Tottenham Hotspur V Manchester City Betting – Wednesday 16th December

Tottenham Hotspur V Manchester City

Wednesday 16^th December – 20:00 GMT

Tottenham Hotspur

League Position: 5th

Recent Form: WWDDL

Tottenham are much like David Blaine – You expect magic yet all you get is some annoying fellah in a box, that annoying fellah being Kevin Doyle in Spurs’ case. There’s only been thee occasions when Tottenham have been firm favourites to win a match this season and they’ve come a cropper in two of those, one being their embarrassing 1-0 defeat at home to Wolves on Saturday. Now, though, they face arguably their biggest test of the season as City, a team challenging Spurs for a fourth place finish, come to town aiming to add yet more gloom to North London.

Tottenham were as short as 1/5 with some firms to beat Wolves at the weekend which just goes to show how much the Bookies had to thank for Kevin Doyle’s unmarked headed winner just three minutes into the game which paved the way for an early Christmas bonus. We would politely, yet firmly, like to say ‘Sod off’ to Spurs for their efforts on Saturday as how any club, especially one whose fans persistently think they are serious top four contenders, can lose to a club such as Wolves, at home, is beyond me.

The funny thing is, though, we actually fancy Tottenham this weekend and we hate ourselves for it. Harry Redknapp has done a miraculous job at the club but it’s pretty apparent that he’s not the best in motivating his players for the small games, with Spurs falling to defeat against both Stoke City and now Wolves at home this season, two games which should have produced two easy three points. However, the players should need little to inspire them as a City side aiming to do exactly what they set out to achieve come to White Hart Lane with their top four credentials well and truly on the line.

Tottenham’s home form this season is actually very patchy and one that is made to look pretty ordinary by the defeats to Stoke City and Wolves, both coming by 1-0 score lines. At White Hart Lane, Spurs have won five out of eight, with a draw not in sight. However, they have recorded some big results at home this season, none more so than their 5-0 romp of Burnley and their incredible 9-1 humiliation of Wigan Athletic. However, they failed to back both results up by losing in their following home fixture, but Spurs have yet to lose two on the spin at home and, for one reason of another, we can’t see Wednesday being the night for a first.

Man City

League Position: 6th

Recent Form: DDDWD

Mark Hughes and Man City have already signalled their intent on breaking into the top four by not only spending a ludacris amount on players over the summer but by also giving all of the top four a run for their money. Now, though, with their sights firmly set on breaking into that top four, they go up against a team who have the exact same objective for the season and it will be interesting to see whether City can now dash Tottenham’s dreams of Champions League football as they aim to boost theirs.  

City’s form book is littered with draws and they unwillingly added another on Saturday when they frustratingly couldn’t beat Bolton Wanderers at The Reebok, in what was their fifth away draw of the campaign. However, with White Hart Lane yet to embrace a stalemate this season, perhaps this is an all or nothing encounter waiting to happen, one which will either see City winning or losing, which would shake up the form book, thank God.

However, City have struggled to go that yard further when on their travels this season and have yet to beat a side with true European potential on the road. The closest they’ve come was a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa and a 2-2 draw with Liverpool, the latter a game which could easily have gone their way. However, even those so called ‘lesser’ side have held City, Bolton at the weekend being one of them, and betting on a City side who just don’t know how to win on the road looks a precarious bet in our opinion, one which has had very little appeal to us.

On the road, City’s record this season stands at 2-5-1, with draws being their downfall, although they’re better than defeats. Their only defeat on the road this season came at their bitter, local rivals, Manchester United, in a game they didn’t deserve to lose. However, although they’ve proven a difficult side to beat when on their travels, their defence has been found wanting on several occasions and has conceded 11 already, with five of those coming in their previous two outings. Equally, they’ve scored 13 in return but there are serious doubts over their defending this season, none more so then on Saturday when they conceded three against Bolton.

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

Tottenham Hotspur W: 9 Manchester City W: 1 Draw: 0

I was stunned when I read up on the recent meetings between the two sides to see such a one-sided h2h record. Rub your eyes – Tottenham have won nine of the last ten meetings between the pair, with their only defeat coming two seasons ago in Manchester. Spurs completed a league double over City last year, beating them 2-1 both at home and away. Spurs have also won the last five encounters at White Hart Lane, strangely enough, all have finished 2-1.

Match Verdict: Tottenham Hotspur to WIN – 2.38 SkyBet

We expect City’s drawing habit to be spoiled by a defeat this week as Tottenham aim to bounce back from their humiliating Wolves defeat. This is a big game for Spurs as a win would not only give them three points but it would also give them the mental edge over City, a team desperate to break into the top four. They will, though, need a much better performance than the one we had to endure on Saturday, whilst their strikes will need to be a lot more clinical in the game defining moments. Still, the omens are good, what with Spurs winning the previous five at home all 2-1.

Match Odds:

Tottenham Hotspur – 2.38 SkyBet

Draw – 3.40 PaddyPower

Manchester City – 3.25 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Tottenham Hotspur to WIN 2-1 – 9/1 SkyBet