Ange Postecoglou facing familiar problem against Man City - Spurs must show progress

Ange Postecoglou is apt to find himself successful a acquainted presumption this weekend: facing Manchester City and Erling Haaland without his first-choice centre-backs.

The Tottenham caput manager has described caller dada Cristian Romero arsenic "definitely a doubt" for the Etihad aft helium was replaced astatine half-time of Argentina's crippled against Paraguay past week, portion Micky van de Ven is inactive sidelined with the hamstring wounded picked up successful the Carabao Cup triumph implicit City past month.

At the aforesaid signifier of past season, Spurs travelled to City without Van de Ven and Romero – some nursing hamstring injuries astatine the clip – and earned a 3-3 draw, Dejan Kulusevski's 90th-minute equaliser rescuing a constituent for the visitors.

Emerson Royal and Ben Davies filled successful astatine centre-half connected a bitterly acold time and emerged with credit, the brace bravely sticking to Postecoglou's game-plan by playing retired from the backmost successful the look of City's press.

The hosts, though, doubly deed the woodwork, portion Haaland was uncharacteristically wasteful successful beforehand of goal. In the last seconds, astatine 3-3, the striker's walk sent Jack Grealish clear, lone for referee Simon Hooper to belatedly stroke his whistle for a foul connected the Norwegian, incensing City's players and manager Pep Guardiola.

In short, Spurs deserved recognition for doubly coming from behind, but it could easy person been a antithetic communicative for Postecoglou's depleted side.

The large question for Spurs and Postecoglou this play is whether they are amended equipped to header with City this clip astir if Romero is unavailable?

Radu Dragusin is apt to spouse Davies astatine centre-half successful different acerb trial for the January signing, who is yet to person arsenic a Postecoglou player.

Two of Dragusin's champion performances for Spurs person been against City: the 2-1 triumph successful the Carabao Cup last-16 connected October 30 and the unusual 2-0 location decision successful the penultimate crippled of past season.

Playing against Guardiola's broadside seems to suit the 23-year-old, who looks much comfy arsenic a backs-to-the-wall defender than an proactive centre-half – dissimilar Romero and van de Ven, who some emotion being connected the shot and charging up the pitch.

Without Romero, Dragusin would power to the right, with Davies connected the left, giving Spurs much equilibrium and enabling him to walk guardant connected his preferred foot.

Dragusin and Davies finished past month's cupful triumph against City aft Van de Ven and past Romero were some forced off, which should springiness the brace confidence, though they were screened by some Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur successful the 2nd fractional – successful what was arguably a uncommon amusement of pragmatism from Postecoglou.

This presents different question for Postecoglou: should helium accommodate his attack against City, peculiarly considering Spurs' historical successes erstwhile frustrating Guardiola's side?

Amid the furore astir Spurs' decision to the champions successful May, which Postecoglou aboriginal described arsenic his "worst acquisition arsenic a manager", it was astir overlooked that the Australian drastically altered his tactics connected the day.

In the lack of a acceptable centre-forward, Postecoglou ripped up his 4-3-3 strategy successful favour of a striker-less 4-2-2-2, with Pape Matar Sarr pressing arsenic a mendacious nine.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg bolstered the midfield successful a uncommon start, and van de Ven switched to left-back – a relation helium reprised against City past month.

The effect was a Spurs broadside with the numbers to artifact disconnected City's attacks and the runners to wounded them connected the interruption – nutrient for thought up of this weekend's game.

Spurs took a hazard erstwhile they did not motion a centre-half successful the summertime (Postecoglou has said Archie Gray, 18, tin play there) due to the fact that it ever seemed apt that Romero and van de Ven would beryllium sidelined successful tandem astatine immoderate stage, fixed the pressures of Postecoglou's shot and the schedule.

The gathering with City, who are themselves without cardinal players and connected an unprecedented four-game losing streak, feels similar a trial of Tottenham's understudies and different intriguing measurement of their advancement nether Postecoglou.

Spurs' squad appears deeper than past play and a landmark effect astatine the Etihad would spell a agelong mode to proving it.