2025-2026 Premier League second round will usher in a heavy showdown, Manchester City will face Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium

Written Rises: The novice reviewer

Manchester City showed strong dominance at the beginning of the new season, swept Wolves 4-0 away in the first round, and the winning numbers in various competitions expanded to two games, with 8 unbeaten games and 7 games won during the period. New players quickly integrated into the team and firepower was fully launched on the offensive end. Guardiola's team usually insists on passing and controlling football, with a high probability of adopting a 4-2-3-1 formation, dominating the game with a ball possession rate of 68% per game, suppressing opponents through midfield control, and using wing breakthroughs to create scoring opportunities. However, the team is currently facing the shortage of midfield personnel. Midfield core members such as Rodri and Kovacic are absent due to injuries, and the rotation of defense lines is also a little tight, which may become a gap for opponents to break through.

Tottenham's overall performance last season was not satisfactory, but the new season showed a new look under the leadership of new coach Thomas Frank. In the first round, he easily defeated the promoted team Burnley 3-0 at home, allowing the team to have two unbeaten games in all competitions, and performed well on the offensive end and showed good combat effectiveness. The team may set up a 3-4-2-1 formation, focusing on defensive counterattack tactics, relying on the dispatch of midfielders to quickly find forward players through the wing, and at the same time, oppress Manchester City's back midfield position at a high position, striving to intercept the ball and launch a quick counterattack. However, Tottenham also faces the trouble of personnel injuries, with main players such as Madison, Kulusevsky, and Udoji absent, which will have a certain impact on the team's mid-front court rotation and tactical execution.

Judging from the historical confrontation data, the two teams have played in the last 10 league matches, and Manchester City has won 4 wins, 1 draw and 5 losses, which is not an advantage. But at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City has won 6 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses in the last 10 times against Tottenham, with a certain advantage. Manchester City was double-killed by Tottenham in the league last season, and the 0-4 home defeat made Manchester City players even more worried. They are bound to long for revenge in this game.

In this game, there are several key matches worth paying attention to: the confrontation between Haaland and Tottenham's central defender combination will be one of the important factors that determine the outcome of the game; Manchester City's new player Reindes and Tottenham's midfielder core Kudus will also have a significant impact on the rhythm of the game. According to a comprehensive analysis, Manchester City has a slight advantage in this game with its home advantage, deeper lineup thickness and good condition after the integration of new players. However, Tottenham's counterattack tactics are quite threatening, and they have maintained a certain psychological advantage against Manchester City in past confrontations, which has also added a lot of uncertainty to the game. In this game, Manchester City is expected to beat Tottenham, with the score likely to be 2-1 or 3-1, but the process may not be easy. Who can laugh to the end in this focus battle? Let's wait and see!