Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur: 3 key battles to look out for | Premier League 2022-23

Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur will go head-to-head in what could be termed this week's midweek game of the week. The fixture is scheduled to be played at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester on Thursday, (January 19)

Manchester City has been quite inconsistent in recent weeks and has won just two of their last five fixtures across all competitions. Furthermore, they currently occupy the second spot in the Premier League standings and are eight points behind league leaders Arsenal.

Tottenham Hotspur, on the other hand, has also been inconsistent and has won just two of their last five games across all competitions. Furthermore, they currently occupy the fifth position in the Premier League table.

A win would be crucial for either of the two teams as it would also boost their confidence. Hence, this article will look at three key individual battles that could determine the outcome of this encounter.

Without further ado, let's look at them.

#3 Kevin De Bruyne vs Pierre-Emile Højbjerg

Manchester City vs Liverpool - Carabao Cup Fourth Round 2022-23

De Bruyne is arguably the most creative midfielder in the Premier League and his level of consistency has been unmatched in recent years.

The Manchester City midfielder has netted three goals and has registered 10 assists in 18 league appearances so far. Similarly, he has registered the most assists in the league this season.

De Bruyne's vision and ability to deliver the ball to his teammates in attack is remarkable. Monitoring his movements in midfield is a tough task and Højbjerg will have his work cut out.

However, Højbjerg has also been decent so far and has registered six goals contributions in the Premier League this season. Furthermore, his defensive awareness and ability to stabilize the midfield is also outstanding. It will be interesting to see if he can silence De Bruyne in this encounter.

#2 Harry Kane vs Manuel Akanji

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The Englishman has been decent in the league so far and his attacking contributions have been significant for Antonio Conte.

Kane has netted 15 goals and has registered one assist in 18 Premier League appearances this season. One unique thing about Kane is his ability to drop deep and give room for other attackers to exploit the little pockets of space that he has created due to the attention that he has gathered in pulling the opposition's defense out of their position.

Furthermore, his vision in attack is remarkable and Akanji will definitely have his work cut out in this encounter. However, Akanji's defensive alertness is impressive and it will be interesting to see if he can keep Kane under his tabs.

#1 Erling Haaland vs Cristian Romero

Manchester City v Chelsea: Emirates FA Cup Third Round

Haaland is arguably the sharpest striker in Europe's top five leagues and his presence in the attack has been significant for Pep Guardiola.

The Manchester City forward has netted 21 goals and has registered three assists in 17 league appearances so far. Similarly, he's the Premier League's current top-scorer.

Monitoring his movements in the final third of the pitch is a difficult task and Romero will have to be defensively alert if he intends to stop Haaland from scoring. However, Romero's defensive awareness is immense and it will be interesting to see if he can increase Haaland's goal drought.