Manchester City vs Tottenham: Rodri back, Foden fit and how both sides could line up

There’s almost never a quiet chapter when these two meet. Manchester City vs Tottenham has delivered drama, goals, and a few shocks in recent years, and the early-season timing only adds spice. Pep Guardiola gets key pieces back, Ange Postecoglou brings pace and intent, and both managers know this match can set the tone for the next month.

Team news and predicted XIs

Pep Guardiola has reasons to be upbeat. Rodri and Phil Foden are back in the matchday squad after missing the opening weekend. The plan, as it stands, is to manage their minutes rather than rush them, which means both could start on the bench and come on to steady or tilt the game late on. Ederson has shaken off the illness that sidelined him last time out, with Stefan Ortega Moreno ready if needed.

There are setbacks. Mateo Kovacic is still out, and Josko Gvardiol has trained but is not expected to be risked yet. Savinho, on City’s books and rehabbing, remains unavailable. The knock-on effect is straightforward: more responsibility on Bernardo Silva and Matheus Nunes to control rhythm, and more defensive minutes for Nathan Ake at left-back.

Expect City to look like a 4-3-3 in possession, morphing into the usual box midfield. Kyle Walker should keep the right-back slot, with Ruben Dias and John Stones in central defence and Ake on the left. Ahead of them, Bernardo’s positioning becomes the glue—dropping to help build play, drifting wide to combine, and closing angles when Spurs break. Up front, Erling Haaland leads the line with two of Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku, Julian Alvarez, or Foden flanking him. Given Foden’s return from a layoff, a second-half cameo feels more likely than a start.

Predicted Manchester City XI (4-3-3):

• GK: Ederson
• DEF: Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Nathan Ake
• MID: Bernardo Silva, Matheus Nunes, Kevin De Bruyne
• ATT: Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez

Bench options to change the picture: Foden (versatility and control between the lines), Rodri (game management and protection), Rico Lewis (inversion if City need an extra midfielder), and Grealish (ball security and fouls drawn late on).

Tottenham’s approach under Ange Postecoglou won’t change because of the venue. They’ll press high, push full-backs on, and play fast when the ball turns over. Guglielmo Vicario starts in goal, and the back four should be Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Destiny Udogie—ball-carrying, aggressive, and willing to step into midfield to squeeze the pitch.

In midfield, Pape Matar Sarr brings legs and duels, while Yves Bissouma or Rodrigo Bentancur can anchor the traffic. James Maddison is the chief creator, drifting into pockets to slide passes beyond City’s last line. Up front, Son Heung-min’s movement between centre-back and full-back remains the big threat, with Dejan Kulusevski and either Richarlison or Brennan Johnson offering different looks—power in the box versus raw speed on the break. Teenager Lucas Bergvall is a bench wildcard who can carry the ball through pressure if Spurs need fresh running.

Predicted Tottenham XI (4-2-3-1):

• GK: Guglielmo Vicario
• DEF: Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie
• MID: Pape Matar Sarr, Yves Bissouma; James Maddison
• ATT: Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-min, Richarlison

Options to flip the script: Bentancur (control and calm), Brennan Johnson (direct runs into space), and Bergvall (ball-carrying from deeper zones).

How the game could play out

This fixture often swings on tempo. City want long spells of sterile possession mixed with sudden bursts around the box; Spurs want chaos—fast transitions, quick diagonals, and 3v3s in space. The first 15 minutes will tell you which team is getting their preferred game state.

City’s shape with the ball is predictable but hard to stop. Walker tends to hold width or tuck in late, with Ake more conservative on the left. Bernardo creates the extra man wherever the pressure is hottest, and De Bruyne’s positioning bends defenders out of shape. When Doku is on the field, City stretch you 1v1 on the flank; when Grealish is on, they slow you, draw fouls, and reset pressure. Haaland is the constant. His runs force defenders to retreat even when the pass doesn’t come, creating gaps for Alvarez and De Bruyne to attack from the edge of the area.

Rodri’s status matters in two ways. If he starts, City can camp higher and take more risks with both full-backs because he kills counters at source and recycles under pressure. If he comes on later, Guardiola might lean on Bernardo and Nunes to share that burden early, keeping the rest defense conservative and trusting set-pieces and second balls to tilt momentum.

For Spurs, the plan is tried and tested: squeeze City’s first pass, then spring into the channels behind Ake or into the space Walker vacates when he joins the attack. Maddison and Son are the key connectors. One drops, the other darts. When Spurs are at their best under Postecoglou, the first forward pass after a regain is vertical and brave. Van de Ven’s recovery speed lets them hold a line that would panic most teams.

Key duels to watch:

• Haaland vs Romero and Van de Ven: Haaland loves the near-post dart; Romero loves the early contact. Whoever wins those first two battles sets the tone.
• Udogie vs Doku/Grealish: If Udogie times his steps, he can pinch the ball and launch counters. Mistime it, and he gets isolated 1v1—City’s dream scenario.
• Maddison vs City’s holding midfielder: If Rodri plays, Maddison has less time and fewer second balls. If he doesn’t, Spurs will hunt those loose touches around the D.
• Porro’s positioning vs Alvarez/Foden: Porro’s advanced role is a weapon in possession but a risk if City thread balls into the right channel behind him.

Set-pieces are an underplayed edge here. City flood the six-yard box with Dias, Stones, and Haaland, and De Bruyne’s flat deliveries are a nightmare to defend. Spurs have Romero’s aggression and Van de Ven’s leap to counter, and Maddison’s outswingers can cause panic if City aren’t clean with first contact. One scramble could decide a tight period of the match.

Recent history backs the idea that this won’t be dull. Last season’s league game at the Etihad turned into a six-goal shootout, and City later broke their away curse at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a controlled win. Postecoglou hasn’t parked the bus at this venue, and there’s no reason to think he will now.

Where can this tilt be settled?

• Transitions after City corners: Spurs will leave a runner high and target the space behind City’s last man. If Son or Johnson starts, that release ball is on all game.
• City’s rest defense: Walker’s recovery speed is a safety net, but if Bernardo and Nunes can’t slow the first pass, Tottenham will find 3v3s.
• The bench: If Foden and Rodri arrive around the hour mark with the game in the balance, City gain control and field position. Spurs’ response is fresh legs—Bentancur for poise, Johnson for chaos.

What about the keepers? Ederson’s range changes the geometry of the match. His clipped passes to the touchline take Spurs’ first press out of the game and create instant 4v3s on the second line. Vicario, meanwhile, has grown comfortable playing through pressure; if City overcommit, he’ll back his short pass into Bissouma or pop a longer ball toward Son’s run into the channel.

The analytics angle is simple. City usually lead the league in shots allowed per game and expected goals difference; they will craft enough chances to win. Spurs, under Postecoglou, trade risk for reward. They produce high-quality chances when the press clicks but concede space if the timing is off. If the first Spurs press is half a second late, De Bruyne or Bernardo will find the gap between lines.

One wrinkle to watch: Guardiola may flip Bernardo wide right to control Porro’s zones, using Alvarez as a floating 10 to pin Bissouma and Maddison. That move has a secondary benefit—freeing Doku to attack Udogie 1v1 with Dias and Walker covering the channel if Spurs break.

The likely flow? City will try to suffocate, Spurs will try to race. If City score first, they can drag the tempo down and lean on subs like Foden and Rodri to close it out. If Spurs land the first punch, expect a wild middle period with end-to-end transitions and a premium on decision-making in both boxes.

On paper, home advantage and the returning quality leaning City’s way. But this fixture has a way of ignoring the script. One slip, one perfect counter, one De Bruyne through-ball—sometimes that’s all it takes.