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Tottenham will look to go some way to confirming their title credentials this season when they travel to Etihad Stadium to take on table toppers Manchester City.
Spurs’ title ambitions suffered a minor setback last weekend as they were held to a 1-1 draw with lowly Wolves while City were made to work for three points against Wigan on Monday, leaving Harry Redknapp’s men five points off the pace.
Now they travel to Manchester in what is being billed as a make or break moment if they are to be deemed as genuine contenders for the league crown.
Redknapp’s man are a different proposition entirely from the team that rolled over 5-1 at White Hart Lane in the second game of the season, and have lost just once since that defeat in late August.
It is that run of form that has prompted claims they can end their title drought which stretches back 51 years, but more importantly for Spurs is that they maintain the gap between themselves and 4th place Chelsea in the last Champions League spot, which is now six points.
City meanwhile will be happy to have responded to growing pressure from outside sources after they were dumped out of the F.A Cup, suffered defeat in their Carling Cup semi-final first leg tie against Liverpool and succumbed to a 1-0 defeat against Sunderland earlier this month.
The win over Wigan meant they moved three points clear of Manchester United in second place, and with their rivals facing a tough tie on Sunday when they travel to the Emirates Stadium, City will be desperate to secure a win on what could be a huge weekend when it comes to deciding the final destination of the Premier League trophy.
The home side will be without Vincent Kompany as he continues to serve his four game suspension for his red card in the F.A Cup against United, while Yaya and Kolo Toure are away on international duty.
David Silva returned to action against Wigan and should feature on Sunday, and Mario Balotelli is expected to recover from the ankle injury which forced him off the pitch against Wigan. Micah Richards is still struggling with a hamstring injury and is a real doubt.
For Tottenham, William Gallas and Sandro are still both absent with calf complaints while Ledley King is out with a groin complaint, but both Michael Dawson and Scott Parker returned to play a full 90 minutes against Wolves and should start against City.
Match Winner
Both Manchester City and Tottenham will be desperate for the points but it is City who hold the advantage mainly thanks to their home advantage.
City are best placed with BlueSQ to land a serious blow in the title race at 1.91 (10/11) while Tottenham can out themselves right amongst the big boys with a win, and Bet365 have them at 4.33 (10/3) to do just that.
The draw is best placed at 3.60 (13/5) with Coral.
First Goalscorer
With such a wide array of attacking talent on display it comes as no surprise that the first goalscorer market is a tight one.
Sergio Aguero leads the way at 6.00 (5/1) with VC Bet while Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli follow closely behind at 17.00 (16/1), both with SkyBet.
For Tottenham, Emmanuel Adebayor is at 8.00 (7/1) with Bet365, while Rafael Van Der Vaart and Jermain Defoe are at 9.50 (17/2) with the same bookie.
Recommended Bets
First Goalscorer: Gareth Bale, 12.00 (11/1) Paddy Power
Correct score: 2-2, 17.00 (16/1) Ladbrokes
