Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City welcome a rejuvenated Tottenham Hotspur to the Etihad Stadium this weekend in what promises to be a thrilling second-round clash of the 2025/26 Premier League season.
City opened their campaign in ruthless fashion, sweeping aside Wolves 4-0 with Erling Haaland, new signing Tijjani Reijnders, and Rayan Cherki all on the scoresheet. With Bernardo Silva, Omar Marmoush, and Oscar Bobb also in fine form, Guardiola’s side look stacked with attacking firepower despite some early-season injury setbacks.
Tottenham, meanwhile, arrive in Manchester with renewed belief. Under Thomas Frank, Spurs endured their worst-ever Premier League finish last season, scraping 17th and barely avoiding relegation. Yet they salvaged their year in spectacular fashion by lifting the Europa League against Manchester United — a triumph that not only brought silverware but also guaranteed Champions League football.
Spurs’ biggest confidence boost going into this fixture is their 4-0 dismantling of City at the Etihad last November. However, both squads look very different now, and City will be determined to erase that memory.
Frank is expected to adopt a pragmatic, defensive setup to stifle City’s waves of attack. Last season, Spurs scored 64 goals but shipped 65, highlighting both their attacking intent and defensive fragility. Richarlison’s sharp start to the campaign is another positive, while Dominic Solanke, only recently back from an ankle injury, is likely to feature off the bench.
City, however, will have to make do without Rodri, Phil Foden, and Joško Gvardiol, all sidelined through injury. Even so, the defending champions look ready to prove a point after last year’s disappointment, when they finished trophyless and watched Liverpool clinch the title.
In their last five meetings, City hold a narrow advantage with three wins to Spurs’ two. But as history shows, Tottenham have the ability to upset Guardiola’s side, setting up what could be one of the standout fixtures of the weekend.
