Man City Vs Tottenham: Match Thread

[chrissivad]

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Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur

Venue: City of Manchester Stadium
Date: Wednesday, 5 May 2010 Kick-off: 2000 BST

Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live, local radio and Sky Sports 2

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For more details on coverage please check out Geez's Live Media Thread Click Here

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The stakes could barely be higher for Wednesday night's Premier League clash between Manchester City and Tottenham
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With Spurs and the big-spending Blues seen as strong challengers to break into the top four last summer, the anticipation has been building all season towards this crunch clash, live on Sky Sports 2, Sky Sports HD2 and Sky Sports 3D.

With Spurs and the big-spending Blues seen as strong challengers to break into the top four last summer, the anticipation has been building all season towards this crunch clash, live on Sky Sports 2, Sky Sports HD2 and Sky Sports 3D.
Victory at Eastlands would guarantee Tottenham a place in next season's UEFA Champions League

but a City win would leave the matter in their hands heading into the final day.
The Blues' Arab owners vowed to turn City into title contenders after their sensational takeover in 2008 and establish the club amongst Europe's elite.
They were not expected to be in contention last season but after a stunning spending spree last summer, City have lived up to expectations and maintained a top-four challenge.
Tottenham, too, have been in the race throughout the campaign though, and it is they that are fourth - one point above City - heading into the penultimate game of the season.
Redknapp

claim

And Spurs boss Harry Redknapp has cranked up the tension on the eve of the Champions League showdown by claiming City threatened to sign both Craig Bellamy

and Wilson Palacios in January 2009 if Tottenham did not drop their interest in the Welshman.
Redknapp duly obliged, leaving Bellamy free to join City while Spurs landed Palacios from Wigan, and the Blues are now considering legal action over Redknapp's allegation.
Roberto Mancini's

job could also be on the line. The Italian replaced Mark Hughes

as City boss in December and, although he insists otherwise, reports have claimed he too will be axed if City fall short.
His counterpart, Redknapp, has done him few favours by claiming all the pressure is on City given the amount they have spent in a bid to fulfil their lofty ambitions and only an appearance in next season's Champions League would attract the truly big names to Eastlands this summer and take the Blues to the next level.
History

That would open a new chapter in City's history as their only other appearance in Europe's top competition was a two-legged tie in 1968, although Mancini has said Hughes would deserve half the credit for getting them there.
Tottenham have hardly been impotent in the transfer market, though, with Redknapp having been one of the Premier League's big spenders over the last year, splashing out around £35m.
And many Spurs fans will be expecting them to clinch a first-ever Champions League appearance having been in the box seat for much of the second half of the season.
City are in buoyant mood having come from behind on Saturday to claim their first win in three, knock Aston Villa

out of the race and set up the do-or-die duel with Spurs.
The late loss against derby rivals Manchester United

in City's previous home game was only their second Eastlands defeat all season, while Tottenham have only won six out of 17 on the road.
However, Spurs have also come through some big games themselves recently - beating Arsenal and Chelsea - and have won 11 of their last 12 games against City.
Team news

Emergency loan goalkeeper Marton Fulop is set to continue between the sticks for City after making his debut in Saturday's 3-1 win against Villa.
Gareth Barry was left out against his former club with a hamstring strain and could return to the centre of midfield for either Nigel de Jong or Patrick Vieira.
Defender Joleon Lescott (hamstring) has been ruled out for the final two games while midfielder Stephen Ireland (ankle) will also miss out.
Tottenham defender Ledley King is doubtful due to his long-standing knee problem. The Spurs captain started Saturday's 1-0 win over Bolton and has played two games in a week only twice this season.
In-form keeper Heurelho Gomes is battling to overcome a thigh strain he suffered against Bolton, so Ben Alnwick is on stand-by.
Winger Aaron Lennon could make his first start since December having featured from the bench in the last two games, while Redknapp is set to choose between Peter Crouch, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Roman Pavlyuchenko to partner top scorer Jermain Defoe up front.

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BBC Preview

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Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry is set to return after recovering from a hamstring injury.
A hamstring injury has ended Joleon Lescott's season but he could recover before the World Cup while Marton Fulop again replaces Shay Given in goal.
Tottenham also have goalkeeper worries with Heurelho Gomes facing a fitness test on his groin problem.
Manager Harry Redknapp will once again make a late decision on central defender Ledley King.


Man City
Injured: M Johnson & Petrov (both knee), Given (shoulder), Gonzalez (groin), Lescott (hamstring)

Tottenham
Doubtful: Gomes (groin), King (knee)
Injured: Corluka & Kranjcar (both ankle), Cudicini (broken wrists), Woodgate (groin)



Match Preview

Four years ago, a dodgy lasagne was blamed for ending Tottenham's hopes of finishing in the top four but victory for Spurs at the City of Manchester Stadium will finally guarantee a diet of Champions League football at White Hart Lane next season

It would also mark Tottenham's best-ever finish in the Premier League, and crown a remarkable renaissance since Harry Redknapp took over the bottom-of-the-table club just 18 months ago.


Manchester City are the only team that can prevent Spurs finishing in the top four and a victory for Roberto Mancini's side would put them in pole position with one game to go.




The Italian was brought in to replace Mark Hughes at Christmas with the clear purpose of qualifying for the Champions League but even if that is achieved, Mancini's future at Eastlands is far from certain.



What is certain is that Tottenham's fate is still in their own hands - having choked in the FA Cup semi-final last month, another failure would surely be too much to stomach even for their long-suffering fans.



MATCH FACTS

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Head-to-head
• Tottenham have won 11 of the last 12 meetings between the sides in all competitions, and 10 of the last 11 in the Premier League.
• City's only league win against Spurs in the last seven years was the 2-1 home victory in March 2008. City's scorers that day were Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha.

Man City
• City have lost just six Premier League games this season. They have never lost fewer than seven top flight games in a season.
• City have only won three of their last six home matches in the Premier League.
• City's top scorer Carlos Tevez, who could make his 100th Premier League start, needs one more goal to bring up his half century in the Premier League.

Tottenham
• Tottenham have won eight of their last 10 league games and scored in all of the last 10.
• Spurs have won just two of their eight away games in the Premier League since Christmas - at Stoke and Wigan.
• Spurs have won all 17 league games in which they have led at half-time.


LEADING GOALSCORERS

Man City
Tevez: 29 goals (23 league); Adebayor: 14 goals (14 league)...

Tottenham
Defoe: 24 goals (18 league); Crouch: 12 goals (7 league)...

Referee: Steve Bennett
Assistant referees: Jake Collin & Martin Yerby
Fourth official: Lee Probert



MOST RECENT MEETING
Tottenham 3-0 Manchester City (16 December 2009)
Tottenham scorers: Kranjcar 37, 90, Defoe 54

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[NickHSpurs]

Ooooh the match thread, now it's officially sqweeky bum time!

7 hours to go and I'm already considering how great it would feel to get a result and how bad I'd feel should we lose!

COME ON YOU SPURS!!!

 

[McFlash]

There are no words.....
A simple GGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH... will have to suffice in summing up how I feel right now.

 

[spurs mental]

There are no words.....
A simple GGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH... will have to suffice in summing up how I feel right now.

Try this thread mate, if you haven't already.

http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=59942 :up:

 

[Kushal]

May the fourth be with us! Come On You Spurs!!!

 

[mil1lion]

 

[Coyboy]

Loving Al, if the pictures were a little outdated now. Teemu, Routledge, Rocha and Malbs can't help us now.

Off up town and then to the boozer. Coys.

 

[robbiesavagehasbreasts]

I've never been as nervous in my life.

 

[ShelfSide18]

Not long before I leave for Manchester, wearing my lucky BMJ t-shirt and retro 91 Spurs shirt combo.

COYS

 

[antiloqus]

Oh, is that tonight? I had forgotten all about it.

 

[ShelfSide18]

Chrissi, why put a picture of Adebayor up, I've just punched through my laptop screen!

 

[MattyP]

Got a bad feeling about today, I pray that I am wrong.

COYS.

 

[ShelfSide18]

Got a bad feeling about today, I pray that I am wrong.

COYS.

SShhh, I would give you some advice to get over the nerves but you know what to do.

 

[bigturnip]

LEADING GOALSCORERS​

Man City
Tevez: 29 goals (23 league); Adebayor: 14 goals (14 league)...

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Bolton
Defoe: 24 goals (18 league); Crouch: 12 goals (7 league)...

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Looks like Defoe and Crouch are off to Bolton, or maybe people are just getting confused because they've seen them wearing next season's kit. :grin:

 

[spurdownunder]

Not long before I leave for Manchester, wearing my lucky BMJ t-shirt and retro 91 Spurs shirt combo.

COYS

Sing till your lungs bleed mate.
Our support is always best. Drown out those spoilt brats and get the lads over the line.

COYS!!

 

[ealingspur]

if i could rep you, i would. but the four horseman, long may they live.

 

[McFlash]

Try this thread mate, if you haven't already.

http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=59942 :up:

I'm trying it everywhere but it's not working!

 

[Booney]

Just hope our players show-up, give everything and play to their abilities. If they do that, nobody can complain no matter what result follows.

Worst thing about the Pompey game was how a lot of our most influential players underperformed on the day. In this case though, all the pressure is on City so hope our guys do their best to relax into it.

 

[tylaw]

Anyone up for another Hudd Missile tonight?

 

[The Apprentice]

4 - 0 City. Bellamy, Adebayor, Tevez, Barry.