Man City boss Pep Guardiola has ‘high opinion’ of Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham

LONDON – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola insisted that he has a “high opinion” of Tottenham Hotspur and their boss Ange Postecoglou, ahead of their English Premier League clash on Feb 26.

The English champions failed to stop Liverpool’s title charge on Feb 23, losing 2-0 at the Etihad, and Guardiola knows that he must quickly switch his focus to the Spurs game to salvage whatever is left of City’s season.

“I have a high opinion about him (Postecoglou). I try to not judge results, you have to see the ideas; sometimes it’s going well, sometimes not much but I have a high, high opinion,” he said on Feb 25.

“(They are) a fantastic team, individual quality that they’ve always had, and the rhythm they play with, the intensity, incredible runners in transition. But lately they are a little bit more pause in the final third, more extra passes.”

While he did his analysis on Spurs, he would also have done the same on his team.

When City lost to Liverpool, the lack of a focal point was a big issue as they missed the injured Erling Haaland. Guardiola’s men had 66 per cent possession but, ultimately, it is goals that win games.

They have now lost three matches from four in all competitions, the other two being Real Madrid in the Champions League play-off stage. Guardiola had previously said that this is his “worst” season in charge, and it is not difficult to see why.

City are heading into the match against Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with only two wins in their last nine Premier League away games.

Those victories came against relegation-threatened sides in Leicester City and Ipswich Town, and it is no guarantee that they will do better against Postecoglou’s attack-minded Tottenham.

As it is, City have already lost 4-0 and 2-1 to Spurs in the league and League Cup respectively this season.

Guardiola is likely to be without Haaland again, while Manuel Akanji and John Stones are also unavailable, joining Rodri and Oscar Bobb in the treatment room.

Tottenham also have some way to go before they recover a fully-fit squad, with Radu Dragusin, Dominic Solanke, Richarlison, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven the confirmed absentees for this clash.

Postecoglou was pleased he had no casualties in their 4-1 win over Ipswich on Feb 22, as Spurs look to do the league double over City for the first time since the 2021-22 season.

“Good news, everyone who played (at Ipswich) got through really well,” said Postecoglou.

“It’s great we could give guys like Madders (James Maddison) and Pedro (Porro) a bit of a rest and still able to come on and contribute, and get game time into Brennan (Johnson) and Destiny (Udogie). They all came through really well.

“So, that means it will be a similar squad for tomorrow.”

Ipswich, meanwhile, travel to Manchester United as the Red Devils aim to end a woeful run of home form. Since Ruben Amorim took charge of United, the Portuguese boss has lost five of seven league matches at Old Trafford.

Attack has been their biggest problem, with attackers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee still yet to score in the Premier League in 2025.

The match will see Ipswich manager and former United assistant Kieran McKenna return to the Theatre of Dreams, but he would have noted that the Tractor Boys’ last win at Old Trafford came in 1984 and that his team are the underdogs.