Tottenham have been at the forefront of the media for all the wrong reasons the past few days, after they embarrassingly squandered the signature of long-term target Ebereche Eze, with the Crystal Palace midfielder set for a medical with arch rivals Arsenal.
The 27-year-old, who Tottenham were on the verge of signing after weeks of negotiations, would have fit perfectly into Thomas Frank’s squad- not just for his renowned ability, but also given the major blow Spurs suffered with the long-term injury picked up by Eze's compatriot James Maddison in pre-season.
Dejan Kulusevski is also not expected to return for at least another month after sustaining an injury in Spurs’ penultimate game of last season. Meaning the Lilywhites are really lacking depth in attacking midfield.
The failure to acquire Eze’s signature has once again seen Chairman Daniel Levy, who is always at the heart scrutiny among Spurs fans, gain an onslaught of criticism for his inability to secure the transfer.
This is especially prevalent after he said that his side, "Need to win the Premier League.
"We want to win the Champions League." - HaytersTV
Despite the deep disappointment of the situation, the current Tottenham squad deserve much praise for their unquestionable improvements already evident from their opening two games.
These performances will provide them with confidence ahead of their trip to the Etihad - a fixture which they have enjoyed much success in recent visits, including an emphatic 4-0 victory last November.
How will Tottenham set up against Manchester City?
Given that Man City enjoy playing possession based football with a high line, many expect Tottenham to revert to the 5-3-2 formation that worked so well against PSG.
This will likely see one of the front three that started against Burnley sacrificed for centre back Kevin Danso.
However, although expected, this may not be the case, as Spurs may look to counteract Man City's attacking threat with impressive offensive options of their own.
This includes Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison, who look certain to start. The latter of whom seems to have revitalised his Spurs career.
The Brazilian was linked with a move away from Spurs this summer, but was reportedly keen to prove his worth in his fourth season in North London.
So far he has justified those claims, with outstanding performances: in the Uefa Super Cup against PSG and then against Burnley - which saw him rewarded with the Premier League Player of the Week award, with two fantastic, acrobatic finishes, including an early contender for goal of the season.
Last week Man City's new midfield additions performed as though they were experienced Premier league midfielders, shutting out any doubts that a move from a foreign League was a gamble - as is often associated with Premier League transfers.
The pair were relentless in displaying their quality against Wolves and will be hoping to emulate their excellent debuts in a tougher test against Spurs - a team the hosts have struggled so much against in recent meetings.
Tottenham have also reinforced in midfield with the loan signing of Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich. The 30-year-old started on the bench last week, likely due to his lack of game time prior to joining Spurs.
The former Fulham midfielder is expected to start though. Palhinha completed 152 tackles in the 2023/24 campaign, more than any other Premier League player (Sky Sports).
If he can replicate this form against the eight-time English champions, it will certainly have a massive influence on the outcome of the game.