Manchester City is gearing up to face Tottenham Hotspur on February 1, 2026, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The squad has received a boost with the return of new signings Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi, who were ineligible for the Champions League match against Galatasaray. Their inclusion is crucial as City seeks to respond to Arsenal’s victory over Leeds on Saturday.
Head coach Pep Guardiola did not hold a pre-match press conference due to personal matters, but he is expected to be present on the sidelines. Rodri, who missed the previous match due to suspension, will also return to the lineup. City faces significant selection challenges, particularly following the injury to Jeremy Doku, who will be sidelined for over two weeks with a calf issue.
Guardiola must make pivotal decisions regarding his starting XI. Erling Haaland was benched during the recent win against Wolves but is set to start after scoring in the Galatasaray match. Rayan Cherki has continued to impress, suggesting that Semenyo might take the forward position, potentially leaving Omar Marmoush out of the lineup.
In midfield, Rodri and Bernardo Silva are confirmed starters, while Phil Foden and Tijjani Reijnders will compete for the remaining spot. Ruben Dias is nearing his return but will not be ready for this match; therefore, Abdukodir Khusanov will partner with Guehi in central defense.
Defensive options include Nico O’Reilly, who showed improvement against Wolves, alongside Rayan Ait-Nouri and Nathan Ake as potential left-back choices. The club continues to manage injuries, with John Stones, Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic, and Savinho also unavailable.
On Doku’s injury, Guardiola’s assistant, Pep Lijnders, provided insight on Friday: “It’s similar to the last injury. Only that time it was lateral, this one is in the centre. It was 18 days before. I think this time it will be a little bit shorter as he’s a robust player.”
The predicted Manchester City lineup for the match is as follows (4-3-3 formation): Donnarumma; Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Reilly; Silva, Rodri, Foden; Cherki, Haaland, Semenyo.
As the match approaches, City aims to maintain their competitive edge in the Premier League amidst ongoing injury management and tactical preparations. The encounter is set for 16:30 (UTC) and can be viewed on Sky Sports.
