How could Tottenham choose to line up when they face Manchester City this weekend?
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino waves to the crowd after the International Champions Cup 2017 match between Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur face Manchester City in another high profile match in the US this weekend, with the Premier League runners up coming up against the team that finished in third place last season in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday night at 11pm BST.
The match has of course been given added spice by Kyle Walker’s protracted transfer to the Etihad stadium earlier in the summer, and will mark the first time the Sheffield native has ever faced the North Londoners in a senior game.
Though Mauricio Pochettino has experimented with his line-ups in the two other matches across the Atlantic, the impressive win over PSG and the unfortunate defeat to Roma, he may have a different motivation when facing a Premier League rival.
Below is the side that he could choose to put out against Manchester City:
The Argentine may be tempted to field pretty much his strongest side against the Citizens. He could well go with four at the back rather than three, given how well Spurs performed using that defensive formation in the 2-0 win over City at home last year. They found things much tougher playing three at the back in the 2-2 reverse fixture.
Ben Davies will surely be tasked with offering the defensive resistance to Kyle Walker’s rampaging runs, while Kieran Trippier will be hoping to demonstrate the creative abilities that led to him being preferred to his fellow England fullback towards the end of last season. The prospect of a Kyle Walker versus Kyle Walker-Peters competition is a curious one for Spurs fans though, and the youngster could get some minutes against his near namesake, where his pace could be of use rather than Davies’ more sensible play.
Both Mousa Dembele on the left side of midfield and Eric Dier as the more defensive minded of those in the middle will surely be conscious of their former teammate’s lung-bursting runs up the right flank.
Ben Davies of Tottenham Hotspur and Kyle Walker of Tottenham Hotspur warm up prior to kickoff
Josh Onomah may be given further opportunity to make an impression, occupying one of the attacking midfield spots, though both Georges-Kevin Nkoudou and academy prospect Anthony Georgiou caught the eye against Roma, so would expect to see some action.
Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli could provide the attacking threat, like they have done so successfully over the last 12 months.
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