Champions League: 3 Players who could turn the tie for Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur

After the shocking exit of Juventus from the Champions League, the remaining two fixtures of the UCL quarter finals promise to throw up more fireworks. Manchester City take on Tottenham Hotspur at the Ethihad stadium and Liverpool will play against Porto away from home.

Tottenham have a one goal advantage against Manchester City after a clinical performance in the 1st leg of the tie. But the injury to Harry Kane will be a big loss for them, and Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping for the others to step up in his absence.

Pep Guardiola experimented with his playing XI in the 1st leg and paid the price for it, but he is expected to field a full strength side in front of the home crowd. City will be looking to play at a high tempo right from the starting whistle.

Here are three players who could help Manchester City turn around the one-goal deficit:

#1 Bernardo Silva

The evolution of Bernardo Silva in the past year or so has been pretty incredible, and his absence in the 1st leg was a huge loss to Guardiola’s side. His versatility on the right wing has been key to Manchester City’s success this season.

Though his name generally appears as a “right wing forward” in the team sheet, his ability to orchestrate play from the midfield is invaluable. He also has the ability to pass the ball in tight areas, and his incredible left foot allows him to dribble with ease.

Guardiola played a 4-2-3-1 formation in the 1st leg but if Silva is fit, he will definitely opt for the 4-3-3 formation with Silva playing behind Sterling. His link-up play with David Silva will give Manchester City an extra dimension during attacking plays.

Guardiola might also be tempted to use Bernardo Silva in a more advanced position to accommodate Kevin de Bruyne in the team.

#2. Benjamin Mendy

This has been a pretty frustrating season for Benjamin Mendy, as frequent injuries have forced him to miss a whole bunch matches. He played his first full game after five months on Sunday against Crystal Palace, and looks all set to feature in the playing XI against the Spurs.

The importance of Mendy’s presence on the pitch against Tottenham can be clearly understood by looking back at City’s struggles in December, when they lost Mendy to injury. Guardiola tried a variety of options but none of them could match the impact of the Frenchman.

Mendy provides the team with loads of energy and pace on the left wing with his attacking runs, and he also provides stability in defence. He has a good understanding with Leroy Sane on the pitch and their combination play can be a headache to Kieran Trippier and Toby Alderweireld.

#3. Leroy Sane

Guardiola will definitely regret the decision to leave out the German winger for the 1st leg if Manchester City do not qualify for the semifinals of the Champions League. Leroy Sane has been directly involved in 29 goals this season for his club despite not being a regular starter in the playing XI.

Sane gives a different dimension to this Manchester City team since his incredible pace allows the midfielders to move the ball forward quickly after regaining possession. With Sterling and Sane in the team, Manchester City will be very difficult to stop in transitions.

Guradiola recently praised Sane, saying that he is “one of the best in the world” when running behind a defence. This ability of Sane could be vital against Tottenham since Pochettino’s side play with a high defensive line.

Sane is also adept at cutting into the defence from the left wing, and City fans will be hoping that he has a good game against Spurs.

Edited by Musab Abid