Tag: Jose Mourinho

Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City – Match Preview: Team News, Predictions and Line-Ups

Tottenham face Manchester City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night, with victory putting Spurs top of the Premier League table, if only for 24 hours.

There are no new injury concerns after the international break for either side, however Spurs will be without Matt Doherty who tested positive for coronavirus while with the Republic of Ireland. Erik Lamela “is still in the last period of his recovery” and Harry Winks has a “little problem” putting both in major doubt ahead of Saturday’s fixture.

Steven Bergwijn is training at Hotspur Way and is said to be available for Saturday despite being dropped by the Netherlands national team after being deemed “not fit enough” following a groin issue. Japhet Tanganga is also back is training after being out with a back injury for nearly two months.

Manchester City are without Fernandinho who has ‘stomach problems’, meanwhile Raheem Sterling, who missed international duty with England, and Sergio Aguero have both returned to training for City and could possibly feature on Saturday. Reports suggest defenders Nathan Ake and Benjamin Mendy are also doubts.

Spurs fans would’ve been worried about the availability of Heung-Min Son earlier this week with 10 of South Korea’s playing and coaching staff testing positive for coronavirus, however Spurs fans will be happy to know that Son has returned two negative tests and “is fine to play”.

Both teams face a busy period with both teams having to play at least two games a week until after the new year due to European commitments as well as the EFL Cup quarter-finals. It is an especially difficult period for Spurs who have to face City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Leicester all within the next month and they’ll be hoping to kick off this period in the right way by beating City on Saturday.

Jose Mourinho will face Pep Guardiola for the 24th time in his management career on Saturday with Mourinho looking for his 7th win over the Spaniard, and Guardiola looking for his 12th win in what is always a fierce contest no matter the teams that they manage. In their time in England however it has been even, both managers winning three times and drawing once.

Mourinho and Guardiola both marked this week with personal milestones – Mourinho has now been Spurs’ manager for a full year, while Guardiola has renewed his contract until 2023.

Both teams have players rich in form following the international break with Ferran Torres scoring a hat-trick against Germany for Spain, whilst Phil Foden scored a brace for England against Iceland. Meanwhile Spurs had four players record a brace of assists during the break: Son, Lo Celso, Bale and Winks.

Spurs are yet to lose since the opening day defeat against Everton in the league and are looking to continue this run. City are unbeaten in their last nine matches in all competitions. 

Tottenham’s win over City in February at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium courtesy of a goal from debutant Steven Bergwijn was their first victory over Manchester City in their last six premier league fixtures.

Spurs and City have varying records in the league with both teams having the joint best defence in the league only conceding nine albeit Manchester City have played one less game, while Spurs are the 2nd highest scorers in the league with 19 goals, City only with 10.

The match will be refereed by Mike Dean who will be accompanied by Kevin Friend on VAR at Stockley Park.

Possible Spurs starting XI: Lloris, Aurier, Alderweireld, Dier, Reguillon, Højbjerg, Ndombele, Sissoko, Bale, Kane, Son

Possible Manchester City starting XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo, Rodri, De Bruyne, Foden, Sterling, Torres, Jesus

Prediction: 1-1.

Where to watch? The game is live on Sky Sports Main Event on Saturday at 5:30 pm GMT.

Andy Reid Podcast Special

This week, I had the absolute pleasure of talking to former Tottenham Hotspur player and current Ireland U18 and Nottingham Forest U23 coach, Andy Reid, on Last Word On Spurs.

We talked about his time at the club; playing in the North London Derby; Troy Parrott and Jamie Bowden; and his thoughts on Daniel Levy, Martin Jol, Frank Arnesen, Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho.

Listen again here:

Spurs’ 2020/21 kits leaked

The leaked designs for Tottenham’s four 2020/21 kits are here:

Ratings out of 10?

[Credit to GraphicStyler]

Luis Binks on why he left Spurs, despite a late intervention from Jose Mourinho

For those who follow Spurs’ youth teams, the loss of Luis Binks to Thierry Henry’s Montreal Impact came as a shock.

Both Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen are the wrong side of 30 and the England youth international, whose grace on the ball and leadership qualities stood out, was viewed by many as their natural successor. To lose a highly promising player, only a year or two away from competing for a first team spot, was incredibly disappointing.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Binks outlined some of the reasons why he chose to move to the MLS and join Montreal, despite a late intervention from Jose Mourinho:

‘I told the academy staff I was leaving and they said, “We’ll get Mourinho here”. He said how much he liked me, that I would be going on pre-season and, if I did well, I could play a few games next year.

‘That made the decision even tougher, but it also reassured me that, if I’m good enough, I will get to the top.

‘I didn’t want to take the risk of waiting for something that might never come. You then get to 21 and you still haven’t played.

‘I play for England with Mason Greenwood at Man United and it’s brilliant to see him getting on and doing so well. But he’s a forward, it’s different for a centre-half, they don’t bring you on for the last 15 minutes, do they?

‘So I needed to push myself, I couldn’t sit around in the 23s, that just wasn’t for me.’

He said that the success of Jadon Sancho was a major influence on his decision to leave Hostpur Way in search on first team football:

‘My debut here there were 30,000 fans. Last year, for the Under 23s, you’d be away to Derby on a Thursday night in front of 50 people.

‘The crowd, the occasion, it motivates you, you want more of it. You can still learn playing Under 23s, but not as much as this.

‘When Jadon Sancho went to Dortmund and did so well, it really inspired me. So I thought, “Yeah, why not?”. It felt like a no-brainer.’

Binks also recalls not holding back when mixing it with Spurs’ senior players for the first time:

‘My first training session at Tottenham, I was only 16, there was a 50-50 and I went in with Jan Vertonghen.

‘I went in hard – but fair, I think – and he got up and shouted at me, “You f***ing idiot”. Literally, 20 seconds later, the same 50-50 challenge came along… I went in full blooded again and he rolled his ankle.

‘He went mental. For six months he wouldn’t shake my hand. He’d just laugh and say, “You’re that kid who did me!”.’

Losing Luis Binks was undoubtably a blow, but you can can hardly blame him for seeking guaranteed first team football and it’s clear he has a plan of how he is going to make it as a top player. We hope he fulfils his obvious potential and eventually finds his way home to play in lilywhite.

‘Trouble On Teeside’

Good to join host Ricky Sacks was joined by Lee McQueen, and debutant Hugo for this week’s Last Word On Spurs as we discussed Lucas Moura rescuing a replay for Spurs after Ashley Fletcher struck opener for Championship side in the FA Cup third round clash.

More misery was piled on Jose Mourinho as Tottenham failed to beat Middlesbrough in the FA Cup. Spurs have been left with an unwanted replay and another fixture on an already-stacked calendar. Lucas Moura’s second half header levelled the game shortly after Ashley Fletcher caught the Spurs back line napping.

It leaves Mourinho again with more questions about his side than answers, as pressure starts ramping up on him and his ability to get the more out of the squad that let Mauricio Pochettino down earlier this season.

You can listen back here: www.audioboom.com/posts/7510515-plan-c-love-sport-radio

‘Decisive Jose’

It was good to join host Charlie Hawkins, Ricky Sacks and Jamie from Daily Hotspur on Love Sport Radio to review the win against Olympiacos in the Champions League.

We also previewed the clash against Bournemouth to come back on Saturday in the Premier League.

Listen back here: www.audioboom.com/posts/7437182-decisive-jose-love-sport-radio