fresh and ready to start against Man City, adding creativity and energy to the midfield.
